The European Pillar of Social Rights – no ‘social triple A’ for Europe
Shortly after his appointment, the new President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, promised to strengthen the social dimension of the European Union. The so-called
Time For Common Sense On Negative Interest Rates
This was to have been the year of exit from quantitative easing. Instead, 2016 is going to be the year of negative interest rates. For more
Reckoning With Inequality
When it comes to the rise in economic inequality since the 1970s in the United States and some other advanced economies, it doesn’t really matter
Brexit’s Questions For The Rest Of Europe
In three months, British citizens will have to decide whether or not to remain in the European Union. But they are not the only ones
Bias And Ill-will: The Poverty Of Today’s Historians
Living in a post-modern city like New York has many advantages but some disadvantages too. Among the latter is the absence of bookstores. Practically the
Bernie Slanders: How The Democratic Party Establishment Suffocates Progressive Change
The Democratic Party establishment has recently found itself discomforted by Senator Bernie Sanders’ campaign to return the party to its modern roots of New Deal
Why The World Economy Needs Fiscal Policy To Overcome Stagnation
The world economy is visibly sinking, and the policymakers who are supposed to be its stewards are tying themselves in knots. Or so suggest the
Why Global Inequality Matters
Let me start by enquiring about the importance assumed by inequality in the public debate during these last years. As we know, inequality has been
How Political Elites Have Failed To Ensure Social Justice Across Generations
Something interesting has emerged in voting patterns on both sides of the Atlantic: Young people are voting in ways that are markedly different from their
EU-Turkey ‘Agreement’ On Syrian Refugees: An Illegal And Shameful Deal
I used to enjoy researching European integration because the subject struck me as a rich laboratory for distilling evidence on the dark undersides of national
Greek Pensions: Tsipras’ Last Ditch Fight Versus Troika
The Troika is in Athens and will not leave without deep cuts to pensions, even though the country is back in recession. Far from last summer’s media
A Visegrad Plan For Rebuilding European Cohesion
In February 1991, presidents of three nascent European democracies convened at a castle near Budapest to proclaim their common desire to return to Europe. The
A British Departure From The EU Would Have Major Consequences For Ireland
The UK’s referendum on EU membership will be keenly observed by Irish citizens, given the close ties between the two countries. Paul Gillespie writes that a Brexit
What The New French Labour Law Tells Us About France And The Euro
A new labour law, commonly referred to as the ‘El Khomri law’ after the French Minister of Labour, Myriam El Khomri, has generated significant attention
The ‘Tax Shift’: A Surrealist Fantasy
Reducing taxes on labour – personal income taxes and employers’ and employees’ social security contributions – is often seen as key to increasing employment levels. The latest crop of
A State-Powered Green Revolution
Discussions about building a green future tend to focus on the need to improve the generation of energy from renewable sources. But that is just
Same ECB Medicine, Higher Dosage – Good But More Needed
The ECB has announced a further expansionary shift by beefing up a range of existing policy instruments. Barring unexpected positive shocks this will not be