The TSMC and a Chinese Invasion of Taiwan

Chinese military action against Taiwan seems to grow increasingly likely by the day; the US intelligence community’s latest estimate believes a potential invasion of Taiwan could occur as early as 2027. The implications of military action in Taiwan would be devastating to US national output, because Taiwan houses much of the manufacturing capacity of a company that is key to the US economy: Taiwan Semiconductor … Continue reading The TSMC and a Chinese Invasion of Taiwan

What is Trump’s Obsession with Greenland?

‘We need Greenland for national security purposes,’ declared President Donald Trump in a press conference on January 7th, a move shrouded in controversy that angered the EU, Denmark, and other rivals such as China and Russia. A closer look shows that his goal is much bigger than just spending almost $70 billion to buy a huge, mostly empty hunk of ice.     Firstly, this was … Continue reading What is Trump’s Obsession with Greenland?

Germany’s Far-Right

Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) is a far-right party driven by euro-scepticism and anti-immigration; the party is now radically shifting Germany’s political state. AfD has recently grown in popularity, catalysed by a combination of public dissatisfaction with the current political system, and endorsements from high-profile figures such as Elon Musk, who called out the party as Germany’s “last spark of hope”. As the country faces economic stagnation … Continue reading Germany’s Far-Right

Nudges – A Dive into Behavioural Economics

Introduction:  In classical economics, individuals are assumed to be rational decision-makers. Rationality in this case means making choices that result in an optimal level of benefit or utility to the individual making the choice. This view, which is known as ‘homo economicus’, or the economic man, is the portrayal of humans as agents who are consistently rational and narrowly self-interested, and who pursue their ‘subjectively … Continue reading Nudges – A Dive into Behavioural Economics

Green Parties

As the world faces mounting environmental challenges, green parties have become influential players in shaping climate-focused policies. Defined by their commitment to finding solutions to climate change and promoting sustainable growth, green parties advocate for strong shifts in energy, transport and the industrial sector. From Germany’s Bündnis 90/Die Grünen to Ireland’s Green Party, their influence has grown significantly over the last few years; but how effective have their … Continue reading Green Parties

G7: Going, Going, Gone?

The Group of 7 (G7), containing the countries of Italy, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the United States, and the United Kingdom is a political and economic forum made up of some of the world’s most historically significant major economies. However, it is worth noting that the G7 excludes two of the world’s economic giants, China and India, which are both among the top five economies … Continue reading G7: Going, Going, Gone?

Labour’s Autumn Budget: Balancing Growth with Fiscal Reality

Labour currently face a catch-22 situation: they need to encourage growth in a country that recently exited a recession, while also filling in the £22 billion fiscal ‘black hole’. But how will they approach fiscal policy in this upcoming Autumn Budget? Will Labour continue their approach of making ‘hard decisions’ or will they take a tamer approach on the 30th of October? As always, the government has … Continue reading Labour’s Autumn Budget: Balancing Growth with Fiscal Reality

Could the EU Collapse?

The European Union, since its creation in 1993, has always had to maintain a delicate balance between its control and the autonomy of its member states, to both uphold its rules and to allow a country’s culture and society to remain. Yet, it has so far delivered many benefits economically to its members states. However, with Brexit and the rise of right-wing, Eurosceptic parties across … Continue reading Could the EU Collapse?

Authoritarian Economics

An authoritarian government is one which favours obedience to authority over personal freedoms, political pluralism and democracy. Often, this involves the use of strong central power to maintain the political status quo, without meaningful checks and balances. Such regimes are often notorious for economic mismanagement, as they prioritise the interests of the ruling class over that of the general public. Yet while this has often … Continue reading Authoritarian Economics