History – Dr Oliver Hartwich

The inflation lesson we failed to learn from

It is a pity we hardly teach history anymore. Or economics. Let alone economic history. Because if we knew a bit about the past, we might have a better idea of our future. Especially as we are grappling with inflation. [...]

A day to reflect on the meaning of freedom

For younger generations, the Berlin Wall means little. But it is worth knowing about and remembering. [...]

History is more than a set of pre-defined answers

old domed ceiling with sunlight shining through window

Even with that understanding of history, different people will come to different conclusions. [...]

Don’t know much about history?

selective focus photography of brown wooden book shelf

New Zealand students deserve a better understanding of history, including their own but not limited to it. [...]

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. [...]