Five Radical Ideas For Beating Inequality
Scratch the skin of any social democrat and s/he bleeds equality. Because of structural weakness we water the concept down into social justice or fairness
EU Social Pillar: A (Potential) New Start For Europe
When EU Heads of State and Government gather in Gothenburg this week to debate fair jobs and growth, it will be the first such ‘social
Germany’s Dangerous Obsession
As Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), seek to form an unprecedented “Jamaica coalition” with the
Baltic Austerity And Euro Area Contagion
I lived in Riga, the Latvian capital, from 1999 to 2003 just before the Baltic States became European Union member states in 2004. EU membership
Why Europe Needs Civic Entrepreneurs
Europe needs a new breed of entrepreneur. Not just tech entrepreneurs who freeride on our personal data before becoming philanthropists. But civic entrepreneurs who dare
Disunited In Diversity: How National Electoral Outcomes Harm Europe
Parties belonging to the ‘moderate’ political spectrum in today’s Europe have been claiming victory in national elections across EU countries. In the Netherlands, France, Germany
Cart Before The Horse: The Challenge Of The Greek Center-Left’s Open Primary
On November 12, Greek progressives are electing a new leader through an open-to-all primary. Four parties and nine candidates are involved in the challenge. The
The (False) Promises Of Digitalization
We are surrounded by enthusiasts advertising a wonderful new world of “smart factories”. Among them are government representatives, business and employer associations, CEOs from big
Catalonia: Death Of The European Dream
On May 9,1950 the French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman proposed “to make war not only unthinkable but materially impossible.” His plan was to create a
The Left-Sovereigntist Fantasy: A Response To William Mitchell And Thomas Fazi
William Mitchell and Thomas Fazi (WM/TF) have written a piece that – under the presumptuous title of Everything You Know About Neoliberalism Is Wrong – offers a critique of
A Federal Spain In A Federal Europe
I have always been a profound admirer of Spanish democracy, but especially since February 23, 1981. On that dramatic day, Colonel Antonio Tejero attempted a
Mourning Poland’s Burning Man
Late in the afternoon on October 19, a 54-year-old man outside the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw distributed several dozen copies of a
Economic Growth Is No Longer Enough
Macroeconomic data from the world’s advanced economies can be mystifying when viewed in isolation. But when analyzed collectively, the data reveal a troubling truth: without
The Vicious Circle Of Inequality
For more than a decade, organizations such as the IMF, OECD, ILO and even World Economic Forum have issued stern warnings that the global trend
Rethinking Working Time In Europe
The results of recent Eurofound research on working time patterns in the EU constitute a strong plea for working time policies that clearly acknowledge the
Trade Unions Are Ready To Tackle The Digital Challenge
Since award-winning physicist Stephen Hawking first warned that artificial intelligence (AI) could spell the end of humanity, other experts have echoed his cataclysmic forecast. In
Macron’s Challenge For Europe
In an ambitious, visionary speech at the Sorbonne, French President Emmanuel Macron presented his plan for countering the tide of xenophobic nationalism in Europe. He