Alasdair S. Roberts

Aug 9

WEF’s Schwab discusses AFGD

Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, draws on America’s First Great Depression in his recent paper on reform of the Eurozone, The Re-emergence of Europe.

Jul 31

The current issue of Political Science Quarterly includes a review of America’s First Great Depression, written by Johann Neem of Western Washington University. “Alasdair Roberts has written a thoughtful and timely book about how Americans in the past responded to global economic and political forces beyond their control. Roberts masterfully reinterprets the period for historians, but his goal is not primarily historical. Political scientists, policymakers, and citizens have much to learn from the economic crisis following 1837.”

Jul 20

Wall Street Journal discusses AFGD

The July 19 Wall Street Journal discusses America’s First Great Depression in relation to the Detroit default. (Michigan itself defaulted during the First Great Depression.) Jason Zweig calls it an “outstanding book.”

Jul 4

Talk on AFGD at EU Council Secretariat on July 8

I’ll be giving a talk on America’s First Great Depression at the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union in Brussels on July 8. The current issue of Consilium, the internal staff magazine of the Council of the European Union, has a short article relating to the talk.

Jul 3

Bloomberg publishes Fourth of July column

Bloomberg’s Echoes blog has just published a piece on protest and unrest on the Fourth of July.

Jun 18

Assessing public service reforms in the age of neoliberalism

In June I completed a seminar on Public Sector Reform in the MPA program of the School of Policy Studies at Queen’s University. The aim was to review and assess the main elements of public sector reforms during the age of neoliberalism (roughly 1978 to 2008.) We had a great discussion. The question for the final short paper was: The ‘crisis of governability’ of the 1970s produced a new paradigm about the role and organization of government that guided reform over the next three decades. What do you think is the most important legacy of this period?

Excerpts from the responses: Read more

Jun 8

AFGD released as Audible Audiobook

America’s First Great Depression has just been released as an Audible Audiobook, narrated by Kevin Young.

Jun 2

Review of AFGD in Business History Review

Business History Review has just published a review of America’s First Great Depression. “Roberts has crafted a compelling argument that should open up a fruitful dialogue on the legacy of the panic of 1837,” writes Stephen Campbell.

Jun 2

Journal of Economic History reviews AFGD

The Journal of Economic History has just published a review of America’s First Great Depression. “Roberts reminds economists that recessions are not just about investments not made, labor not employed, and output not produced, but they also
have political and social consequences,” writes Howard Bodenhorn.

May 28

Prospect publishes column on power of technocracy

Prospect Magazine has just posted my commentary Triumph of the Technocrats on its website. I published a related piece, The rise and fall of the guardians, on ForeignAffairs’ website in 2011.