The Real Raw Material Of Wealth
Poor countries export raw materials such as cocoa, iron ore, and raw diamonds. Rich countries export – often to those same poor countries – more
The Increasing Irrelevance Of Corporate Nationality
“You shouldn’t get to call yourself an American company only when you want a handout from the American taxpayers,” President Obama said Thursday. He was referring
Do We Need A Single-Member Private Limited Liability Company (SUP)?
The European Commission has once again issued a legislative proposal which jeopardises workers’ rights. The proposal for a “single-member private limited liability company” (SUP in
The Great Income Divide
Thomas Piketty’s book Capital in the Twenty-First Century has captured the world’s attention, putting the relationship between capital accumulation and inequality at the center of economic debate.
Germany And Europe’s Surplus Of Stagnation
While the rest of the world recovers from the Great Recession of 2008-2009, Europe is stagnating. Eurozone growth is expected to be 1.7% next year. What can
The Three Policy Changes Europe Needs
The European economy is still in crisis. Real incomes in the Euro area are below the level of 2008 and unemployment is in the double
Why We Need A European Solidarity Union
Europe is heaven on earth, the promised land, as soon as you look at it from the outside. […] Europe appears in a different light,
Inequality is Falling Globally! (And Similar Nonsense)
I bet you think that the rich are getting richer and the poor poorer. A few well-known facts might lead you to this conclusion. For
Europe Must Escape A Savings Trap, Not A Liquidity Trap
The anti-austerity vote in the European elections reflected two different kinds of discontent. One is a feeling of frustration, which is invigorating nationalism: the vote
President Obama Is Emulating Buchanan Instead Of Lincoln
Obama is Leaving Economic Inequality for his Successors to Fix President Obama is emulating former President James Buchanan. His economic agenda is to kick the
European Social Policy For The Next Five Years
For generations, Europe was a project of hope. To my parents’ generation, after a time of war and hostility, Europe represented the hope of achieving
Why The Super-Rich Need Governments
The very rich, F. Scott Fitzgerald famously wrote, “are different from you and me.” Their wealth makes them “cynical where we are trustful,” and makes them
Is California A Model For Europe?
The new European Parliament has to turn its attention to numerous pressing issues. I shall refer here to three of them: the socio-ecological transition, growing
The Social Investment Package And The Europe 2020 Policy Agenda
The European welfare state and the European Union (EU) find themselves caught up in a double bind in the aftermath of the global financial crisis.
Manuel Valls – Le Ferdinand Foch De Nos Jours?
In 1914, as he was leading his men at the Battle of the Marne General Foch, the best of all the French fighting generals told
Rent-Seeking, Living Standards And Inequality
Rent-seeking is the activity of generating and allocating transfers between economic actors. It results in waste and inequality. The rise of rent-seeking, with its epicentre
Is Europe Back On Track?
After the European elections, the World Cup became the new hot topic. Only insiders were interested enough to follow closely the selection process of the