Second Annual Conference of Arena`s Economic Counsil

1. Second Annual Conference of
Arena’s Economic Council
DECENT CAPITALISM
CREATING THE ECONOMIC MODEL OF THE
FUTURE
Stockholm, 3rd November 2011
Conference Program

2. Background and aim
The conference discusses one of the big questions of our time: What is the economic model
of the future? What should it look like? Which markets should fulfill which tasks with which
goal? In which fields are markets suboptimal mechanisms to provide for social and ecological
outcomes? After a period of economic crises and instability we want to discuss at our
conference an economic model of a more “decent capitalism”. Social, ecological as well as
productivity issues will be addressed with great attention and scrutiny. We want to bring
some of these partial views together into the bigger picture of an economic model by
comparing different economies on a systemic level. Notwithstanding many institutional
differences, we want to identify those institutional constellations, which deliver the best
possible outcome in the interplay of market, society and the state.
For that purpose we aim to discuss two aspects: At first, we want to find out, which of the
“varieties of capitalism” were doing best during the crisis and might most probably succeed
the crisis years with a high degree of growth and socio-ecological sustainability. And
secondly, we aim to discuss political strategies to create a “decent capitalism” in Europe.
The organizing institutions are the Friedrich Ebert Foundation and the Arena Group in
Stockholm:
Arena Group is one of the premier progressive think tanks in Scandinavia. The Arena
Group’s Economic Council is a new initiative with the aim of providing space for progressive
economic thinking and stimulating independent economic research. The council attracts
researchers from a broad range of academic disciplines, journalists as well as an interested
public.
Friedrich Ebert Foundation is an independent NGO, associated with the German labor
movement. With offices and activities in more than 100 countries, FES is dedicated to
promoting the values of social democracy.
Time:
10.00 – 15.30, Thursday, 3rd November 2011
Venue:
Norra Latin, Drottninggatan 71b, Stockholm
Organizers:
Christian Kellermann, Director of the Nordic Office, Friedrich Ebert Foundation, Stockholm
E-mail: christian.kellermann@fesnord.se
Tel: +46-8-454-65-92
Håkan A. Bengtsson, CEO Arenagruppen
E-mail: hakan.bengtsson@arenagruppen.se
Tel: +46-7-06646236
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3. November 3rd, 2011
10:00 Opening Address
Håkan A. Bengtsson & Christian Kellermann
10:10 Keynote Speech: A New Economic Model for Europe
Stefan Collignon
London School of Economics
10:40 Panel 1: Comparing Economic Models – The Analytical
Perspective
Andrew Martin, Center for European Studies, Harvard University
Jørgen Goul Andersen, Professor of Economics, Politics and
Public Administration,Aalborg University
Zoltan Pogatsa, Assistant Professor, University of West
Hungary, Sopron
Juhana Vartiainen, Head of Research, National Institute for
Economic Research, Stockholm
11.40 Coffee Break
12.00 Discussion with the Panel and the Audience
Moderator: Jon Erik Dølvik, Research Director, Fafo Institute for
Applied Social Science, Oslo.
13:00 Lunch Break (Sandwiches)
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4. 13:30 Panel 2: Creating a Decent Capitalism in Europe - The
Political Perspective
Sven Giegold, Member of the European Parliament,
Europeangreens
Emma Lennartsson, Chief Economist, Kommunal
Howard Reed, Director Landman Economics
Philipp Steinberg, Advisor on fiscal and economic to the SPD-
board and EU-Expert
Discussion with the Panel and the Audience
Moderator: Daniel Lind, Chief Economist, Unionen Sweden
15:15 Closing Address
Stefan Löfven, Chairman IF Metal
15:30 End of Conference
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