Searching for economic solutions

What are the biggest problems facing the economy - and how might we set about dealing with them? From inequality to inflation to geopolitics; domestic growth to geopolitics. On Radio 4's weekly discussion programme, setting the cultural agenda every Monday, Tom Sutcliffe leads a conversation exploring what the solutions might look like.

Jeremy Hunt’s new book Can We Be Rich Again?: The Surprising Potential of Britain's Economy. Former Chancellor of the Exchequer makes the case for optimism. Among the current problems he finds – low growth, high public debt and taxes, stagnant living standards and divided politics. However, he argues that Britain still has a lot going for it: its tech sector, financial services and respected institutions and that there is much we can learn from what works across the world. And, if the British economy is to grow again, then politicians will need to get better at delivering their plans.

Mariana Mazzucato argues that we need rethink the way we manage economics with government and business working together to promote human flourishing. For her, the problems are deepening inequality, the climate crisis and declining public trust. She is Professor in the Economics of Innovation and Public Value at University College, London where she is the Founding Director of the Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose. Her new book The Common Good Economy: A New Compass sets out how the economy could be designed to serve people and the planet better.

And, how has the way that we think and talk about the global economy and national problems changed in recent years? Patrick Foulis is contributing editor at the Financial Times, a visiting scholar at the Hoover Institution and author of a forthcoming book on globalisation.

Producer: Ruth Watts