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William L. Silber

William L. Silber

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William L. Silber, a former professor of finance and economics at New York University’s Stern School of Business, is the author of The Power of Nothing to Lose: The Hail Mary Effect in Politics, War, and Business (William Morrow, 2021).

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  1. Trump and the Risk of a US Debt Default
    silber3_William Thomas CainGetty Images_trumpplazahotel William Thomas Cain/Getty Images

    Trump and the Risk of a US Debt Default

    Apr 23, 2024 William L. Silber thinks the former president would be even more reckless if awarded another term this year.

  2. The Danger of “Nothing to Lose”
    silber2_Nasser IshtayehSOPA ImagesLightRocket via Getty Images_israel and palestine Nasser IshtayehSOPA ImagesLightRocket via Getty Images

    The Danger of “Nothing to Lose”

    Aug 26, 2021 William L. Silber warns of what can happen when a military or political adversary runs out of both options and hope.

  3. America First, Fallout Later
    op_silber1_Bettmann-Getty-Images_political-cartoon1 Bettmann/Getty Images

    America First, Fallout Later

    Feb 22, 2019 William L. Silber sees eerie parallels between the Trump era and one of the darker episodes of the 1930s New Deal.

  4. Will the Euro Dethrone the Dollar?

    Will the Euro Dethrone the Dollar?

    Jul 2, 2007 William L. Silber

  1. spence173_ Joe RaedleGetty Images_power Joe Raedle/Getty Images

    Crunch Time for the Power Sector

    Michael Spence

    Making the power sector fit for the twenty-first century requires a “banker” that finances and coordinates relevant long-term investments, and an “architect” that guides the development of a complex, interconnected smart-grid system. National governments need to fill both roles.

    argues that developing flexible, stable, and resilient smart grids requires an expanded industrial policy.
  2. op_janeway16_SAUL LOEBAFP via Getty Images_bidenchips Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

    The Rise of Mesoeconomics

    William H. Janeway

    A growing body of literature focusing on the domain between the microeconomic and the macroeconomic has become increasingly relevant in a world beset by supply shocks. Armed with such insights, those designing industrial policies will have a better chance of achieving their overlapping economic- and national-security goals.

    details how a long-neglected field of economic study can be applied to today's most pressing policy challenges.
  3. strain27_Philipp von Ditfurthpicture alliance via Getty Images_AIeducation Philipp von Ditfurth/picture alliance via Getty Images

    What the AI Pessimists Are Missing

    Michael R. Strain points out that the technology will help to address many of the risks it creates.
  4. ito37_Spencer PlattGetty Images_columbiaprotests Spencer Platt/Getty Images

    The Innocent Bystanders of College Protests

    Takatoshi Ito laments that a radical minority can disrupt the lives of so many in the broader university community.
  5. lacamera1_Wang DongzhenXinhua via Getty Images_COP28 Wang Dongzhen/Xinhua via Getty Images

    Only Public-Private Cooperation Can Accelerate Decarbonization

    Francesco La Camera & Bruce Douglas explain how to translate political commitments into actual wind turbines and solar panels.
  6. haass167_ANATOLII STEPANOVAFP via Getty Images_ukrainesoldiers Anatolii Stepanov/AFP via Getty Images

    Defining Success in Ukraine

    Richard Haass calls for a shift to a defensive posture and efforts to bring about a long-term ceasefire.
  7. aslund75_Pierre CromGetty Images_ukraineconflict Pierre Crom/Getty Images

    A Unified Western Strategy for Ukraine

    Anders Åslund proposes a maximalist approach to military aid to replace the current piecemeal injections of old weapons.
  8. khrushcheva180_ContributorGetty Images_shoiguputin Contributor/Getty Images

    Russia’s Battle of the Ministries

    Nina L. Khrushcheva sees a high-ranking official's recent arrest as a sign of declining confidence in Vladimir Putin's leadership.
  9. ghosh77_MANDEL NGANAFP via Getty Images_ajaybanga Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

    The “Billions to Trillions” Charade

    Jayati Ghosh explains why using development banks' resources to incentivize private-sector finance is unlikely to succeed.

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