This question is often evaded, because the cost of exiting is deemed too high to consider it (and could be higher still if the break-up takes place in a crisis and sharpens reciprocal acrimony among participating countries). Moreover, pulling the plug on the euro could unleash the dark forces of nationalism and protectionism.
真正重要的是共同欧洲货币对未来是否仍然重要。这一问题常常被回避，因为退出欧元的成本高得无法想象（而如果欧元区解体发生在危机期间，并加剧参与国之间的互相倾轧，成本还会进一步提高）。此外，废除欧元可能释放民族主义和保护主义的黑暗力量。但是，牛津大学的凯文·奥洛克（Kevin O’Rourke）最近指出，这一观点并不充分。在逻辑上，这等同于建议一对夫妇因为离婚成本太高昂而将婚姻保持下去。