Description:In the last two decades, many governments have adopted economic reform programs which have liberalized their economies and international transactions have been freed claims Professor David Henderson of Melbourne Business School. Despite recent 'crises', there is little sign of backsliding so far, he argues: few countries which have embarked on economic reform have consciously reversed direction. The pressure of events and continuing technical progress will probably continue to encourage liberalism but extending market reforms into new areas will be difficult. Thus the fortunes of economic liberalism in the early twenty first century are 'clouded and in doubt'.