In The News

Is Crisis of Capitalism a Crisis of Democracy? DW

Alexander Görlach November 26, 2019
Protests are breaking out worldwide: over corruption in Lebanon and Egypt, rising fuel prices and cuts in subsidies in Chile and Ecuador and France, sectarian power-sharing in Iraq and Lebanon, worries about housing prices and Chinese control in Hong Kong, separatist movement in Spain, and failure to enact climate-change regulations in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Austriaand New...

Economic Toll of Climate Change: Axios

Courtenay Brown November 12, 2019
Substantial numbers of financiers and politicians are dismiss worries over climate change. Yet, “Top economists say the economic effects of climate change are just starting to be felt – and they're likely to start snowballing,” reports Courtenay Brown for Axios, who goes to explain how increasing wildfires, floods and natural disasters can disrupt the electrical grid, electronic payment and...

Global Minimum Corporate Tax Rate: Financial Times

Chris Giles November 10, 2019
Multinationals can sell products and services in more than 200 nations, and many, especially big technology firms, shift profits across borders to minimize tax bills. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, which represents democracies, is reviewing global tax policies: one recommendation would allow countries to tax operations even if the companies have no physical presence,...

End of Neoliberalism: Project Syndicate

Joseph Stiglitz November 7, 2019
Neoliberal policies and unfettered markets undermined democracy for 40 years, destroying hopes of economic growth and the spread of democracy. “The effects of capital-market liberalization were particularly odious: If a leading presidential candidate in an emerging market lost favor with Wall Street, the banks would pull their money out of the country,” explains Joseph Stiglitz for Project...

Three Dead in Chile Protests: Santiago Times

October 22, 2019
Rising energy costs lead to consternation in emerging economies, especially net importers of oil as well as the many that rely on fuel subsidies. A proposed hike in subway fares by Chile's President Sebastián Piñera prompted protests that led to protests, clashes with security forces – leading to more than 300 arrests and three deaths. “The protest by students began on Monday when hundreds...

Protests Engulf Lebanon: CNN

Tamara Qiblawi October 22, 2019
Thousands have turned out throughout Lebanon to protest an economy in decline. About 30 percent of the population lives below the poverty line, and 30 percent of the people are also refugees. Public debt is high and young adults are abandoning the stagnant economy. The government has passed austerity measures, and fury erupted after a tax was proposed on voice over internet protocol calls on...

The End of Inflation? The Economist

The Economist October 15, 2019
Inflation was once a high priority for economists, and governments put full force into combatting the decline in the purchase value of their respective currencies. Most governments that target inflation have the phenomenon in control or even worry that the rate is too low, despite historically low interest rates and unemployment rates as well as recent stimulus funding. Traditional economic...