Having lived through a period of boom-and-bust land speculation, he distrusted paper money and banks.

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It is becoming such a concern that MPs are now calling for an investigation into land speculation.

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Alwaleed says he made his first big money in land speculation and the contracting business in Saudi Arabia.

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He moved into land speculation and the contracting business in Saudi Arabia.

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Founded in 1875, Toshiba grew fat during Japan's 1980s bubble years, when the economy boomed on the back of land speculation and consumer spending reached dizzy heights.

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The area is currently populated by over 20 million people and is challenged by deforestation, agriculture, mining, a governmental dam building spree, illegal land speculation including the occupation of forest reserves and indigenous land and other issues.

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And, on the basis of recent history, it is fair to assume that the Bundesbank and many Germans would go bonkers if they thought they were really being forced to bail out a bank that bankrupted itself by rampant speculation on land and property.

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Vacant land was sold at public auction, and speculation, fraud and corruption flourished as buying and selling lots became the biggest game in town.

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The solons may vow that speculation and leverage will never again ravage the land, but they might just as well try to repel the tide.

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