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
Four Key Features Of Emerging ‘Trumpism’
While international opinion polls recorded uniformly negative reactions to Donald Trump’s election, the markets reacted positively, except for a few hiccups mostly caused by Trump-generated
Does Social Background Determine Life Chances In Europe?
Equality of opportunity and upward social mobility are important aspects of the European social model. Until quite recently concerns about rising inequalities were often countered
Macron’s Mission
The centrist Emmanuel Macron’s success in the first round of the French presidential election is likely to re-energize Europe. Unlike the other candidates, Macron does
EU Needs Fair Work-life Balance
When the nuts and bolts of the long-awaited European Pillar of Social Rights are unveiled at the end of April, the European Commission will at
Reducing European Inequality: Cohesion Through Convergence
When founded in 1957, the then European Economic Community comprised six relative prosperous countries, albeit including a very poor region, the Italian Mezzogiorno. With the
The Politics Of Nostalgia
Western democracies are facing a new threat: pessimism. Recent surveys reveal that 65 percent of Europeans and North Americans think the world is getting worse
Is There A Future For Social Democracy In Europe?
The response to the Great Recession from European social democratic/centre-left parties, with some notable exceptions like Portugal’s, was largely to implement the austerity policies of
Inequality in Europe: complex and multidimensional
Talking about inequality in Europe brings one face-to-face with a complex pattern of possible issues and dimensions, which can be measured in different ways. As
Trumponomics: Neocon Neoliberalism Camouflaged with Anti-Globalization Circus
A key element of Trump’s political success has been his masquerade of being pro-worker, which includes posturing as anti-globalization. However, his true economic interest is
Brexit, The UK Economy And Public Policy: Discredit Where Discredit Is Due
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
How do Progressives Fight Back Against Populism?
In recent years, the European Union has suffered through a cascading set of crises, including the Eurozone crisis, the refugee crisis, the security crisis, and
A European Treasury – One Answer To The EU’s Economic Woes
In Rome, EU leaders pledged to build a “prosperous and sustainable Europe” where “economies converge”. Fine words – but empty ones without more investment, especially
Citizen’s Income: Both Feasible And Useful
There has been much discussion recently in Social Europe posts about a Basic or Citizen’s Income: an unconditional and non-withdrawable income for every individual. My
Illiberal Stagnation
Today, a quarter-century after the Cold War’s end, the West and Russia are again at odds. This time, though, at least on one side, the