DiEM25
The Folly of Biblical Economics: Lessons from Europe that Americans must heed
, 18/02/2014
Moralizing and generalization have always been terrible foundations for public policy.
BITCOIN: A flawed currency blueprint with a potentially useful application for the Eurozone
, 15/02/2014
The responses of many to my post on Bitcoin reveal a powerful tendency to underestimate the ill-effects of deflation on a social economy. This tendency to underestimate deflation’s deleterious impact matters beyond debates on Bitcoin per se. For example, in Europe the incapacity of the European Central Bank (ECB) to act in the face of […]
Europe's Economy: the eurozone, Greece, the Scottish question, France and Italy – on RT tv
, 14/02/2014
To watch my interview jump to 13′
Peter Bofinger’s Euro-bundles are a Step Backwards – to the EFSF’s toxic bonds. But they do point to a real solution
, 10/02/2014
by James Galbraith, Stuart Holland and Yanis Varoufakis (*) Peter Bofinger’s proposal for Euro-bundles (see here for an introduction) serves the noble purpose of rekindling the debate on the Eurozone’s fiscal and monetary incoherence. The idea behind Euro-bundles is to issue a common bond without joint liability that the ECB can then purchase in the […]
Peter Bofinger’s Euro-bundles: What are they? A primer plus pertinent queries by George Krimpas
, 08/02/2014
His proposal for a Eurobond, as an instrument of fiscally consolidating the Eurozone, was soundly rejected by the German Chancellor. Now, with an ECB paralysed in the face of a major deflationary onslaught, Professor Peter Bofinger comes up with a variant of the rejected Eurobond, which he calls ‘Euro-bundles’, only this time as an instrument […]
GERMANY’S CHOICE: AUTHORITARIANISM OR HEGEMONY? (*)
, 03/02/2014
For those of us who grew up under totalitarian regimes, it is noteworthy that Europeans are resorting to a time-honoured tradition: telling jokes as a form of defiance. Here is one: “Why did Europeans agree to form the euro?” “Because”, the joke goes, “the French feared the Germans, the Irish wanted to escape Britain, the […]
Being Greek and an Economist While Greece Burns: An intimate account – MGSA Keynote 2013
, 16/11/2013
(Gonda Van Steen introduced the audience to the MGSA 2013 Conference and Artemis Leontis introduced me. The talk begins at around 10′, when the audio becomes loud and clear) The Modern Greek Studies Association (MGSA) kindly invited me to deliver its 2013 Keynote, at the MGSA biannual Conference held at Indiana University. I grabbed the opportunity […]
Does Europe threaten world recovery? Lessons for the US
, 13/11/2013
On 12th November 2013 Economists for Peace and Security convened a workshop in Washington DC to discuss Jobs, Investment and Rebuilding America: An economic and national security agenda. In that forum we heard Jason Furman, Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors, deliver a passionate speech in defence of social security and welfare provisions against […]
PONZI AUSTERITY: A definition and an example
, 08/11/2013
For a while now I have been arguing that Europe’s policies for reducing the public debts of fiscally stressed member-states can be described as a Ponzi austerity scheme. In this post I attempt precisely to define ‘Ponzi austerity’.
Video: Yves Leterme on the Eurozone Crisis
, 07/11/2013
Eves Leterme was one of two keynote speakers in our “Can the Eurozone be saved?” conference at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, University of Texas at Austin. Not only the OECD’s Deputy Secretary General but also a former Prime Minister of Belgium, indeed he was at the helm of the Belgian government at the […]
Beyond Pop Histories of the European Union – in The Globalist
, 06/11/2013
The following piece was published in The Globalist on 5th November 2013, extracted and edited by Stephan Richter (thanks Stephan) from my Sydney talk The Dirty War for Europe’s Integrity and Soul. Click here for The Globalist’s page or…
Europe: Technocrats versus Democrats – in The Globalist
, 06/11/2013
The following piece was published in The Globalist on 5th November 2013, extracted and edited by Stephan Richter (thanks Stephan) from my Sydney talk The Dirty War for Europe’s Integrity and Soul. Click here for The Globalist’s page or…
Watch the Austin Conference on the Eurozone live
, 04/11/2013
Click here for a live feed of the ‘Can the Eurozone Crisis be saved?’ conference? For more information on the conference click here.
The US Treasury is right about Germany's Eurozone policies: Here is why
, 01/11/2013
On 30th October, in its Report to Congress on Economic and Exchange Rate Policies, the US Treasury took a swipe at Germany, accusing it of exporting economic depression to the rest of Eurozone and, indeed, to the global economy. The German Finance Ministry responded the next day with a statement that: “There are no imbalances in […]
On ABC Radio National's 'Big Ideas' program: 'The Dirty War for Europe's Integrity & Soul'
, 30/10/2013
ABC Radio National’s ‘Big Ideas’ program has now broadcast my talk entitled The Dirty War for Europe’s Integrity & Soul (original broadcast: 30th October, 20.05 Sydney time). [Click here for details of the lecture.] For the complete transcript click here – please note that the ABC (to fit in both the talk and the discussion the […]
Jobs, Investment, and Rebuilding America: Economic and National Security Issues – Workshop in Washington DC, 12th November
, 30/10/2013
Economists for Peace and Security is organising a workshop on Jobs, Investment, and Rebuilding America: Economic and National Security Issues. It will take place at the Hyatt Regency, Washington DC, Capitol Hill. The keynote speech will be delivered by Jason Furman, Chair of the US Council of Economic Advisers. My involvement will concern the economic and financial […]
Can the Eurozone Be Saved?
, 27/10/2013
European Political Leaders and Policy Experts to Meet for Two Days in Austin to Discuss The LBJ School of Public Affairs of the University of Texas at Austin will host a two-day conference on the fate of the Eurozone on Nov. 4 and 5. “Can the Eurozone Be Saved?” will convene European political leaders and […]
Site re-design now complete. Welcome to my 'new' site
, 26/10/2013
Six weeks of hard labour. That was the ‘cost’ of re-configuring my site in a manner that makes it possible for readers to gain easy access to archived material. As these posts span the whole of the Euro and Global Economic/Financial Crisis since 2010, and thus read a little like a Crisis Diary, I thought […]
The Dirty War for Europe's Integrity and Soul
, 25/10/2013
Inaugural ‘Europe Public Lecture’, UWS, State Library of New South Wales, Sydney On 23rd October 2013, I was honoured by the Department of History of the University of Western Sydney with an invitation to deliver their inaugural Europe Public Lecture. The event took place in the State Library of New South Wales, in Sydney. The […]
On ABC Late Night Live, discussing 'The Dirty War for Europe's Integrity and Soul'
, 22/10/2013
Last night I had the pleasure of sitting in LNL’s studio with Philip Adams discussing some themes from a talk I am about to give tonight at the State Library of New South Wales on ‘The Dirty War for Europe’s Integrity and Soul’. Here is the podcast:
Off to Oz to talk Europe
, 18/10/2013
Next Wednesday evening, the 23rd of October, I shall be delivering The Inaugural Europe Lecture of the University of Western Sydney at the State Library of New South Wales. (Please note that till then postings will be rudimentary.) The talk itself will be entitled “The Dirty War for Europe’s Integrity and Soul” (For details click […]
Interviewed by Geraldine Dooge (ABC Radio National) on Greece's Wartime 'Loan' to Germany. Plus a simple proposal for killing two birds with one stone
, 15/10/2013
On Saturday 12th October, I was interviewed by Geraldine Dooge for the ABC Radio National’s program ‘Saturday Extra’ on the theme of Greek claims on Germany for wartime reparations and on a strange ‘loan’ that was extracted from the Greek government by the Nazi authorities. You can hear the interview here: Read on for […]
Under re-construction
, 14/10/2013
Just a quick warning, to loyal readers, that I am in the process of re-constructring the site. Over the next few days you may find new headings without the proper links and other such signs of digital chaos. By the end of the week, the ‘new’ version of the site should be complete. Thank you […]
The flow of trade, the flow of capital and the Eurozone: Guest post by Klaus Kastner
, 12/10/2013
A few weeks ago, I began doing something which I hadn’t done since my College days – I did some reading of and about John Maynard Keynes. Among others, I am just finishing the book “The Battle of Bretton Woods” by Benn Steil. And I am amazed! Two principal issues dominated the negotiations lead by […]