The Rudd Essay & the Global Financial Crisis

A symposium with Eric Hobsbawm, David Hale, Dean Baker, Charles R Morris and John Gray (digital rights restricted).

The Monthly was surprised and gratified when Kevin Rudd offered us his analysis of the global financial crisis, earlier this year. We were, however, puzzled and disappointed by the quality of the media response to it. There have been very many references to the essay in major Australian newspapers. The overwhelming majority have been carping and superficial. Virtually no one has offered a penetrating critique or proposed an alternative account of the most significant economic calamity since the Great Depression. Even on the ABC, no interview has been conducted with the prime minister where his interpretation of the current economic meltdown could have been tested or explored.

Several weeks ago, because of what seemed to us the unsatisfactory nature of the Australian public debate, the Monthly invited responses to the Rudd essay from some of the most influential thinkers who had written on matters pertinent to its central themes.