2022 – Page 2 – Dr Oliver Hartwich

To save our cities, ask urban economists

high angle view of cityscape against cloudy sky

Urban economists have explained why cities are important. They have also told us how to make them work better. Now we just need politicians, bureaucrats and city planners to listen to them. [...]

How Germany’s political failures enabled Putin’s war

white concrete building during night time

Yes, “harder years, tough years” are coming for Germany. But they could be all the harder because the country’s leadership still is not ready to acknowledge its past failures or to apply the lessons to its future policy settings. [...]

Save our cities

In the past two years, New Zealand’s cities have lost population while the country as a whole has grown. [...]

New Zealand is now worse off than ever

There are two reasons why Ardern’s half-decade seems much longer. First, it was a time packed with events. And second, Ardern has left her mark on New Zealand. [...]

Learning from the Truss disaster

Truss has shown the world how not to do policy. And that remains her only political achievement. [...]

Liz Truss’ failed bid to become a 21st-Century Margaret Thatcher

night traffic on westminster bridge and elizabeth tower in london uk

In trying to become a 21st-century Margaret Thatcher, Truss has introduced Thatcherite policies in reverse. She may have sealed the fate of her premiership before it has even begun. [...]

Russia’s war against the West escalates

We should let go of the illusion that normality will return once the war in Ukraine is over. Russia’s war on Western democracy preceded its military aggression on Ukraine. It will continue as long as the Russian leadership remains in power. [...]

You could fix so much that’s wrong in NZ. So why choose a welfare system that works?

The New Zealand government has picked the one part of the New Zealand economy that does not require a big reform for its biggest legacy project: the welfare state. [...]