VoxTalk Vaults

Charles Wyplosz interviewed by Viv Davies, 08 December 2011

Charles Wyplosz talks to Viv Davies about the Eurozone crisis and the current summit. Wyplosz suggests that the political leaders should agree a decentralised fiscal discipline for the Eurozone countries, allow the ECB to play a more effective role and that there should be a moratorium on EU summits. He also dismisses the recent suggestion that the crisis is about balance-of-payments issues. The interview was recorded in London on 8 December 2011.

Paolo Manasse interviewed by Viv Davies, 02 December 2011

Paolo Manasse talks to Viv Davies about Italy and the Eurozone crisis. They discuss the economic and political challenges currently facing Italy, how a eurozone fiscal union might work in practice and the role of eurobonds. Manasse explains the trade-off between addressing sovereign debt in the peripheral economies and establishing broader financial stability across the Eurozone; he maintains that an expansionary ECB monetary policy is an important part of the solution. The interview was recorded on 30 November 2011.

Simon Evenett interviewed by Viv Davies, 25 November 2011

Simon Evenett talks to Viv Davies about the 10th Global Trade Alert report, which concludes that the protectionist threat to the world trading system is as significant now as it was in early 2009. Evenett suggests that there has been considerable resort to the use of non-tariff barriers and more murky forms of protectionism and that countries continue to circumvent WTO rules. He concludes that policymakers have reason to be seriously concerned and that the world trading system may face its greatest test yet in the year ahead. The interview was recorded on 24 November 2011.

Harry Huizinga interviewed by Viv Davies, 18 November 2011

Harry Huizinga talks to Viv Davies about his recent paper on the EFSF. Huizinga concludes that the creation of the EFSF has resulted in the bail out of both banks and countries, that the use of EFSF funds has been expensive and inefficient, and that there is a limit to the extent to which the EFSF can be scaled up. Nevertheless, he suggests that this may be a blessing in disguise. The interview was recorded on 17 November 2012.

Dimitri Vayanos interviewed by Viv Davies, 11 November 2011

Dimitri Vayanos of the London School of Economics talks to Viv Davies about Greece and the eurozone crisis, and argues that leaving the euro would be a disaster for both Greece and Europe. They discuss the bailout package, the appointment of Lucas Papademos as Prime Minister and the benefits of a coalition government of technocrats. Vayanos maintains that the emphasis for Greece should be on deeper institutional and structural reforms. The interview was recorded on 10 November 2011.

Wouter den Haan interviewed by Viv Davies, 04 November 2011

Wouter den Haan of the London School of Economics talks to Viv Davies about his lead commentary in the current Vox Debate on the value of the financial sector. He argues that standard measures of the sector's economic contribution overestimate its true value to a modern economy. They also discuss the views of other notable economists, as well as how regulation could curb excesses in the sector and prevent socially negative spillovers. The interview was recorded in London on 1 November 2011.

Thorsten Beck interviewed by Viv Davies, 28 October 2011

Thorsten Beck talks to Viv Davies about the recently published Vox eBook on ‘The Future of Banking’ – a collection of essays by leading European and US economists that provide solutions to the current financial crisis and proposals for medium- to long-term regulatory reforms. The authors call for a forceful resolution to the current crisis in the Eurozone, better incentives for banks to internalize risk and a more credible resolution regime. The interview was recorded on 27 October 2011.

Anne Krueger interviewed by Romesh Vaitilingam, 21 October 2011

Anne Krueger of Johns Hopkins University talks to Romesh Vaitilingam about the issues around globalisation and the crisis covered in her forthcoming book, ‘Struggling with Success: Challenges facing the International Economy’. She discusses the eurozone crisis, US debt issues, the threat of rising protectionism and the role of the multilateral institutions. The interview was recorded at the Global Economic Symposium in Kiel, Germany, in early October 2011.

Edward Lazear interviewed by Romesh Vaitilingam, 14 October 2011

As chief economic adviser to President Bush, Edward Lazear was at the heart of the US policy machine in October 2008. He talks to Romesh Vaitilingam about the Eurozone crisis and whether now might be Europe’s Lehman moment. They also discuss the growing significance of the emerging economies and the US political debate about the debt ceiling. The interview was recorded at the Global Economic Symposium in Kiel, Germany, in early October 2011.

Philip Lane interviewed by Viv Davies, 07 October 2011

Philip Lane talks to Viv Davies about Ireland’s export-led recovery; they also discuss the interplay between banking and sovereign risk in Europe. Lane presents his and other economists’ proposals for European Safe Bonds and a reform agenda for the Eurozone. The interview was recorded on 05 October 2011.