Coping With Crisis

Though a decade has passed since the 2008 global financial crisis, the world has not fully emerged from its shadow. Instead of aiding the weak economy to recover, the policies adopted by Western countries have created new hidden perils and sowed the seeds for another financial crisis. Worse still, the domino effect of the 2008 global crisis is still alive and is affecting emerging markets and developing economies, resulting in a protracted downturn in the world economy. The economy shortly rebounded in 2009, then entered a period of slow growth dubbed a “new mediocre” by International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Christine Lagarde, with the growth rate stuck at 3.5 percent. Δ Demonstrators call for banking reform at a rally to mark the 10th anniversary of the 2008 financial crisis, outside the Royal Exchange building in London, Britain, on September 15 (VCG). In 2017, it rebounded from recession again, with an actual growth of 3.76 percent. The IMF expects global growth to tick up to 3.9 percent this year and next. But despite the upswing, the favorable conditions will not last for long, and the growth would inevitably bend toward a weaker longer-term level. In fact, the growth in recent years benefited mainly from stimulus policies; the cornerstone of economic endogenous growth is still fragile. Lurking threats The 2008 financial crisis […]