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Patrick Bond lectures on global finance in Brussels, 13-15 November |
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 Global Economic Volatility and Slap-Dash Repairs to the International Financial Architecture
The International Financial System and the Global Power Shift Five Years after Lehman Brothers A balance of financial reforms and their impact on economy, society, geo-politics and the further perspectives Brussels, 13-15 November 2013 Organizers: Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung, Germany (Brussels Office) in cooperation with Attac France, Finance Watch (Brussels), WEED (Berlin) The rise of emerging markets in the Global South and especially of China has raised fundamental questions about the future of the economic and political world system. It was in this changing geo-political context, that the crash of Lehman Brothers occurred, triggered the worst economic crisis since World War II. Today, there are increasing doubts, whether the “old West” will be able to preserve its dominance over the world system in the future. Given the importance of the finance sector in times of a “financialised capitalism” there is an urgent need to understand the linkages between finance, its crisis and the shifts in the global power structures.
In spite of great expectations after the crash, financial reforms both in Europe and the US have not gone very far. Moreover, in the Euro-zone the financial crisis has triggered a sovereign debt crisis, which, however, has deep going, structural roots independently from the financial crisis, such as the heterogeneity of the EU in general, the misconstruction of the currency union and the economic imbalances between its member states. As a result, Southern Europe is in a dramatic situation at tremendous human costs. The future of the EU is uncertain. An end to the crisis is not in sight. The world is heading towards a multi-polar system, and it seems that the financial crisis and the Euro-crisis serve as a catalyst in this process.
The conference will look at the financial reform process, the crisis management and the further perspectives and their geo-political dimensions. Draft programme
Public Event, Evening 13th Nov
17:00 registration for the conference
18:00 public debate: A better financial system in the making? Will the changes in the balance of power between the West and the Global South lead to a more just international financial system? With: Patrick Bond, Jayati Ghosh, & Pedro Páez 20:00 Dinner First day, 14th of November 09:00 Opening, welcome: Klaus Sühl, head of office RLS Brussels
09:15 Keynote speech: Jayati Ghosh, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 1.Panel 10:00 Financial crisis as a catalyst towards a multi-polar world system – What happens to dollar hegemony? Inputs: Patrick Bond, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa Claude Serfati, Institute of Economic and Social Studies (IRES); University Versailles-Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France
11:00 Discussion
11:30 Coffee 2. Panel
11:45 Five Years After: Reforms and reform proposals in the USA – First-come first-serve, the urge for regulatory competition? Input: Robert Guttmann, Hofstra University, New York Comment: Lisa Donner, Americans for Financial Reform, Washington
12:45 Discussion
13:15 Lunch break 3. Panel
14:15 Five Years After: The EU and financial reform - Much ado about nothing? Input: Dominique Plihon, University Paris VIII Comments: Daniela Gabor, University of West England & Thierry Philipponnat, Secretary General of Finance Watch
15:15 Discussion
15:45 Coffee 4. Panel discussion 16:00 The Euro, the crisis and the perspectives of a new global monetary system Panelists: Nildo Ouriques Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil David Santoni, National University of La Plata, Argentina Cédric Durand, University Paris XIII Andreas Botsch, ETUI, Head of the Economics Department, Brussels (tbc)
17:00 Discussion 17:30 End of First Day 20:00 Conference Dinner in the City Centre Second day, 15th of November 5. Panel
09:00 Financial tools and institutions as means for the global competition: tax havens & free trade agreements, TTIP Inputs: Pia Eberhardt, CEO, Brussels Sol Picciotto, Tax Justice Network, London 10:00 Discussion
10:30 Coffee Break 6. Panel
11:00 Financial tools and institutions as means for the global competition: Capital Controls & Development Banks (Banco del Sur and BRICS development bank) Inputs: Pedro Páez, Ex-Finance Minister and member of Stiglitz Commission Erik S. Reinert, The Other Canon Foundation, Norway, Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia
12:00 Discussion 12:30 Lunch break 7. Panel
13:30 A New Currency Order against Dollar Hegemony as a necessary step towards a fair international financial order? Input: C.P. Chandrasekhar, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi Comment:Sargon Nissan, Bretton Woods Project, London (SDR)
14:30 Discussion 15:00 Coffee break 8.Panel 15:30 Emancipatory Strategies out of the crises for a more balanced global financial order Input: Gus Massiah, Paris, International Council World Social Forum Comment: James Meadway, Counterfire and New Economic Foundation, UK
16:30 Discussion 17:00 Closing of the Conference & Farewell Simultaneous translation in English and French. The results of the conference will be published in a report
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