简介：Intheteethoftheworstfinancialcrisisinlivingmemory,BBCbusinesseditorRobertPestonexamineshowtheworldgottothispointandhowthecollossalimbalancesintheglobaleconomyhavelefttheUKinneedofaradicaleconomicoverhaul. InthisfirstoftwoprogrammesPestonexamineshow,thirtyyearsago,momentousdecisionsweretakenwhichshapedtheworldweliveintoday.InChina,DengXiaoPingopenedupthecountrytoforeigncapitalists;inBritainandAmerica,thefreemarketrevolutionwasunleashedbyMargaretThatcherandRonaldReagan.TheParty'sOvercomparesthelivesofworkersinaChinesecompanywiththeirco-workersinBritain. RobertPestoninterviewsbankers,politiciansandeconomists,andconcludesthattheboomweenjoyedbeforethecrashwasbasedonanillusion,andthattheworld'seconomyisnowsounbalancedthatintheWestwefaceasoberingwake-upcall. InthesecondoftwoprogrammesPestonaskshowBritaincancompeteinthenewworldeconomicorder.Afteryearsoflivingbeyondourmeansthecountrysurelyneedstoweanitselfofftheconsumersociety,butdoingsothreatensourretaildependenteconomy.InGermanythemodelofthriftandinvestment,farfromthequickbuckmentalityoftheCityofLondon,hasproducedapowerfulmanufacturingandexportingeconomythatBritain,oncesoproudofitsmodernfinancebasedapproach,isdesperatetoimitate. ItisalongroadtorebalancingtheBritishmodelandwiththeEurozonecrisisstillthreateningfurtherfinancialarmageddon,Pestonaskswhetherweareinfordecades,ratherthanyears,ofsluggishgrowth.Featuringinterviewswithsenioreconomists,bankersandpoliticians,aswellastheordinarypeopleinseveralcountries,whoselivelihoodsdependontheoutcomeofthisvasteconomicreorderingoftheworld.…