Risk, Equality and Opportunity: The Roles for Government Finance

Adrift and barely floating amidst financial crises, governments claim that they cannot afford to deliver on all their promises.  Necessity has brought forth new views on government finance and how it can be used to achieve social ends.  Many of these views are redressed mutton. Some are more or less just off-balance sheet accounting.  Others prompt new thoughts about the role of the state.  We will explore various roles for government finance and discuss how radical ideas and new monies may help governments better manage our longer-term future.