COMMENTARIES
COMMENTARIES
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American Funk
Ian Buruma Series: Crossing Cultures 2012-02-07Many American fearmongers would have us believe that the US is now in a dangerous state of funk – a loss of self-belief that signals the end of its world leadership. But they are wrong to claim that the decline of US military dominance will lead to the collapse of world order.... read Comments: 1 Recommended: 0 Read: 2216
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Tomorrow’s Pax Pacifica
Kevin Rudd Series: The Asian Century 2012-02-07
Although the relationship between China and the United States is critical to Asia’s future, the concept of a "G-2" is never going to fly in the region. The task today is to recognize the realities of US and Chinese power, without turning the rest of the region into collateral damage should the Sino-American relationship deteriorate.... read Comments: 0 Recommended: 0 Read: 2376
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Capturing the ECB
Joseph E. Stiglitz Series: Unconventional Economic Wisdom 2012-02-06There are several explanations for the ECB’s insistence on a "voluntary" restructuring of Greece's sovereign debt, none of which speaks well for the institution. Indeed, as we have seen elsewhere, institutions that are not democratically accountable tend to be captured by special interests.... read Comments: 2 Recommended: 1 Read: 15164
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Seizing Sustainable Development
Jacob Zuma and Tarja Halonen Series: The New Global Economy 2012-02-06
The world is on an unsustainable path, and must urgently chart a new course forward, one that brings equity and environmental concerns into the economic mainstream. To do so, we must put sustainable development into practice now, not in spite of the economic crisis, but because of it.... read Comments: 6 Recommended: 0 Read: 3932
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A Strategy for Russia’s Snow Revolution
Mischa Gabowitsch Series: The World in Words 2012-02-05So far, Russia's protesters have gotten much right: they have focused on a single demand – fair elections – and have united liberals, communists, nationalists, and otherwise apolitical citizens in a broad coalition. If their movement is to succeed, however, maintaining a commitment to non-violence is likely to be the key.... read Comments: 0 Recommended: 0 Read: 4149
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Austerity under Attack
Daniel Gros Series: Euronomics 
2012-02-03
As the European economy risks falling into recession, many observers are asking whether austerity could lead to such a sharp decline in economic activity that revenues fall and the fiscal position actually deteriorates further. But it would be dangerous for the eurozone’s highly indebted countries to abandon austerity now.... read Comments: 16 Recommended: 0 Read: 11160
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Havel Lives
Karel Schwarzenberg, Desmond Tutu and Richard von Weizsäcker Series: Human Rights 2012-02-03PRAGUE – The death of Václav Havel, the former president of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic, has been marked with mourning around the world. For his friends, the loss is overwhelming, but we all take comfort from the fact that his courage and his ideas helped to change our world for the better, and are still continuing to do so.... read Comments: 1 Recommended: 0 Read: 3857
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The Decline of the West Revisited
Shlomo Ben-Ami Series: War and Peace 2012-02-02
Since the publication in 1918 of Oswald Spengler’s The Decline of the West, prophecies about the inexorable doom of what he called the “Faustian Civilization” have been a recurrent topic for thinkers and public intellectuals. But the debate's recurrence is itself proof that Spengler was wrong.... read Comments: 4 Recommended: 0 Read: 8402
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A Seismic Crime
Joel E. Cohen Series: Science and Society 2012-02-02The devastating earthquake that hit L'Aquila, Italy in 2009 has sparked a court trial and lingering questions about scientific experts' failures to communicate risk to the public. Scientists around the world have rightly spoken out against the trial in Italy, but will we be ready when the next big earthquake strikes?... read Comments: 0 Recommended: 0 Read: 6384
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America’s Three Deficits
Laura Tyson Series: The Growth Imperative
2012-02-02
The US faces painful choices about how to close its long-run fiscal gap, and a credible plan should be decided now and implemented promptly – but only after the economy has recovered. For the next few years, the priorities of fiscal policy should be jobs, investment, and growth.... read Comments: 5 Recommended: 0 Read: 11795
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Central Bankers in the Line of Fire
Luigi Zingales Series: The Rules Of The Game 2012-02-02The decision in January by Philipp Hildebrand to resign as Chairman of the Board of the Swiss National Bank, after a suspicious trade made by his wife, is to be welcomed. But, while Hildebrand’s resignation should serve as a precedent to be followed elsewhere, the circumstances surrounding his departure smell much worse than what caused it.... read Comments: 0 Recommended: 0 Read: 6987
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The Nigerian Crucible
Ike Okonta Series: Into Africa 2012-02-01
Nigeria's president, Goodluck Jonathan, has allowed his government to loot the treasury, while militant organizations terrorize the populace. Its rich and powerful have already plunged Nigeria into a bloody civil war once, and they appear ready to do it again.... read Comments: 0 Recommended: 0 Read: 5446
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Coronary Capitalism
Kenneth Rogoff Series: The Unbound Economy
2012-02-01Just as the financial industry caused a near-meltdown of the global economy in 2008, the food industry has facilitated the explosion of obesity around the world. In both cases, the links to broader problems with contemporary Western capitalism have become impossible to ignore.... read Comments: 8 Recommended: 0 Read: 24124
