In the case of Spain, it was the massive inflow of bank funds and speculative investors from northern Europe that vastly exacerbated the housing bubble. Barring that, Spain had all its finances in order. That the intro of the euro tended to make wages and prices converge a great deal was also to be expected. For example, across Europe there was competition for construction workers during the bubble, raising wages everywhere in that industry. But in general, this sort of moralizing based on ideology and lacking in any sort of true effort to overcome our common issues in Europe will be the demise of not only the EU, but of the hard-gained respect for Germany over the last several decades. Misguided swagger leads to bad places.
The article ignores the political aspect. Many will continue to keep dollars based on the political stability of the country backing it. The euro is a long way from that, and there are few other viable contenders. The worse things are, the safer the perceived refuge, as the last several years have shown.
Easily the greatest conundrum facing us over the coming decades. Job sharing combined, say, with more time spent working one's small vegetable garden, might help. But perhaps it's not enough. Maybe what we need is for robots to have to adopt families whom they support. Make robots responsible members of society!
You describe a state of affairs yet offer no argument as to how or why corporatism arises. You dismiss the counter-arguments without presenting them, such as the success of China's mercantilism (at least so far.)
What this article is doing on Project Syndicate is beyond me. Lots of loose opinion and very little, if any, substance. Financed by some looney think tank, perhaps?
What needs updating are the rules of engagement for a world in which enemy organizations are not nation-states, and in which the latter may harbor the former and feign ignorance. Pakistan is a case in point, although worse, since it was Pakistan state intelligence that masterminded the Mumbai attacks.
While war by proxy drone is indeed a chilling method and one which requires greater safeguards, pretending that international law designed for nation-states is not outdated seems naive.
Should Germany Exit the Euro?
In the case of Spain, it was the massive inflow of bank funds and speculative investors from northern Europe that vastly exacerbated the housing bubble. Barring that, Spain had all its finances in order. That the intro of the euro tended to make wages and prices converge a great deal was also to be expected. For example, across Europe there was competition for construction workers during the bubble, raising wages everywhere in that industry.
But in general, this sort of moralizing based on ideology and lacking in any sort of true effort to overcome our common issues in Europe will be the demise of not only the EU, but of the hard-gained respect for Germany over the last several decades. Misguided swagger leads to bad places.
Two Dollar Fallacies
The article ignores the political aspect. Many will continue to keep dollars based on the political stability of the country backing it. The euro is a long way from that, and there are few other viable contenders. The worse things are, the safer the perceived refuge, as the last several years have shown.
The Rise of the Robots
Easily the greatest conundrum facing us over the coming decades. Job sharing combined, say, with more time spent working one's small vegetable garden, might help. But perhaps it's not enough.
Maybe what we need is for robots to have to adopt families whom they support. Make robots responsible members of society!
Blaming Capitalism for Corporatism
You describe a state of affairs yet offer no argument as to how or why corporatism arises. You dismiss the counter-arguments without presenting them, such as the success of China's mercantilism (at least so far.)
What this article is doing on Project Syndicate is beyond me. Lots of loose opinion and very little, if any, substance. Financed by some looney think tank, perhaps?
Drone Wars
What needs updating are the rules of engagement for a world in which enemy organizations are not nation-states, and in which the latter may harbor the former and feign ignorance. Pakistan is a case in point, although worse, since it was Pakistan state intelligence that masterminded the Mumbai attacks.
While war by proxy drone is indeed a chilling method and one which requires greater safeguards, pretending that international law designed for nation-states is not outdated seems naive.