In recent weeks, the Spanish and Italian prime ministers, the European Commission president, the head of the OECD and the US Senate minority leader have all turned to the Marshall Plan to frame the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and its devastating economic consequences.
The historical touchstone is used to infer ambition and an intent to tackle a big problem with bold solutions. But much of this discussion takes place with little or no appreciation of the original design.
While historians continue to debate the role and impact of the Plan on post-war European reconstruction, there are some key “how to” lessons that resonate with todays’ crisis.
