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Avatar photoBranko Milanovic

Branko Milanovic is a Serbian-American economist. A development and inequality specialist, he is visiting presidential professor at the Graduate Center of City University of New York and an affiliated senior scholar at the Luxembourg Income Study. He was formerly lead economist in the World Bank's research department.

Should Comparative Economics Still Exist?

Branko Milanovic

Branko Milanovic asks whether we should continue to teach comparative economic systems to broaden students' horizons, or if the global ubiquity of capitalism renders such historical study obsolete.

How to Control the Increase of Income Inequality Due to New Technologies?

Branko Milanovic

New technologies drive inequality by concentrating capital income. Three policy approaches can help spread ownership and moderate disparities.

The Ideology of Donald J. Trump

Branko Milanovic

Trump’s ideology blends mercantilism, profit-driven capitalism, anti-immigration stances, and nationalist anti-imperialism.

Global income inequality: time to revise the elephant

Branko Milanovic

New data on inequality show probably the greatest reshuffling of world incomes since the industrial revolution, Branko Milanovic writes.

Does the United Nations still exist?

Branko Milanovic

Branko Milanovic charts the fall and fall of the organisation tasked with preserving world peace.

China to the rescue?

Branko Milanovic

Who could soften the apocalyptic effects of the war in Ukraine on the global south? China could, says Branko Milanovic.

Seizing the assets of Russian oligarchs

Branko Milanovic

The episode has proved, Branko Milanovic writes, that Russia is not ruled by a few rich men but by a single autocrat.

The beginning of a new globalisation

Branko Milanovic

This time, Branko Milanovic writes, it is labour—not capital—which will be globalised.

The Summit for Democracy—a wrong idea (for the world)

Branko Milanovic

Branko Milanovic contends that last week’s US-convened Summit for Democracy could only exacerbate geopolitical divides.

Can Xi Jinping defeat three stubborn modern inequalities?

Branko Milanovic

Branko Milanovic argues that ‘socialism with Chinese characteristics’ is replicating United States inequalities.

Towards global progressiveness

Branko Milanovic

Branko Milanovic sets out an agenda for global progressives in the 21st century.

The marginal­isation of Africa

Branko Milanovic

Branko Milanovic argues African countries are not powerless to influence the global economic debates that marginalise them.

A simul­taneously expanding and shrinking world

Branko Milanovic

Branko Milanovic warns that the post-pandemic world could see further polarisation in a now global labour market.

A time to celebrate … or worry?

Branko Milanovic

Branko Milanovic worries that in the new global constellation a second cold war—with China—could be in the offing.

The first global event in the history of humankind

Branko Milanovic

While some talk of ‘deglobalisation’, Branko Milanovic argues that the pandemic will push forward the globalisation of labour.

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Eurofound Talks: Europe's productivity paradox

This episode of the Eurofound Talks podcast looks at why Europe has experienced a more profound slowdown in growth compared to other developed regions, and why greater labour input and higher human capital has not translated into higher output per worker. Mary McCaughey and John Hurley also discuss whether Europe can, and should, look to compete with countries such as the United States and China in the race to harness artificial intelligence.
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The Progressive Yearbook is out!

With the volatile start to 2026, what insights can progressives learn from 2025? The 7th edition of the Progressive Yearbook is out now!
In this edition of the Progressive Yearbook, we offer analyses of the EU’s domestic issues—ranging from defense and digital autonomy to what remains of the previous Commission’s Green Deal—as well as global questions such as international trade, tariffs, and the emerging new world order.

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WSI Minimum Wage Report 2025

The trend towards significant nominal minimum wage increases is continuing this year. In view of falling inflation rates, this translates into a sizeable increase in purchasing power for minimum wage earners in most European countries. Most EU countries are now following the reference values for adequate minimum wages enshrined in the European Minimum Wage Directive, which are 60% of the median wage or 50% of the average wage.

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S&D Position Paper on Cohesion Policy post-2027: a resilient future for European territorial equity

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Revisiting worker representation on boards

Board-level employee representation (BLER) has repeatedly resurfaced in times of crisis — from the 2008 financial crash to the Covid-19 pandemic — as a response to mismanagement and democratic erosion. Yet codetermination remains unevenly spread across the EU and underdeveloped within EU industrial relations. This ETUI volume revisits worker representation on company boards by shifting the focus beyond the usual German-centred lens and exploring debates, practices and social partners’ positions in ten often-overlooked EU Member States, to assess the prospects for such an institution to thrive in national social policy.

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