Is It Meaningful To Talk About The Ownership Of Companies?
Shareholders own the corporation, and the duty of the directors to maximise shareholder value follows from that. I have lost count of the number of
Quantitative Easing (QE) And Public Investment
Since the start of this year the ECB has been applying “quantitative easing” (QE), i.e. a program injecting large amounts of money into the economy.
‘Welfare Tourism’ – An Unproven Case
Heated debates have been sparked in some of the EU’s key recipient countries on the alleged adverse effects of free movement of labour, including in
Europe’s Three Fault Lines
Ten or 20 years ago, the existential question facing the European Union was whether it still had a purpose in a globalized world. The question
Liquidity Helps Financial Market Participants, Not Businesses And Households
Nothing illustrates more starkly the difference between the preoccupations of financial market participants and the needs of businesses and households than the subject of liquidity.
Can COP 21 In Paris Prevent The Climate Catastrophe?
Today, the 21st UN Climate Change Summit (COP21) starts in Paris. All the way since the Rio Conference in 1992, the aim of these summits has
Is Europe Doomed To Collapse?
I am on a two-week European tour at a time that could make one either very pessimistic or constructively optimistic about Europe’s prospects. First the
The Vicious Cycle Of Pitiless Violence
There has been carnage over the last few days in Beirut, Baghdad, Paris and Bamako and, of course, there have been numerous such attacks before
TTIP’s Regulatory Cooperation And The Politics Of ‘Learning’
Recently, the TTIP negotiations have entered a new a phase in spite of wide public criticisms. The European Commission (EC) has made a number of
The Paris Attack And Its Aftermath
President Hollande spoke of the need for constitutional changes to amend the processes of the state of emergency (which go back as far as the
One Person, One Car? The Digital Revolution’s Platform Economy
Before the ‘digital revolution’ things were relatively simple. A taxi equalled a car plus a driver. This driver could be self-employed or employed by a
Why Poland’s New Government Is A Problem For Migrants To The EU
The new Polish prime minister, Beata Szydło, had a firm message for her EU allies in her inauguration speech – they shouldn’t burden the Poles with their
The Euro And Schengen: Common Flaws And Common Solutions
What do the Euro and Schengen have in common? Both are projects that have the same flaw: they’re unfinished business. And therefore they risk falling
Managing The Economy Politically: Chinese Pitfalls
After eight months of continued contraction, the Chinese manufacturing juggernaut is officially stranded. The rollercoaster ride of the summer of 2015 with its market crashes
Digitization: New Work Concepts Are Revolutionizing The World Of Work
Novel phenomena like cloud working and crowd sourcing are gaining ground, signalling that digitization is revolutionizing society and economy. On the one hand, they seem
Phishing For Phools: Crowdfunding Or Crowdphishing?
If one were seeking a perfect example of why it’s so hard to make financial markets work well, one would not have to look further
Defending Multiculturalism After The Paris Attacks
Visiting the UK, after eighteen months in Eastern Europe, I have been struck by the easy-going multiculturalism that is Britain. Whether in London, Bristol or