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John Weeks

John Weeks is co-ordinator of the London-based Progressive Economy Forum and professor emeritus of the School of Oriental and African Studies. He is author of The Debt Delusion: Living within Our Means and Other Fallacies (2019) and Economics of the 1%: How Mainstream Economics Services the Rich, Obscures Reality and Distorts Policy.

A ‘Hamiltonian moment’ for Europe

John Weeks

Invoking Alexander Hamilton in the context of the sensitisation achieved by Black Lives Matter could not be more inappropriate.

German court decision ends treaty pretences

John Weeks

With ‘coronabonds’ stymied, an exit from the crisis had depended on ECB monetary operations—until the German constitutional court weighed in.

The politics of a just transition: avoiding fallacious arguments

John Weeks

John Weeks argues in our ‘just transition’ series that its success is linked to a political message of hope.

Shadow of recession deepens over the eurozone

John Weeks

Some orthodox economists predicted fiscal austerity would build confidence and so foster recovery. Yet at the end of the lost eurozone decade recession looms once more.

Trade Performance In EU Internal Market In Euro Era

John Weeks

European integration began as a political project to institutionalize peace and cooperation, with the Coal and Steel Community the initial step. In the late 1980s

EU Takes Beating In Italian Elections: When Will They Ever Learn?

John Weeks

Sending a Message In Chapter 5 of the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament of the Judeo-Christian Bible, mysterious writing begins to appear on

Social Pillar: Time For Principled Opposition To Austerity Consensus

John Weeks

On 17 November in Gothenburg, Sweden, EU leaders met for a “social summit”, presided over by Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, who had

This is Progress? Electoral Shocks, Catalunya And The Union

John Weeks

False Optimism from Brussels On September 13 in Strasbourg, the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker delivered his annual “state of the Union” address. Early

National Fiscal Flexibility: EU Parliament Plans a Big Step Backwards

John Weeks

I and many others have argued that the basic EU treaties have flexibility to accommodate most social democratic policies such as those in the 2017

Brexit And The Status Quo Ex-Ante

John Weeks

Where we are At the end of August Britain’s Labour Party formally announced its policy towards future relations with the European Union. The policy document

Fallacies of Brexit: Personifying Countries & Simplistic Polemics

John Weeks

Babbling Brexit The British media provides a consistently misleading version of the process of UK disengagement from EU membership. The term used for this process,

Smooth Brexit In Interests Of Germany As Much As UK

John Weeks

There is a general perception in the UK that the remaining EU states, and Germany especially, would like to punish Britain for withdrawing from the

Brexit, The UK Economy And Public Policy: Discredit Where Discredit Is Due

John Weeks

In the wake of the formal invoking of Article 50 by Prime Minister Theresa May, no one knows with certainty the impact on the UK

Crisis Of Governance: EU Democratic Deficit

John Weeks

In the wake of the Brexit referendum and with the Greek government once more facing the possibility of a forced Grexit, the limitations of EU

Euro Is The Problem, Not The Union

John Weeks

Year of Referendum Disasters In 2016 the European Union both as an organization and hope for a better and more peaceful future suffered at least

Eurozone’s So-Called Recovery Masks A Dark Secret: Mercantilism

John Weeks

Broad opposition in Europe to the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership has prompted its supporters to summon the “protectionist” spectre. In response to the criticism

The Six-Pack: EU Mandate For Bad Economic Policy

John Weeks

History provides many examples of authoritarian rule achieved through formally democratic procedures. To these we should add the EU Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance

Next
ETUI Advertisement

A more strategic Europe? Risks and opportunities for the world of work

Europe’s ambition to achieve strategic autonomy is at risk of being undermined from within, according to the annual flagship report by the ETUI and the ETUC. Despite signs of macroeconomic resilience, weakening investment, stalled decarbonisation and growing labour market fragilities are eroding the very foundations on which Europe’s power depends. Once again, the Benchmarking Working Europe 2026 report stands out as an invaluable resource, providing a comprehensive set of indicators illustrated through more than 60 graphs and tables, with analysis from ETUI researchers.

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Is financial resilience and trust in Europe faltering?

In this episode of Eurofound Talks, host Mary McCaughey and senior researcher Eszter Sandor unpack the results of the 2025 Living and Working in the EU e-survey. While headline inflation has stabilised at 2.1%, the data reveals a continent gripped by chronic precariousness, with 57% of respondents now at risk of depression. Mary and Eszter explore how this economic insecurity is impacting institutional trust and democratic engagement.

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FEPS Advertisement

Read the book "The open future and its enemies" 

A robust democracy must not leave the future in the hands of the alliance between Big Tech and the far right. AI must be politically reined in and democratically shaped so that humanity retains its sovereignty.

Artificial intelligence is regarded as the driving force of progress. Yet it has long since become a challenge to democracy. The book argues that uncontrolled AI will erode our freedom, self-determination and democracy.

READ THE BOOK
Hans Böckler Stiftung Advertisement

WSI Minimum Wage Report 2026

Minimum wage policy across Europe has shifted significantly, with many EU countries raising wages above average and anchoring them to adequate living standards. This trend is consolidating as countries increasingly adopt the reference values recommended in the European Minimum Wage Directive — recently upheld by the European Court of Justice.

DOWNLOAD THE REPORT
S&D Group in the European Parliament Advertisement

S&D Africa Days 2026

We are pleased to invite you to save the date for the S&D Africa Days 2026, taking place on 30 June and 1 July 2026, in Brussels. 

At a time when Africa is too often viewed through narrow and one-sided narratives, this initiative reflects a key political priority for the S&D Group: to advance a renewed, forward-looking partnership of equals between Europe and Africa based on equality, solidarity, social justice and shared progress. 

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“What is the actual purpose of the state?” – this central question is the focus of the analysis. At a time when bureaucratic processes are making life difficult for citizens, the paper proposes a three-part model. It aims at a conception of the state as a platform that helps society build the capabilities it needs to address its problems effectively.

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