Main content

Episode 1

Was the economic crisis caused by fundamental problems with the system rather than a mere failure of policy? This two-part series investigates two schools of economics with radical solutions.

In the first programme, Jamie Whyte looks at the free market Austrian School of FA Hayek.

The global recession has revived interest in this area of economics, even inspiring an educational rap video.

"Austrian" economists believe that the banking crisis was caused by too much regulation rather than too little.

The fact that interest rates are set by central banks rather than the market is at the heart of the problem, they argue.

Artificially low interest rates sent out the wrong signals to investors, causing them to borrow to spend on "malinvestments", such as overpriced housing.

Jamie Whyte is Head of Research and Publishing at Oliver Wyman, a management consulting firm.

He is a former lecturer in philosophy at Cambridge University and the author of Bad Thoughts: A Guide to Clear Thinking.

(Image: Interest rates graphic. Credit: PA)

Available now

28 minutes

Last on

Mon 28 Nov 2011 02:32GMT

More episodes

Previous

You are at the first episode

See all episodes from The Documentary

Broadcasts

  • Sat 26 Nov 2011 10:32GMT
  • Sat 26 Nov 2011 19:32GMT
  • Mon 28 Nov 2011 02:32GMT