The total amount of money which a country's government has borrowed.
‘Where else can you spend money, boost your savings, and help fund the national debt all at the same time?’
‘Governments have saved billions by refinancing the national debt at lower interest rates.’
‘By the end of the decade, then, the deficit and the national debt may warrant genuine anxiety.’
‘Second, the necessity for economic restructuring is obviated by the pooling of national debts into a currency union.’
‘The huge savings on the national debt are a result of the sharp fall in interest rates in Europe and worldwide.’
‘Another permutation could be to cut spending and taxes and retire the national debt.’
‘Wage and pension cuts were implemented to pay off the national debt.’
‘But there is a Social Security crisis based on ideology and on the total national debt.’
‘In addition, the government had been able to reduce direct taxation and pay off part of the national debt from the proceeds of privatization.’
‘Third is the impact of sustained surpluses and repayment of the national debt on financial markets.’
‘Instead, they want to spend the surplus on tax cuts and paying down the national debt.’
‘If and when the liability crystallises from the raft of legal cases pending, the size of the national debt will rise, possibly by great sums.’
‘What's amazing is that even in the accounts of agencies tasked with servicing the national debt, money is just sitting there.’
‘The total national debt has risen 30 percent in the past four years.’
‘Because the debt is a national debt, accrued in our name, it is our name that we must pay the interest and the principal.’
‘European governments are eagerly proposing schemes to use proceeds from the sale of gold to fund everything from basic science research to paying down their ballooning national debts.’
‘Although inflation was reversed, the national debt greatly increased, as did unemployment.’
‘They were allowed to double the national debt in four years.’
‘They would also be appalled by our enormous national debt and the dismal status of our huge welfare programs.’
‘Finally, as the surplus dwindles, the government will pay off less of the national debt.’
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