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The purpose of this paper is to analyze the evolution of the crisis, its causes and the corrective policy actions with the aim of drawing up from that a set of economics policy and substantive implications and conclusions.

To throw into sharp relief the causes and particular features of the financial crisis, the paper traces the combined evolution of financial innovations and globalization which underscores the eruption of the crisis. It then analyzes the recession and the ensuing policy actions. The US actions are examined in detail by analyzing the pertinent technical, macroeconomics, and political issues. Thereafter, elements of reforms are outlined, which in part draw on the work of the Bank of International Settlements. This leads into substantive and policy conclusions of great significance.

The paper elucidates the major historic changes observed in monetary policy design and execution. It also brings out the changes in the empirical size of the various fiscal policy lags as compared with the received literature. It is argued that if the policy actions succeed the empirical relevance of the modern quantity theory and new classical macroeconomics would be thrown into question. Other set of conclusions involves setting up an internationally coordinated of financial regulations and bank supervision. It is argued that reforming the international monetary system has become unavoidable. There are also a host of specific other conclusions.

The conclusions and analysis contained in this paper are totally new. Given their comprehensiveness and global orientation, they will presage in future work, an overdue revision in received macroeconomic theory and financial supervision not seen since the 1960s.

To provide a systematic analysis of the contrasts, imbalances and suggestions for corrective action in the present globalized economic system and monetary and financial order in the framework of a conference organized by Webster University, Geneva (Switzerland) dealing with the outlook for international order.

The paper is divided into two parts. The first provides an overview of the general characteristics of the globalized economy, of the interdependence of national and international orders and policy making and the issue of investments, technology transfer and global business. The second part contains a more detailed analysis of the international monetary and financial order, including the evolving role of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). While the paper provides a rigorous analysis of the institutional and policy issues, the analysis and the conclusions are accessible also to the non‐specialized reader.

The paper focuses on the inconsistencies and asymmetries in the working of the international economic and monetary order and of the policies of the principal international organizations with respect to different groups of countries, and in particular the advanced, developed countries, on the one hand, and the developing countries, on the other hand. The corrective measures suggested by the author are in the interests of both groups of countries and thus of the system as a whole.

The paper provides suggestions for improvements in the economic and monetary order of a globalised world on the basis of systematic policy analysis, anchored in economic theory, rather than political rhetoric.