What began with a bank failing in the United States ended up on our doorstep here in the Netherlands, with far-reaching consequences during the 2008 credit crisis. It is precisely when the system grinds to a halt that there is scope to take a critical look at what is going wrong. But have these lessons actually led us to adjust our approach? And is this new approach really any better?

In the podcast 'Why do we need financial crises' (in Dutch by FD and Universiteit van Nederland), Professor of Economics Irene van Staveren explores in greater depth what financial crises can teach us. She discusses why a crisis need not merely be a period of economic uncertainty, but can also be an opportunity to re-examine existing ideas and ways of thinking.