Inequality is usually measured by comparing incomes across households within a country. But there is also a different kind of inequality: in the affordability of homes across cities. The impact of … Read More
Columns & Interviews
Brexit And Democracy
A constant refrain from politicians and others is that we have to leave the EU because we have to respect democracy, where by democracy they mean that 52% voted to do so. Arguments that the vote was … Read More
Macron And The EU Financial Transaction Tax
What do I care about my chitchat of yesterday? The famous statement of German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer could well have been repeated by French President Emanuel Macron with his decision to initiate … Read More
Why Are Illiberal Democrats Popular?
The rise of “illiberal democracy” in Europe is one of the most baneful trends of our time. These regimes are typically centered on a leader who concentrates power by overriding – and in some cases … Read More
Authoritarian Nationalism, Not Populism, Is Real Threat To Democracy
Populism is perhaps the most overrated concept today. The presumption that populism is threatening to destabilise democratic regimes in Europe abound in the media as well as in academia. Populism is, … Read More
Riddle: When Is A Chlorinated Chicken Better Than A Regulated Banana?
Answer: When the chicken has been accepted in an across-the-table negotiation, and the banana regulation has been agreed among a group of partners on the same side of the table. If you grasped that … Read More
Beyond Fantasies Of Industry 4.0
As global capitalism advances through the second decade of the 21st century, three observations stand out: Deflation, i.e. collapse of all prices (inclusive of wages and interest rates) … Read More
Germany’s New Power Of The Purse
Last week, German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel interrupted his holiday on the North Sea to respond to Turkey’s jailing of a German human-rights activist. Gabriel warned German tourists about the … Read More
Blogs
Why Won’t Wages In Europe Rise As They Should?
The economic mainstream is perplexed: growth is finally taking hold across Europe, economic forecasts have been revised upwards, and employment is expanding. The only indicator that stubbornly refuses … Read More
A Big Legacy: Wealth In Europe
The material prosperity of people consists of two main resources: income and wealth. The possession of wealth, in particular, offers extended consumption options, can make good a loss of income and … Read More
Labour Mobility In Europe During The Great Recession
The Great Recession had lasting effects on European labour markets, both in terms of employment levels and structure. Not only did employment rates drop significantly – taking years to return to … Read More
Gender Pay Gap In Europe
Though the two principles “equal pay for equal work” and “equal pay for work of equal value” have been legally fixed with the European Treaty of Rome 1957 as well as with the subsequent Equal Pay … Read More
Employment Shifts In Europe During The Recovery: Three Little Noticed Trends
The EU has finally recovered all the net employment losses sustained since the global financial crisis. It has been a long and painful process. But there is at last growing evidence of positive … Read More
How Do European Welfare States Perform?
The European Union is characterized by different national social polices (although they are less clearly demarcated than in the past). The Nordic countries present high levels of social expenditure … Read More
Talks & Events
Preparing Our Economy for the Impact of Automation & AI
Professor Reich talks at Google about the impact of automation & artificial intelligence on our economy. He also provides a recommendation on how we can ensure future technologies benefit the … Read More
Other People’s Money: Masters of the Universe or Servants of the People?
We all depend on the finance sector. We need it to store our money, manage our payments, finance housing stock, restore infrastructure, fund retirement and support new business. But these roles … Read More
Adults In The Room: Taking On Europe’s Deep State
What happened in Greece during the crisis? And what happens when you take on the establishment? In this extensive interview with EFN, former finance minister of Greece Yanis Varoufakis, talks about … Read More
Democracy At Work: A Cure For Capitalism
Professor Richard Wolff discusses the economic dimensions of our lives, our jobs, our incomes, our debts, those of our children, and those looming down the road in his unique mixture of deep insight … Read More
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