Filippo Gaddo, Managing Director at A&M and SPE Councillor, discussed with Amity Shlaes, Chair of the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation and bestseller author, current trends in the US and Global economy and how it relates to historical precedents, in particular the the 'Roaring' 1920s and the Great Depression in 1930s.

In the interview, Filippo and Amity explore the key themes of two of Amity's books and their relevance for understanding today's economy and international trends: The Forgotten Man  and Coolidge. In the Forgotten Man, Amity looked at who really is the 'Forgotten Man': contrary to common notion - popularised by President Roosvelt in 1930s - it is not simply the people of the 'bottom of the economic pyramid', but is it the person who is disadvantaged by the actions of well-meaning but ultimately misguided interventionist policies aimed at improving the situation of certain members of society. It is a concept that focuses on the wider implications and unintended consequences of policies and looks at who ultimately 'pays' for programs of redistribution and industrial support for example. In the conversation, Amity then contrasts such activist policy with the policies introduced by Coolidge and the results he achieved in the 1920s. Coolidge was an effective President who is often overlooked and misunderstood, particularly outside the US. One hundred years later after his election, Filippo and Amity quickly review the current state of the US economy and assess how much of the dominant economic 'narratives' of today, including the one of the current Trump administration, can be said to align with the principles that were successful during the Coolidge presidency. Despite all the noise and uncertainty, Amity finds some positive signs - listen in to discover them. 

 Miss Shlaes chairs the board of the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation, a national foundation based at the birthplace of President Coolidge. The Foundation’s goal is to share Coolidge with Americans, by hosting debate and events at the Coolidge site and through newer media. Miss Shlaes is winner of the Hayek Prize and currently serves on the jury for the prize, sponsored by the Manhattan Institute. She has twice been a finalist for the Loeb Prize in commentary. In 2002 she was co-winner of the Frederic Bastiat Prize, an international prize for writing on political economy, and later chaired the jury for that prize. Amity Shlaes is the author of six books including numerous New York Times bestsellers: Germany: The Empire Within, The Greedy Hand: Why Taxes Drive Americans Crazy, The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression, Coolidge, The Forgotten Man/Graphic, and The Great Society: A New History . She was a syndicated columnist for ten years, first at the Financial Times, then Bloomberg. Before that, she served as an editorial board member of The Wall Street Journal. Over the decades she has published in periodicals including The New Republic, The New Yorker, the Spectator of London, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and National Review.