Category: Politics

Politics, US

Income Inequality and the Future of the American Dream

The American Dream is the belief that anyone, regardless of where they were born, or what class they were born into, can attain their own version of success in society. It is the centre of American nationality. It is one of the rare bipartisan issues, and suggests that equality of opportunity is available to any American, allowing the highest aspirations and goals to be achieved. However, increasing income inequality … Continue reading Income Inequality and the Future of the American Dream

Unknown's avatarJai Singh ChaturvediLeave a comment
Development, History, Middle East and Africa, Politics

From Guns to Gold: The Wagner Group’s exploitation of Africa and Ukraine

PMC (“Private Military Company”) Wagner, more commonly known as The Wagner Group, is a paramilitary organisation based in Russia. Founded in 2014, Yevgeny Prigozhin a Russian oligarch and a close confidant of Russian president Vladimir Putin, took over the company shortly after its founding. The Wagner Group first came to prominence during the Donbas conflict in Ukraine from 2014 to 2015. The Wagner Group’s activities … Continue reading From Guns to Gold: The Wagner Group’s exploitation of Africa and Ukraine

Unknown's avatarNico Sesson Farre1 Comment
Asia, Development, Economics, Politics

The Economic Legacy of Tokyo 2020

Tokyo 2020 was a world-first in many ways. Amidst two golden weeks, the Games bore witness to sporting history, as well as heart-warming displays of camaraderie and sportsmanship. Held when Japan was in the grip of the pandemic, these Games were the first without a live audience. They were the first games for surfing, skateboarding, and karate. They saw the first golds for nations including … Continue reading The Economic Legacy of Tokyo 2020

Unknown's avatarChenyang Li2 Comments
Economics, International, Politics, UK

Financing Think Tanks

Think tanks are defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as “a research institute or other organization providing advice and ideas on national or commercial problems.” In modern democracies, think tanks play a crucial role in economic decision-making. They help the public to understand both sides of important policy decisions whilst holding governments to account. They also help policymakers: governmental entities, such as the Low Pay … Continue reading Financing Think Tanks

Unknown's avatarChenyang Li1 Comment
Development, Keynes Society Reports, Politics

Sir Tim Besley: “State Capacity and Economic Development”

The Keynes Society was delighted to virtually host Professor Sir Timothy Besley, a world-renowned economist in the field of development economics and development policy foundations. Professor Sir Besley is a professor of development economics at the London School of Economics and a fellow of All Souls College Oxford, having served on the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England and as President of the … Continue reading Sir Tim Besley: “State Capacity and Economic Development”

Unknown's avatarChenyang LiLeave a comment
Politics, UK

A New Wealth Tax for the UK: Delicately Plucking the Golden Goose

The art of taxation consists in so plucking the goose as to obtain the largest possible amount of feathers with the smallest possible amount of hissing.  – Jean-Baptiste Colbert, Finance Minister to Louis XIV Starting in early 2020, life as we knew it came to a stop, as governments around the world locked up their countries to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. The resulting economic impact … Continue reading A New Wealth Tax for the UK: Delicately Plucking the Golden Goose

Unknown's avatarMerritt Factor1 Comment
Professor Cass Sunstein giving a speech
Behavioural, Interviews, Long Read, Politics, US

An interview with Professor Cass Sunstein: Nudges, economic systems, and freedom

Cees Armstrong and I had the pleasure of interviewing Professor Sunstein, the Robert Walmsley Professor at Harvard Law School. Professor Sunstein is the best-selling author of many books, including the critically acclaimed Nudge, as well as the most cited law scholar of all time. He now works with the US government. Continue reading An interview with Professor Cass Sunstein: Nudges, economic systems, and freedom

Unknown's avatarVimal KamathLeave a comment
Boris Johnson giving a speech outside 10 Downing street
Politics, UK

Is Johnsonism a thing – and, if so, will it mark a significant departure from Thatcherism?

Adapted for Etonomics Ever since Boris Johnson’s election in December 2019, the term ‘Johnsonism’ has appeared more and more in the media. The term suggests that Johnson’s views and beliefs can be collated into a coherent ideology in the same manner as those of Margret Thatcher (Thatcherism) and Tony Blair (Blairism). Johnson has broadly pursued moderately centrist economic policies alongside more right-wing stances on immigration … Continue reading Is Johnsonism a thing – and, if so, will it mark a significant departure from Thatcherism?

Unknown's avatarSebastian WadeLeave a comment
SPD flags waving in the wind
Europe, Politics

Does Social Democracy have a Future in Europe?

It is the saga of PASOK, the Panhellenic Socialist Movement, that epitomises the apparent collapse of the centre-left, social-democratic party throughout the continent. Between the 1996 election and the 2009 election it was one of the most popular parties in Europe, with vote shares ranging between a low of 38.5% in 2007 and 43.9% in 2009; in the 2012 election it fell spectacularly to a … Continue reading Does Social Democracy have a Future in Europe?

Unknown's avatarAlexander TrewLeave a comment