It was believed at the time that formalized rules – imposing mandatory limits on deficits, debt, and inflation – would be enough. But this foundation of rules turned out to be an illusion: principles always need the support of power; otherwise they cannot stand the test of reality.
当时，人们相信，形式化的规则——设置关于赤字、债务和通胀的强制性限制——已经足够了。但这一规则的基础本身被证明只是一场幻觉：原则从来都需要权力的支持，否则无法经受现实的考验。