The Answer Is Wages, Not Capital
As in any other religion, faith lies behind capitalism. Faith that capital is a panacea always and in any situation: to push economic growth or
Economy
Social Europe is an award-winning digital media publisher driven by the core values of freedom, sustainability, and equality. These principles guide our exploration of society’s most pressing challenges. This archive page curates Social Europe articles focused on economic issues, offering a rich resource for innovative thinking and informed debate.
The Case For An Investment State
The case for an Investment State rests with three propositions: The first is the diminishing credibility of the Welfare State. Flourishing mid-20th century, it has
Europe’s Shrinking Middle Class
The Great Recession depressed real income levels across European countries. But the impact was very unequal across countries and income groups. Countries in the European
Understanding Today’s Stagnation
Ever since the ‘Great Recession’ of 2007-2009, the world’s major central banks have kept short-term interest rates at near-zero levels. In the United States, even
New Brussels Reforms: Path To More Austerity For Italy
New reforms for the Eurozone are in sight, ready to be implemented in the short term by taking advantage of the stronger than expected European
The Human Economy: Creating Decent Livelihoods In Digital Capitalism
Ever since the Second Industrial Revolution petered out, global capitalism has faced a demand crisis. If you think that all we need now is to
The Eurozone’s Hidden Strength
For years, the eurozone has been perceived as a disaster area, with discussions of the monetary union’s future often centered on a possible breakup. When
Rethinking German Economic Policy
When I was student at the LSE many years ago I shared lodgings with a German exchange student from the University of Munich, son of
Europe En Marche?
Average unemployment rates continue to fall across Europe, employment is growing again in middle-paying jobs, offshoring is on the decline, the proportion of routine jobs
Europe-Wide Inequality
Inequality within member states has become a much debated and researched issue over the last decade (see OECD here and here). Reducing the inequality between
Time For The Biggest Fair Tax Reform In European History
In the dying seconds of his first 100 days in office, President Donald Trump published his ‘biggest tax cut in American history’. The spectacular cut
Is Germany Unbalanced Or Unhinged?
For US President Donald Trump, the measure of a country’s economic strength is its current-account balance – its exports of goods and services minus its
Can Macron Pull It Off?
Emmanuel Macron’s victory over Marine Le Pen was much-needed good news for anyone who favors open, liberal democratic societies over their nativist, xenophobic counterparts. But
Basic Income – Tonic Catalyser
In her article ‘Unconditional Basic Income is a Dead End’, Anke Hassel rejects basic income as a threat to individual development and social integration, claiming
Getting The Robots To Pay Tax
Historically, tax systems evolve following the evolution of taxable bases (actual and potential). In other words, governments over the centuries and millennia used to “follow
We Need To Engage With Putin’s Russia
The greatest challenge facing a fragmented and divided Europe is how best to engage with Russia, with whom we share the European continent. The EU