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4th Feb 2010; 13:00
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RSA Thursday
After years of unprecedented success, in a global environment without a serious ideological competitor, free-market capitalism suddenly imploded. The entire planet was growing measurably richer, until suddenly it all came to an abrupt end.
The reasons why that happened are, for most of us, relatively obscure. Money touches on our deepest emotions, affects our everyday lives, and determines our opportunities. It is extremely difficult to accept the reality that in a downturn this sharp, in the face of an economic crisis so systemic, we are no longer in control of this crucial aspect of our lives.
One way to reassert a degree of control is to try to understand what’s happened, and thus regain our sense of agency.
One of Britain’s most admired writers John Lanchester visits the RSA to investigate a cast of characters - including reckless banksters, snoozing regulators, complacent politicians, predatory lenders, credit-drunk spendthrifts, and innocent bystanders - in order to understand deeply and genuinely what is happening and why we feel the way we do.
Chair: Luke Johnson, chair, RSA
Suggested hashtag for Twitter users: #rsawhoops
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