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James K. Galbraith

James K. Galbraith

36 commentaries
1 videos & podcasts

James K. Galbraith, Professor of Government and Chair in Government/Business Relations at the University of Texas at Austin, is a former staff economist for the House Banking Committee and a former executive director of the Joint Economic Committee of Congress. From 1993-97, he served as chief technical adviser for macroeconomic reform to China’s State Planning Commission. He is the author of Inequality: What Everyone Needs to Know (Oxford University Press, 2016) and Welcome to the Poisoned Chalice: The Destruction of Greece and the Future of Europe (Yale University Press, 2016).

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  1. Down on the Biden Economy
    galbraith28_ Chip SomodevillaGetty Images_biden Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

    Down on the Biden Economy

    Sep 20, 2023 James K. Galbraith thinks the failure of wages to keep up with inflation explains much of the public’s dour mood.

  2. America’s “New” China Narrative
    galbraith27_ HECTOR RETAMALAFP via Getty Images_china economy HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP via Getty Images

    America’s “New” China Narrative

    Aug 17, 2023 James K. Galbraith thinks the current US conventional wisdom misses the point and is being driven by ulterior motives.

  3. Unpacking America’s “Soft Landing”
    galbraith26 Drew AngererGetty Images_ powell Drew Angerer/Getty Images

    Unpacking America’s “Soft Landing”

    Aug 9, 2023 James K. Galbraith considers why the dominant mainstream narratives about the US economy have not been borne out.

  4. The Democrats’ Disastrous Debt Deal
    galbraith25_Win McNameeGetty Images_mccarthy Win McNamee/Getty Images

    The Democrats’ Disastrous Debt Deal

    Jun 6, 2023 James K. Galbraith decries the party’s willingness to play along with the Republicans’ bad-faith politicking.

  5. The Austerity Train Wreck
    galbraith24_ZEKAS LEONIDASEurokinissiAFP via Getty Images_greec train wreck ZEKAS LEONIDAS/Eurokinissi/AFP via Getty Images

    The Austerity Train Wreck

    Mar 10, 2023 James K. Galbraith shifts the blame for the recent Greek railway disaster away from the aged stationmaster who now faces prison.

  1. rodrik213_James WakibiaSOPA ImagesLightRocket via Getty Images_kenyasolar James Wakibia/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

    Bridging the Climate-Development Gap

    Dani Rodrik & Ishac Diwan explain how to free up fiscal space for sustainable development in many low- and middle-income countries.
  2. sheng141_XinhuaMao Siqian via Getty Images_hong kong Xinhua/Mao Siqian via Getty Images

    Lower Transaction Costs for Greater Innovation

    Andrew Sheng & Xiao Geng highlight the link between access to global markets and investment in research and development.
  3. Ashoka_Say-More_Ghersi-via-GettyRF

    Ashoka Mody on Indian corruption, growth, jobs, and more

    Ashoka Mody explains the roots of the lack of accountability in India, highlights shortcomings in human capital and gender equality, casts doubt on the country’s ability to assume a Chinese-style role in manufacturing, and more.
  4. chowdhury1_BIJU BOROAFP via Getty Images_india flooding BIJU BORO/AFP via Getty Images

    Why India’s Women Are More Vulnerable to Disasters

    Joyita Roy Chowdhury & Prarthna Agarwal Goel call attention to gender inequalities that exacerbate the effects of floods and other natural catastrophes.
  5. spence164_Thierry MonasseGetty Images_eu integration Thierry Monasse/Getty Images

    Europe in the Age of Industrial Policy

    Michael Spence

    While China and the US take advantage of scale to pursue large-scale investment in critical sectors, the EU struggles to follow suit, owing to its decentralized fiscal structures and rules limiting government subsidies to industry. A new EU-level investment program is urgently needed.

    advocates a federal investment program, funded by EU sovereign-debt issuance and administered centrally.
  6. brown99_Elke ScholiersGetty Images_g20 Elke Scholiers/Getty Images

    Fixing Global Governance

    Gordon Brown explains how to make the G20 and the Bretton Woods institutions fit for purpose once again.
  7. stark9_DANIEL ROLANDAFP via Getty Images_ecb DANIEL ROLAND/AFP via Getty Images

    The EU Needs Fiscal Union

    Lucrezia Reichlin laments the pro-cyclical bent of the European Commission’s proposed reforms to fiscal rules.
  8. castellino1SAM PANTHAKYAFP via Getty Images_water SAM PANTHAKY/AFP via Getty Images

    The Roots of the Global Water Crisis

    Joshua Castellino explains why overhauling the current economic paradigm is crucial for preserving Earth’s natural systems.
  9. marin26_Sean GallupGetty Images_german ev Sean Gallup/Getty Images

    The Electric Vehicle Revolution Comes for German Industry

    Dalia Marin explains how Europe can reverse engineer China’s approach to industrial policy.

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