Business Spectator
The fallout from Merkel’s waning power
It is debatable whether Merkel actually managed to negotiate good deals for her country, but at least it always appeared as if she was able to dictate her will in Europe. Not anymore.
Month: June 2014
Insights
Freedom, the fundamental human right
You may be all in favour of free speech, but some people believe allowing tobacco companies to freely advertise their products requires an exception, as might donations to political campaigns, or statements that might impinge upon another person’s reputation. The devil is in the detail.
Uncategorised
Housing and immigration: is the tail wagging the dog?
Migrants who bring their skills to this country, who are willing to make a contribution and ready to become a part of the community, are an asset. They will add strength and diversity to the country, and make it a better place – as generations of migrants have done before them.
Business Spectator
Lithuania’s eurozone entry is a big problem for Germany
Given Germany’s position as the largest shareholder in the ECB, it is astonishing how weak their control of its governance is. But for the result of their past carelessness in designing the ECB’s rules, the Germans only have themselves to blame.
National Business Review
What did the Brits do for us?
There is something that is undoubtedly special about Britain. It is not just a small, rainy island in the North Atlantic. It is not just another mid-sized northern hemisphere country. In many ways, Britain has been, and still is, much more than that.
Insights
‘P’ is for price
Politicians play with the price system at their peril. Yet there are minimum wage laws, rent controls, price controls and other ways of distorting prices. Usually introduced with best intentions, these measures prevent markets from working properly.
Business Spectator
Behind the ECB’s smoke-and-mirror show
What we are seeing now is a continent barely held together by the monetary alchemy of its central bank. But you have to hand it to the ECB: it has developed extraordinary skills in concealing the real nature of its actions. No other central bank could so beautifully camouflage subsidies to banks and governments as help to the private sector.
National Business Review
Piketty ignores the great convergence
The global convergence of productivity and incomes means there are no realistic chances that lower skilled workers in developed nations will be able to move up the wealth ladder. This means they will either have to become more skilled or they will become poorer in relative terms, and possibly also in absolute terms.
Business Spectator
The EU’s unique definition of democracy
What is democracy? Well, usually democracy is when the people vote in an election and the winner then happens to form a government. It is as simple as that. And what is European Union democracy? It is when the people vote in an election and, regardless of the outcome, German chancellor Angela Merkel decides on the next president of the European Commission