For many in the UK, the nationalisation of lender Northern Rock 10 years ago provided the first indication of the global banking system’s weaknesses. The industry’s international reputation was shredded not only by a string of bank failures but by the emergence soon after of systematic collusion and market-rigging, and the institutional mis-selling of products for huge profit. The living standards of millions of ordinary people were hammered hard — and many are still paying the price.
對很多英國人來說,10年前北巖銀行(Northern Rock)的國有化是全球銀行體系種種脆弱性首現的征兆。銀行業國際聲譽掃地,不僅是因為一連串的銀行倒閉,還因為不久之后大量出現的系統性串謀和市場操縱,以及為了巨額利潤制度化地濫售金融產品。數百萬普通民眾的生活水平受到重擊——許多人至今仍在為之付出代價。