Greater prudence would kick in, and, not coincidentally, overall compensation would shrink.
Supporters say this will preserve public support for the euro and encourage greater prudence down the road.
Abu Dhabi will insist on greater prudence and Dubai's go-getting rulers may also now feel defeated.
That is why regulators are now rethinking the rules on banks' capital ratios to encourage greater prudence during booms and cushion deleveraging during a bust.
Over the past few years state subsidies to manufacturing have declined in most "Club Med" countries, largely because of greater prudence by the cash-strapped governments concerned.The two big countries where state aid has increased recently are Germany and France (see chart).
Others must weigh the costs of slower growth against the benefits of greater prudence, particularly the reduced risk of a sudden jump in bond yields and the prospect of lower public debt later.
A military hero, he rejected pleas to join a land war in Vietnam, exercised "great prudence" when Soviet tanks rolled into Hungary and resisted calls to use nuclear weapons against Communist foes in Asia, telling aides: "you boys must be crazy".
He welcomed the "greater prudence" from the Bank, especially as the latest assessment of the UK economy in the last quarter showed business investment was lagging: Given the subdued recovery in business investment, as is evident from the Q3 expenditure breakdown, the move to reorient FLS towards businesses appears well-timed".
"To avoid the mistakes of the past, we must spend with great prudence".
In terms of site disposal, the board has exercised great prudence in dealing with this perplexing problem.
Yet I must say that President Obama, who turns 53 on Monday, has impressed me as a man of great prudence, judgment and compassion.
