Symposia
Feb 2, 2017
The former Governor of the Bank of England, Mervyn King, once said that “banks are global in life, and national in death.” Nearly a decade after the onset of the Global Financial Crisis, international financial markets have roared back, but many national economies are still struggling. The top-heavy recovery has caused rolling regional political and humanitarian crises, prompting renewed criticism…
Jan 25, 2017
An event organized by Red MMT España and Rete MMT Italia, to discuss austerity, public spending, and the role of a transitional jobs program in addressing unemployment in southern Europe. Format Introduction: Stuart Medina Miltimore, Economist, Red MMT España Panel 1: THE ROLE OF THE STATE AS ARCHITECT OF THE FUTURE AND FUNCTIONAL FINANCE Pavlina Tcherneva, Professor of Economics, Bard…
Jan 19, 2017
The economic policies championed by both major American political parties over the last forty years have produced widening inequality, stagnant growth, community decline, and individual despair and alienation. At the same time, the political upheavals of recent months have highlighted the urgent need for fundamental economic reform, and the creation of public institutions that restore individual dignity and prioritize justice,…
Apr 6, 2016
Morgan Ricks, Associate Professor of Law at Vanderbilt and a senior policy adviser at the US Treasury Department from 2009-10, speaks about his new book, The Money Problem: Rethinking Financial Regulation. Professor Ricks argues that financial instability is primarily a problem of monetary system design and offers a novel take on shadow banking. A preview of the book, including the introduction, is available here.
Dec 1, 2015
Paul McCulley, Warren Mosler, & Frank Newman discuss central banking in the post-2008 era. This seminar explores the evolving functions, responsibilities, and theoretical frameworks of central banks in the post-2008 era. Questions to be addressed include: What is the relationship between central bank institutions and sovereign state power? What role do international swap lines play in the future of global…
Nov 16, 2015
This seminar will explore the operational and technical dynamics of payments systems, and their interaction with the monetary and financial system more broadly. Questions to be addressed include: What are the functions of a payments system? What do payments systems have in common, and how do they differ? What are the core dynamics of the contemporary global payments system? Who benefits and…
Oct 29, 2015
This seminar will explore the role of money in the political process, focusing in particular on how different campaign finance mechanisms facilitate and/or hinder the authentic expression of democratic will. Questions to be addressed include: What is political corruption? How does it manifest itself today through the two-party electoral system? How have monetary and electoral systems shaped each other throughout history? What is…
Oct 22, 2015
Bearish investors have long predicted that the Fed’s bond buying would spur inflation and devalue the dollar. But since the 2008 financial crisis, neither prediction has come true. What gives? This seminar explores the nuts and bolts of monetary operations, and the extent to which how the Federal Reserve’s policies do (and do not) impact inflation, the economy, and the U.S. fiscal deficit.…
May 11, 2015
This seminar will explore the relationship between public investment, technological innovation and twenty-first century internet infrastructure. Questions to be addressed include: How do the government’s investment goals and constraints differ from those of market actors? What is the appropriate role for federal, public investment in technological innovation? What should a twenty-first century public internet infrastructure look like, and what will it take to…
May 5, 2015
This seminar will explore various initiatives aimed at decentralizing the levers of public finance, and increasing the level of citizen and community participation in government budgetary decisions. Questions to be addressed include: How can public finance be harnessed to address issues such as political corruption, copyright overexpansion and structural racial wealth inequality? What are the benefits and drawbacks of promoting citizen-level investment…
Apr 28, 2015
This seminar explores the growing importance of big data to economic activity, and the effect of this shift on personal freedom and systems of social discrimination and control. Questions to be addressed include: How are businesses adopting big data tools, algorithms and practices into their commercial and employment practices? What are the legal, social and personal ramifications of our collective transition to…