The economic fallout from COVID-19 has compelled governments around the world to launch the largest fiscal and monetary aid programs in living memory, incurring massive deficits in the process. This is happening at the same time as a radical, new approach to economic policy making is gaining momentum: Modern Monetary Theory (MMT). Its proponents believe that governments that issue their own currencies are not limited by revenues when it comes to spending. What governments choose to spend money on is a political, not an economic decision. Opponents of MMT and deficit spending argue that there are no free lunches in modern economics. Too much government spending leads to slow growth, devalued currencies and wasteful, politicized public expenditures. On this episode of the Munk Debates Podcast, Stephanie Kelton, author of the new bestseller, The Deficit Myth, and Jacob Funk Kirkegaard, from the Peterson Institute, debate the essence of these two competing arguments.

SOURCES: CBC, ABC, CNN, Bloomberg, CNBC, Yahoo Finance, Fox Business

The economic fallout from COVID-19 has compelled governments around the world to launch the largest fiscal and monetary aid programs in living memory, incurring massive deficits in the process. This is happening at the same time as a radical, new approach to economic policy making is gaining momentum: Modern Monetary Theory (MMT). Its proponents believe that governments that issue their own currencies are not limited by revenues when it comes to spending. What governments choose to spend money on is a political, not an economic decision. Opponents of MMT and deficit spending argue that there are no free lunches in modern economics. Too much government spending leads to slow growth, devalued currencies and wasteful, politicized public expenditures. On this episode of the Munk Debates Podcast, Stephanie Kelton, author of the new bestseller, The Deficit Myth, and Jacob Funk Kirkegaard, from the Peterson Institute, debate the essence of these two competing arguments. SOURCES: CBC, ABC, CNN, Bloomberg, CNBC, Yahoo Finance, Fox Business

The Munk Debates podcast is an extension of the main stage events - in subject, speaker selection, tone and format. It will introduce the iconic brand - and its engaging debates about significant issues of our time. Audiences will hear strong and passionate arguments from both sides of an issue so they will have enough information to make up their own minds about where they stand.

The Munk Debates podcast is an extension of the main stage events - in subject, speaker selection, tone and format. It will introduce the iconic brand - and its engaging debates about significant issues of our time. Audiences will hear strong and passionate arguments from both sides of an issue so they will have enough information to make up their own minds about where they stand.

The Munk Debates Podcast

The Munk Debates Podcast is dedicated to convening civil and substantive debates and dialogues on the big issues of the day. 

 

The podcast is an extension of the charitable Munk Debates' commitment to pushing back against the political polarization and restoring the art of public debate in our time. For more information about the Munk Debates visit www.munkdebates.com/podcast

The Munk Debates Podcast is dedicated to convening civil and substantive debates and dialogues on the big issues of the day.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The podcast is an extension of the charitable Munk Debates' commitment to pushing back against the political polarization and restoring the art of public debate in our time. For more information about the Munk Debates visit www.munkdebates.com/podcast

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