Economic ideas and competition between autocracy and democracy

Join us at this year's Fred Gruen public lecture to hear economist Professor Ross Garnaut AC discuss the global evolution of economic policy and its impact on Australia today.

In Central Europe, from early in the twentieth century until the Second World War, there was deadly competition amongst ideas about economic and political systems. Refugees from the Austro-Hungarian Empire and their near associates played leading roles in Anglo-American discussion of economic ideas.

These ideas became highly influential in United States (US) policy, during a period of post-war stagnation in the living standards of ordinary citizens in the US and United Kingdom, and of weakening democratic foundations. Refugees were also significant in post-war Australia, where their contributions heavily influenced our social democratic traditions.

During this public lecture, Ross will compare Australia's successful economic policy with other strategies, evaluate its performance over the last four decades, and analyse the contemporary challenges to Australian economic and democratic success.

About the speaker

Professor Ross Garnaut AC AO is an Emeritus Professor in Economics at The Australian National University and an Emeritus Professor in Business and Economics at the University of Melbourne. Over the past fifty years, he has had many senior roles in business and as a policy advisor and diplomat. Ross was the senior economic policy official in Papua New Guinea's Department of Finance in 1975, principal economic adviser to Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke from 1983 to1985, and Australian Ambassador to China from 1985 to 1988. He was awarded a Companion of the Order of Australia in 2016 for his work on climate change and energy, and an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1991 for services to education and international relations.

He is the author of numerous publications in scholarly journals on international economics, public finance and economic development, particularly in relation to East Asia and the Southwest Pacific. His recent books include Superpower: Australia's low carbon opportunity, Black Inc. (2019) and RESET: Restoring Australia after the Pandemic Recession (2021).

Ross is a Distinguished Fellow of the Australian Economic Society, Distinguished Life Member of the Australian Agricultural and Resources Economics Society, Fellow of the Australia Academy of Social Sciences and Honorary Professor of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

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This public lecture will be recorded

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