I wouldn?t want to dwell too much on these things because I would eventually have to end up discussing politics and I don?t want that. Truth of the matter is that people were ignorant in the field of finance. They didn?t know the first thing about mutual funds; nobody really knew anything about that, actually. Although there were TV commercials saying that we could rest assured our money was safe? Safe, my foot! The state ensures such a safety! But has the state come up with a law? Have they explained what mutual funds are? People back then and people now haven?t the faintest idea what these things are. In Europe, as well as in the States, mutual funds represent risk funds! Who would invest in such funds? Only those people who already have loads of money, money that they can spare and risk by investing it in such mutual funds. FNI (the National Investment Fund)! Not to mention CARITAS which was a typical case of such a pyramidal investment game where nothing was sold! ? Nothing at all ? Multi-level marketing systems came only later. They existed back in the 90s but nobody knew about them. Only a handful of companies sell their insurances using a multi-level marketing system. Having been through the CARITAS¹, people have begun to liken financial marketing systems with pyramidal investments. Ignorance brings about distrust!

The State hasn?t intervened until late in the 2000 by passing the 199 Law which explained the difference and which forbade pyramidal investment games. Why wasn?t this passed back in 1991, 1992 or 1993? This law also explains what a multi-level marketing system is, what a stage marketing system represents and how this system has become the biggest job provider in Romania and worldwide.

I like this system in particular because people are first informed. Nowadays people who think they are done learning have a lot to lose. We, the Romanians, especially have a lot to learn still! If we don?t learn, we can?t make any progress. My current job, life insurance and private pensions, transforms you a great deal. I think that this field represents the future because we work with people?s way of thinking, because I am confident that someone has to do this sooner or later.

In the end, as you?re asking me for three words, three adjectives that would describe life in the 90s, what else can I add? It was ? a pioneer?s kind of life, you know, beautiful, pleasant ? hmm, free ? democratically reckless! Meaning, that democracy was misinterpreted! Everybody said that we were a free country and that we would learn more about democracy. In fact, it was all a savage version of democracy! A misunderstood version of democracy ? And that is why we have difficulty reaching the level of business in developed Western countries with a capitalist culture! The very utterance of the word ?capitalism? presupposes an effort! It?s like we?re trapped in a precipice ? 

 1 Pyramidal investment game. Both FNI and CARITAS led to the ruin of people who participated in these games.

Translated by Alina Popescu