The wage share has been falling across the world as inequality has increased in recent decades. A co-ordinated rise is needed, starting in Europe, to reverse that.Old economic ‘truths’ are … Read More
Columns & Interviews
Social discontent and democracy in the EU
Europe’s citizens stand restive at a crossroads. After the May parliamentary election, democracy in the EU can take a leap forward—or the populists can reprise a dark history.Peaceful protests … Read More
European Parliament elections—battle for ‘Europe’s soul’?
The European Parliament election campaign is entering full swing—a detailed analysis of the platforms of the main European party groups and what the political consequences might be for the EU over the … Read More
Enforcing labour standards via EU free-trade agreements
Free-trade agreements have raised huge controversy over clauses allowing of corporate challenge. But they can be used to enforce labour standards.The European Union is an extremely active … Read More
Democracy splutters—good governance under pressure
Amid political polarisation and declining democratic standards, can OECD and EU countries sustain the good governance challenges such as globalisation, social inequality and climate breakdown … Read More
Erdoğan’s aggression against Turkey’s Kurds—it’s personal
Turkey’s Kurds have long faced oppression by the state. But they have come to be seen by the Erdoğan regime as the main obstacle to its untrammelled power.Against the background of Turkey’s … Read More
Jeremy Corbyn is wrong on the EU
The UK Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, is wrong to believe the EU environment inimical to a radical government. He should support a second ‘Brexit’ referendum.There has been much focus in the … Read More
The migrants genocide: the banality of democracy
The vast numbers drowning invisibly in the Mediterranean have evoked little European sympathy. Redefining this tragedy as the migrants genocide might bring a shock.In 40 years from now what we … Read More
The loss of European memory
A commitment to democracy, human rights and the rule of law was Europe's answer to fascism. The loss of this European memory presents real dangers amid a resurgent populism.The greatest … Read More
Democratising Europe: by taxation or by debt?
Europe desperately needs to resolve its collective-action problem to emerge from the crisis. Democratising Europe, with a fiscal capacity, is better than monetary easing.On December 10th 2018 … Read More
Blogs
Why top rates of income tax should be much higher
The new US congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has kickstarted a debate on taxation. Arguments for high income tax rates are not punitive—but they are political as well as pecuniary.When … Read More
Why weak competition can increase inequality in Europe
Like many other advanced economies around the world, the Eurozone is experiencing a productivity slowdown. Data from the ECB show that labour productivity growth has practically halved over the last … Read More
Germany sticks to its mercantilist model
In a recent LSE blog, (reproduced here), Donato Di Carlo presents empirical evidence for what he considers a ‘quiet rebalancing’ of the German economy. Using 2010 as a reference point, he bases his … Read More
Growing Eurozone Inequality And What To Do About It
Growing inequality between eurozone members is one of the least welcome legacies of the euro- and sovereign debt crisis. The idea that the less well-off member states would catch up with the … Read More
Collective Bargaining And Greek Labour Market Reforms
The main feature of the successive economic adjustment programs implemented in Greece in the period 2010-2018 concerning industrial relations was a radical decentralization of the collective … Read More
Creating Good Quality Jobs: If Not Now, Then When?
Everybody at the European level agrees that we need more quality jobs to build momentum for recovery and climb out of the years of crisis. But what does this actually mean? And what realistic plans … Read More
Income Inequality And Trust In National Governments In Central, Eastern And Southeastern Europe
Trust in national governments has reached worryingly low levels in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe (CESEE), at least compared to the EU-15 average. In addition, trust in the EU is generally … Read More
Are Blue-Collar Jobs Turning White?
Manual jobs in European manufacturing are being transformed as blue-collar workers take on more intellectual tasks. This is a consequence of the increasing use of digital tools and the growing … Read More
