Understanding The Resistible Rise Of Central European Authoritarianism
Viktor Orbán has posed critical challenges to concepts of human rights and democracy in Europe since his election in 2010. But there is every sign
The Polish Threat To Europe
Poland has now emerged as the latest European battleground in a contest between two models of democracy – liberal and illiberal. The overwhelming election victory
Why Cameron’s Brexit Referendum Is A Fight To Save His Party And His Country
The European question is the grim reaper of British politics – dividing parties, debilitating governments, and destroying careers. But never before have the stakes surrounding
2016: Europe’s Year Of Living On The Edge
This new year of 2016 has begun badly. ISIS attacks in Istanbul and Jakarta. Stock market jitters. Violence, including rape, upon women in Germany, Sweden
What Are The Prospects For Poland’s Opposition?
Civic Platform, the former ruling party in Poland, suffered a clear defeat in the country’s parliamentary elections in October. However, as Aleks Szczerbiak writes, the polarisation of politics
How The Refugee Crisis Splits The European Social Democrats Between West And East
The refugee crisis has exposed cracks in the EU’s political foundations. Failure to agree over how to implement refugee quotas and inability to coordinate humanitarian
What Economic Policy For The Euro Area?
Social and political tensions in Europe are reaching new heights. Fear of migrants fuels nationalist sentiments and religious animosities are becoming serious. Many people are
Expect UK’s EU Referendum In June Or July This Year – Here’s Why …
The prospect of a summer referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union is drawing closer. At least this is the timetable David Cameron hinted
The Right Incentives For A Low-Carbon Future
The climate agreement that world leaders reached in Paris last month has been widely celebrated for establishing the ambitious target of limiting the increase in
To Avoid A 2016 Crash, The Major Powers Need To Pull In The Same Direction
It looks already as if 2016 will be a pivotal year for the world economy. RBS has advised investors to “sell everything except for high-quality bonds” as
The Return Of Public Investment
The idea that public investment in infrastructure – roads, dams, power plants, and so forth – is an indispensable driver of economic growth has always
A Liberal Education Is Now More Useful Than Job-specific Skills
It is hard to imagine life without digital search and the internet. This is as true for me as for anyone else: the greater ease
Why We Should Stop Talking About ‘Human Capital’
The extent to which the world has become Orwellian is reflected in the widespread use of the term `human capital`, as if it were a
Caputalism: Will Capitalism Die?
The fact that western capitalism is in a severe crisis is now so commonplace that it’s become almost a cliché. In 2008 the global financial
How The Oil Price Crash Is Wrecking Mario Draghi’s QE Effect
2015 will go down as the year when the oil price crash did not result in a swift decline in oil output. At a first
The New Geo-Economics
Last year was a memorable one for the global economy. Not only was overall performance disappointing, but profound changes – both for better and for
Why The Paris COP21 Agreement Could Make Disaster Inevitable
We are sitting in a car going 35 miles per hour. It’s a nice day and the road is straight. But the map tells us