History – Dr Oliver Hartwich

Europe’s directionless leader

people walking on brown concrete building

Thirty years after unification, Germany remains a big, little country. A powerless hegemon. A directionless leader. Then again, that may not be such a bad outcome. Had Thatcher and Mitterrand been right, it might have been worse. [...]

A return to normal? Forget about it.

Covid-19 is not just a medical and economic crisis. It is a historical watershed moment with massive effects for entire generations. [...]

The West in a new cold war with itself

This new Cold War could be decided not by Beijing’s victory but by the West’s suicide. [...]

30 Years after the Wall: Socialism 2.0

I am celebrating the anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall. Even though it is unnerving to realise that the 30 years that have passed have turned me into a political dinosaur at 44. [...]

Rediscovering the West

When future historians look back at our world today, they will regard it as the end of an era. Over the space of just a few years, the fundamentals of our political and economic order have all changed. [...]

When comedy meets ignorance

The prospect of a new Taika Waititi movie is usually a reason for joyful anticipation. However, watching the trailer of Jojo Rabbit and reading the first reviews left me appalled. [...]

Millennial ignorance

A large majority of Australian millennials find socialism attractive. And they believe that capitalism has failed. [...]