Perspectives on proposals for change - Rethinking the global financial system
Moderator: Cristina Rojas, Professor, Norman Paterson School of
International Affairs, Carleton University
| Topic | Presentation | Speech |
| KEY NOTE: Thinking the unthinkable – The global financial crisis as an opportunity for transformative and systemic change? | Podcast | |
| Causes of, and responses to, the global financial crisis - Chuck Freedman, Co-Director, Centre for Monetary and Financial Economics, Carleton University |
Introduction
When US financial powerhouse Lehman Brothers collapsed last fall, the world saw the start of an unprecedented collapse in global stock markets, bringing with it the loss of billions of dollars of investment around the world and severely shaking the foundations of the international banking system. Gloomy economic forecasts, a loss of investor confidence, and mass capital flight have all contributed to the worsening of the current global financial crisis. A decade ago, a similar situation unfolded in East Asia when market speculation sparked investors to pull out billions of dollars of capital, inflating debt and destabilizing markets in the region. In response, the Chiang Mai Initiative emerged in an effort to protect Asian markets from future crises. But has it stood up to today’s global economic collapse? And is an Asian Monetary Fund on the horizon? This brief explores these, and other, issues.
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=44504
FINANCE: NGOs Call for Radical Reforms as IMF Offers New Loans
By Jim Lobe
Follow-up brief to MPs who attended a Parliament Hill discussion on privatization
Commonwealth Foundation
Brunei Darasalaam
July 22nd, 2003
The Role of IFIs
Pamela Foster
Halifax Initiative Coalition
I may have been asked to give this talk as I, among our Commonwealth colleagues, sit closest to Washington. As there is so much experience in the room in addressing issues of the World Bank and the IMF[1], I will merely start a list of all the ways that the IFIs are implicated in the relentless drive towards privatization of public assets.
First, I would like to quickly share two contextual comments regarding this push towards privatization. It must be situated within the drive towards the end of history, or the ultimate global supremacy of US-modeled capitalism. This victory was declared at the end of the Cold War. The end of history envisions the role of the state being limited to maintaining law and order and a sound investment climate.
The World Bank, the IMF and FTAA
Halifax Initiative Statement on the FTAA
Click here for pdf
Money, money everywhere, but nary a drop to drink
Talking G8: The Travelling Road Show
At the invitation of the Parkland Institute and the Alberta Council for Global Cooperation, the Halifax Initiative participated in education events in 10 cities in Alberta to discuss the upcoming G8 meeting in Kananaskis, in June 2002.
Pamphlet [ PDF file ] (1.5 Mb)
