As a contribution to the debate about economic policy making after the Covid shock, Economic Research Southern Africa (ERSA) presented a series of conversations about how we think about the economy and the role of fiscal policy. After the initial shock and the short-term welfare response from the state, what is the role of the state and fiscal policy in supporting an economic recovery? The anatomy of fiscal collapse is well understood, and the South African path is beginning to look like one that has been trodden by other countries such as Argentina, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe. In this four-part series, experts present their views and discuss amongst themselves how to best manage the contribution of fiscal policy to development after the Covid shock.