Niall Ferguson: A Checkup on Global Financial Health

Finance historian Niall Ferguson joins us for a step-back look at the global economy and America’s economic staying power.

Bigfoot historian Niall Ferguson made his name with a fearless readiness to speak to history and our moment in it in the biggest terms.

If you want to talk about the rise and fall of empires – Roman, American, British, Soviet – Ferguson’s your man.  Now he’s followed history right into the middle of a raging debate over whether we need more stimulus spending right now, or need to slam on the spending brakes to avoid a system collapse.

Ferguson’s a hit-the-brakes man.  He dukes it out with Paul Krugman

This Hour, On Point: Niall Ferguson’s big take on where America stands now, and how to avoid the fall.

Guest:

Niall Ferguson is professor of history and business administration at Harvard University. He's also senior research fellow at Jesus College at Oxford University, senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, and author of "The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World." His other books include "Empire," "Colossus," "The War of the World," and "Virtual History." He's also a contributor to the Financial Times. His new book, out this week, is "High Financier: The Lives and Time of Siegmund Warburg."

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