They hoped the euro would help bring economies into sync, and they sought to impose strict controls on governments' fiscal policy.

WSJ: Troubles in Euro Zone Offer Chance to Fix Its Flaws

Securitization of mortgages played a big part because it meant mortgage servicers had no real incentive to impose strict credit standards on borrowers.

NPR: Ferreting Out Fibs In The Second Debate

The European Union last week moved to impose a strict limit on bank executives' bonuses that forbids bonuses from exceeding a banker's fixed salary without shareholder approval.

WSJ: Swiss Back Executive-Pay Controls

That regulation, called Reg SHO, went into effect in January 2005 and was supposed to impose strict close-out requirements on stocks that showed consistent and frequent settlement failures over a specific period of time.

FORBES: Naked Horror

Americans may be holding tenaciously to a strict view of personal morality, but they say that they do not want to impose their views on others (abortion seems to be the big exception).

ECONOMIST: American values