Those who forget the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them, Sir Winston Churchill said of life in politics.

It’s also true for investing. To maximise future returns, looking back makes sense.

So what does history tell us about our economic future? A lot, says Sam Stubbs.

The major lesson is that infrastructure spending, however brave at the time, is nearly always a good idea.

And often the best and bravest ideas were kickstarted as a response to a crisis.

Read the full article published 16 June on Stuff here.