A lot happened even before the perceived beginning of this crisis in 2007, so although the events are recent, I will review the period from 2001 to date, as part of our inquiry into the lessons to be learned. Much of it is probably familiar, but worth revisiting. This necessarily simplified...

This paper investigates the causes behind the euro debt crisis, particularly Germany's role in it. It is argued that the crisis is not primarily a "sovereign debt crisis" but rather a (twin) banking and balance of payments crisis. Intra-area competitiveness and current account imbalances, and...