The Muddled Case For Trade Agreements
With global trade negotiations deadlocked for years, regional agreements – long a dormant route to trade liberalization – are back with a vengeance. The United
Economy
Analysis and debate on the European economy: growth and investment, fiscal and monetary policy, trade, industry and inequality.
The Education Myth
In an era characterized by political polarization and policy paralysis, we should celebrate broad agreement on economic strategy wherever we find it. One such area
Drawing The Right Lessons From The Greek Pension Crisis
The Financial Times has a useful background article on the debate about pension reforms in Greece, one of the main sticking points in the current
Young Entrepreneurs In Europe: Values, Attitudes And Policies
Where is Europe’s Mark Zuckerberg? While half of young people strive for and want a career as an entrepreneur, research shows that only 6.5% of
No Pain, No Gain For Britain?
The economic historian Niall Ferguson reminds me of the late Oxford historian A.J.P. Taylor. Though Taylor maintained that he tried to tell the truth in
Inspiring Economic Growth
In his First Inaugural Address, during the depths of the Great Depression, US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt famously told Americans that, “The only thing we
TTIP And The War Of Trade Models
There is an interesting debate going on in Europe about the likely consequences of the TTIP (Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership). Much of the real
Debating The Confidence Fairy
In 2011, the Nobel laureate economist Paul Krugman characterized conservative discourse on budget deficits in terms of “bond vigilantes” and the “confidence fairy.” Unless governments
An Innovation Agenda For Europe
Any ‘economic growth’ strategy which ignores the all-important strand of promoting, encouraging and developing innovation is doomed to fail. It has been more than a
We Now Have Money For Nothing
The developed world seems to be moving toward a long-term zero-interest-rate environment. Though the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, and the eurozone have kept
The Eurozone’s False Recovery
At first glance, the eurozone economy seems like it might finally be on the mend. Stock markets are rallying. Consumer confidence has picked up. Lower
Excessive Austerity Not A Lack Of Structural Reform Is Holding Back Investment In Greece
A while ago I participated in a TV debate on Greece. One of the points of contention was whether investment in Greece has been structurally
European Economic Governance And Flawed Analysis
Getting Stupid Capital Flows Off The Hook The analytical note on the next steps for better economic governance that was published mid- February during the
Iceland’s Dangerous Hangover
The battle with the creditors of the bankrupt private banks in Iceland is still not over, although the country won the Icesave dispute, graduated from
Reviving EU Fiscal Policy: 10 Ways To Strengthen Public Investment
As the Euro crisis hit, European policy makers reacted with headless austerity policies and a tightening of the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP). The failure
Are Negative Interest Rates Good For Growth?
Monetary policy has become increasingly unconventional in the last six years, with central banks implementing zero-interest-rate policies, quantitative easing, credit easing, forward guidance, and unlimited