  A model independent study of the minimal flavor violation (MFV) framework is
presented, where the only sources of flavor breaking at low energy are the up
and down Yukawa matrices. Two limits are identified for the Yukawa coupling
expansion: linear MFV, where it is truncated at the leading terms, and
nonlinear MFV, where such a truncation is not possible due to large third
generation Yukawa couplings. These are then resummed to all orders using
non-linear sigma-model techniques familiar from models of collective breaking.
Generically, flavor diagonal CP violating (CPV) sources in the UV can induce
O(1) CPV in processes involving third generation quarks. Due to a residual U(2)
symmetry, the extra CPV in B_d-\bar B_d mixing is bounded by CPV in B_s-\bar
B_s mixing. If operators with right-handed light quarks are subdominant, the
extra CPV is equal in the two systems, and is negligible in processes involving
only the first two generations. We find large enhancements in the up type
sector, both in CPV in D-\bar D mixing and in top flavor violation.
