To Avoid A 2016 Crash, The Major Powers Need To Pull In The Same Direction
It looks already as if 2016 will be a pivotal year for the world economy. RBS has advised investors to “sell everything except for high-quality bonds” as
Month: January 2016
The Return Of Public Investment
The idea that public investment in infrastructure – roads, dams, power plants, and so forth – is an indispensable driver of economic growth has always
A Liberal Education Is Now More Useful Than Job-specific Skills
It is hard to imagine life without digital search and the internet. This is as true for me as for anyone else: the greater ease
Why We Should Stop Talking About ‘Human Capital’
The extent to which the world has become Orwellian is reflected in the widespread use of the term `human capital`, as if it were a
Caputalism: Will Capitalism Die?
The fact that western capitalism is in a severe crisis is now so commonplace that it’s become almost a cliché. In 2008 the global financial
How The Oil Price Crash Is Wrecking Mario Draghi’s QE Effect
2015 will go down as the year when the oil price crash did not result in a swift decline in oil output. At a first
The New Geo-Economics
Last year was a memorable one for the global economy. Not only was overall performance disappointing, but profound changes – both for better and for
Why The Paris COP21 Agreement Could Make Disaster Inevitable
We are sitting in a car going 35 miles per hour. It’s a nice day and the road is straight. But the map tells us
Will 2016 Be A Better Year For Migrants?
The Mediterranean migration crisis has delivered two critical lessons. First, Europe and the international community have grossly inadequate systems for protecting vulnerable migrants. Second, in
Greece’s Two Currencies
Imagine a depositor in the US state of Arizona being permitted to withdraw only small amounts of cash weekly and facing restrictions on how much
Can The UK Survive Brexit?
The upcoming referendum on the United Kingdom’s continued membership in the European Union, almost certain to be held this year, could turn out to be
The Danger Of A Weak Europe
In 1973, US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, following a period of American preoccupation with Vietnam and China, declared a “year of Europe.” More recently,
Britain And The EU: The Year Ahead
2015 will probably be seen as the year when the terms ‘EU’ and ‘crisis’ became inextricably linked. Yet 2016 may prove more challenging still. Chronic
Floating Insecurity Searching For An Anchor
The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary defines “security” as “condition of being protected from or not exposed to danger”; but, at the same time, as “something
Responding To Europe’s Political Polarization
In Europe, 2015 began with the far-left Syriza party’s election victory in Greece. It ended with another three elections that attested to increasing political polarization.
Understanding The Liberal Roots Of Polish Conservatism
Almost every article in the Western media, covering the recent developments in Poland, have followed the same script. How is it possible, they ask, that
What Europe Needs To Know About The Dutch Tax Haven
As of this January 1, the Netherlands holds the Presidency of the European Union. This is a good occasion to put the spotlight on a