If all the nations of the world are in debt, where did all the money go?

Question

If all the nations of the world are in debt, where did all the money go?

Answer 1

Easy answer. It's all credit based. We all hold each others Visa and Mastercards.

Answer 2

I was gonna say Starbucks. But it sure as h**l can't top Catbunny's answer.

Answer 3

Everybody owes money to each other. Debts aren't cancelled out.  

Answer 4

maintenence, tax, etc

Answer 5

My mom's house

Answer 6

*clasps hands behind back and looks down*

Sorry, I couldn't resist the shoes....they're all so beautiful!!

Answer 7

Halliburton and their ilk.

Answer 8

If by nations you mean    governments, they borrow it from people that save and spend it on building their infrastructure and destroying other countries infrastructure (war) and social welfare programs. If you mean the government and all the citizens combined, their net wealth is positive and they are not in debt. It is just some people borrow  to consume and create assets from people who save but most countries ( but not the US lately) the net saving rate is greater than borrowing by the government plus borrowing for consumption.  

Answer 9

I spent it on X-Files merchandise.  My bad.  I took economics eons ago.  I got a B in it but still didn't get the national debt thing.  

Answer 10

Let's say that there are only 2 nations. US and Russia. Both spend billions and billions of dollars to make weapons. The money comes from the citizens and goes to the people who make the weapons. The nations try to tax more to build more weapons, but it can't take enough money from the citizens, so it borrows money from the citizens (bonds). The nations go in debt and the people who make the weapons get rich. The citizens are creditors, the nation is the debitor, and the people who make the weapons are rich. The nations are in debt, the money went to the weapon makers, and the wealth is stored in the weapons. If the two nations fight and use up the weapons, the wealth stored in the weapons is destroyed, and the nations are left in debt.