The end of the world as we know it. Once upon a time, not very long ago, economic globalization - the free worldwide flow of capital, goods, and labor - looked both inevitable and inexorable. Most governments seemed to embrace the very real benefits being offered by rapid technological change...

The International Monetary Fund was dismissed as almost irrelevant to the global economy, but during the 2008 financial crisis, it returned to center stage, providing financial rescues for developing countries