Introduction Setting the Stage

Abstract

Writing a book about the recent state of the economy is always a risky business, perhaps akin to herding cats. By the time an author convinces himself that he has finally got a reasonable fix on the economy and commits his views to paper, the economy is liable to take on an entirely new complexion. Other times the economy will appear to be entering an unprecedented new phase, only to slink back unceremoniously into its previous incarnation. In short, the economy can be a cruel subject for those who are foolhardy enough to pretend that they can master it.