Interview with Ms Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank, in "Challenges" magazine, conducted by Mr Pierre-Henri de Menthon and Ms Sabine Syfuss-Arnaud, and published on 8 January 2020. BISChristine Lagarde: Interview in "Challenges" magazine
Read More »The World of Monetary Policy, According to Christine Lagarde— Carolyn Look
While Lagarde said MMT is no panacea, she didn’t reject it outright.“While it is tempting, when you look at the sort of mathematical modeling of it, and it seems to stand, there are big caveats about it, such as if the country is in a liquidity trap, such as if there is deflation. Well then, in those circumstances, it could possibly work for a short period of time probably, because interest rates stay low until such time when they start going up. And then it is a bit of a trap.”-- April 11,...
Read More »Bill Mitchell — Madame Lagarde basically says MMT is correct – not that she knew she was saying
On April 11, 2019, IMF boss Madame Lagarde gave a press conference to open the 2019 Spring Meetings. The Transcript – includes the Madame waxing lyrical about Modern Monetary Theory (MMT). And you might have confused the press conference for a stand-up comedy routine except you would have to be ‘in the know’ to laugh. But the significant aspect of the conference came when a question from Japan focused on MMT. In attempting to put down our work, Madame Lagarde actually admitted that a...
Read More »Bill Mitchell — Elements in a strategy for the Left
Reuters reported (July 8, 2018) that the awful Madame Lagarde was in France last week lecturing people on how the “joint euro zone budget could be designed with conditions so that it does not become a no-strings transfer of rich countries’ cash to poorer members”. Meanwhile, Jürgen Habermas was lecturing all and sundry on how a “frightened retreat behind national borders cannot be the correct response to … the politically uncontrollable functional imperatives of a global capitalism that is...
Read More »Christine Lagarde — Shining a Bright Light into the Dark Corners of Weak Governance and Corruption
I am gratified that nine countries—the entire G7 plus Austria and the Czech Republic—have already volunteered for this assessment. This is a major vote of confidence in the new framework. IMF gets a new club to beat the emerging world that is now challenging the West. What's the likelihood of the IMF dealing with corruption in the West. This looks to be just another tool in the box of neoliberalism.Most countries are affected by corruption of one form or another. Corruption in so-called...
Read More »IMF Worried that High Inequality Could Threaten Global Capitalism — Sharmini Peries interviews Michael Roberts
MICHAEL ROBERTS: I think the IMF, and that clip shows it, is worried that the huge increase in inequality of income and wealth in many countries, like the US and the UK, over the last 20 or 30 years is reaching such extreme levels that there is serious danger of social and political unrest. The great status quo of globalization and neoliberal policies and international activity in the direction of big business is being threatened by this high inequality. Their economists have now started to...
Read More »Christine Lagarde — Central Banking and Fintech—A Brave New World?
I would like to consider the possible impact of three innovations—virtual currencies, new models of financial intermediation, and artificial intelligence. Some of these innovations have already found their way into our wallets, smartphones, and financial systems. But that is only the beginning. Are you ready to jump on my pod and explore the future together? As one of your fellow Londoners—Mary Poppins—might have said: bring along a pinch of imagination! 1. Virtual currencies...
Read More »