Politics and Economics
The IMF’s Anger – and what it means for the Eurozone’s crashing Periphery
, 06/06/2013
The IMF’s recent report on Greece constitutes the culmination of the Fund’s Mea Culpa regarding its complicity in a series of toxic bailouts that have contributed to the unfolding Kossovisation of the Eurozone’s Periphery. Back in March 2012 this blog reported on a preemptive strike by the IMF the purpose of which was to cover-up […]
Mixed messages from the IMF: Interview with Tom Hirst
, 03/06/2013
An interview follows with Tom Hirst, the shining light behind the new economics and finance website Pieria (well with visiting for the diversity of views it offers). To read the interview, which focuses on the IMF’s attitude toward Britain on the one hand and the Eurozone on the other, click here for the Pieria site […]
Defining Austerity
, 31/05/2013
The most stupefying defence of austerity is that it is not being practised. And if it is not being practised, how can one claim that it failed? Austerians point to high deficits in Britain, in Spain etc. as evidence that, indeed, austerity was in the eye of the beholder rather than practised policy. I can […]
Confessions of an Erratic Marxist: Keynote speech, Subversive Festival, Zagreb, Croatia – 14th May 2013
, 14/05/2013
To listen (as audio only) to my keynote speech at the 6th Subversive Festival (Kino Europa, Zagreb), 14th May 2013, click CONFESSIONS OF AN ERRATIC MARXIST. For the complete program click here. For the abstract as well as full text of my talk…
The Utopia of Democracy: May 12th to 18th in Zagreb
, 08/05/2013
Beginning this coming Sunday 12th May, and lasting all of next week, the 6th Subversive Festival will be held in Zagreb. This year’s general theme is: THE UTOPIA OF DEMOCRACY. Speakers will include Tariq Ali, Oliver Stone, Susan George, Franco Bifo, Alexis Tsipras, Jean Luc Melenchon, Eric O. Wright. Slavoj Zizek and… yours truly. It promises […]
Macroeconomic experiments: Abenomics versus Euro-austerity
, 03/05/2013
The ABC’s (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) online periodical, THE DRUM, commissioned me to write an article comparing and contrasting the policy responses to the Crisis of Japan and of the Eurozone. Click here for the ABC’s website. Or read on below…
Bitcoin and the dangerous fantasy of ‘apolitical’ money
, 22/04/2013
The Crash of 2008 has infused our societies with enormous scepticism on the role of the authorities, both government and Central Banks. It is quite natural that many dream of a currency that politicians, bankers and central bankers cannot manipulate; a currency of the people by the people for the people. Bitcoin has emerged as […]
Greek Banksters in Action: On the latest twist in the story of mafia-style terror spreading through the Greek polity
, 19/04/2013
Last November I posted a piece entitled A Small Victory for Press Freedom in Greece’s Struggle against Cleptocracy. That story concerned the courageous decision of Kostas Vaxevanis, one of Greece’s few, valiant investigative reporters, to publish the so-called Lagarde List; the list of Swiss bank account holders that Greece’s political class did its utmost to […]
Farewell Mrs Thatcher: In spite of everything, you are being missed already
, 09/04/2013
For the purposes of full disclosure, I write these words as someone who, back in the late ‘70s and throughout the ‘80s, joined countless picket lines and demonstrations against Mrs Thatcher’s regime, shouting on top of his voice (and to the detriment of his vocal chords): “Maggie, Maggie, Maggie, Out, Out, Out!”. Indeed, when I […]
On CBC Radio's 'Writers' Program: Interviewed by Eleanor Wachtel on the Global Minotaur
, 08/04/2013
Over the past few years, I have been interviewed extensively on my views of the Crisis and my writings. Of all these interviews, this is the one that I enjoyed giving the most. Eleanor Wachtel generously afforded me the space to talk about Greece, my parents (and my experiences of growing up in Greece in […]
Lest we forget: The neglected roots of Europe’s slide to authoritarianism
, 14/03/2013
Europe is being torn apart by a titanic clash between (a) the unstoppable popular rage against misanthropic austerity policies and (b) our elites’ immovable commitment to more austerity. Precisely how this clash will play out no one knows, except of course that the odds do not seem to be on the side of the good. […]
On spontaneous order, Valve, the future of corporations, Hume, Smith, Marx and Hayek: A one hour chat with Russ Roberts on ECONTALK
, 25/02/2013
There is nothing more heartwarming than mutually beneficial exchanges with intellectually curious people with whom one disagrees strongly on some matters while sharing strong views and common concerns on others. Russell Roberts is Professor of Economics at George Mason University, and a Chicago PhD holder. Besides his academic credentials, he is the host of ECONTALK, a […]
A discussion with Evergreen College students on the state of the global economy
, 15/02/2013
Yesterday, 14th February 2013, I spent a wonderful 75 minutes visiting a wonderful class of students at Evergreen College – the inverted commas denoting that I did so from… Austin, using the excellent AV facilities of both Evergreen and the LBJ Graduate School of Public Affairs (thanks are due to the excellent support staff on both ends). […]
More on economics' methodological cul-de-sac: a paper by S. Holland and T.C. Oliveira
, 08/02/2013
Since a couple of recent posts have burdened you with my own musings on the intellectual fraud masquerading as economics (the neoclassical tradition that dominates economic theory and policy), I thought of completing a trifecta with a paper by Stuart Holland and Teresa Carla Oliveira which argues that economics will not evolve unless it recovers some of Smith and […]
The neoclassical economist as playwright
, 05/02/2013
In my previous post I explained that, over the past few weeks, I was frantically putting the finishing touches on a hopelessly academic book that reflects on my personal experiences with neoclassical economics; primarily through the lens of my own work which attempted to engage neoclassical colleagues on labour economics, game theory and political economy. […]
Economic Indeterminacy – the cause of my (relative) silence
, 03/02/2013
Regulars may have noticed that I have gone relative quiet recently. It is true! The reason is that I am struggling to put the finishing touches on an academic book entitled ECONOMIC INDETERMINACY: A personal encounter with the economists’ most peculiar nemesis (to be published by the good people of Routledge). As I have well […]
In memory of Frank Hahn, a rare jewell of a neoclassical economist
, 30/01/2013
Having just received the news of Frank Hahn’s passing, from my friend and colleague Nicholas Theocarakis, I felt the obligation to share Nicholas’s email with all of you. Those of us who knew and worked with Frank Hahn can only second Nicholas’ points. At least I do. Until time permits a long, considered assessment of […]
Why is the 2009 Greek government deficit probed by the courts, again?
, 29/01/2013
Greek judges are, again, moving against Mr Georgiou, the Head of ELSTAT (the revamped Greek national statistics bureau). Why is this happening? And what does it signify?
Gabe Newell on 'Productivity, Economics, Political Institutions and the Future of Corporations': 30th January, University of Texas at Austin
, 28/01/2013
In recent months, as some of you know, I have been working with Gabe Newell (of Valve Corporation) exploring the social economies that have spontaneously emerged within the vast and intriguing communities of video game players. Convinced that students of economics, politics and public policy in general have a great deal to learn from this […]
Taking stock of 2012: Interviewed by Doug Henwood on KFPA
, 09/01/2013
Just before New Year’s Eve, I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Doug Henwood once again. As the New Year was approaching fast, our talk, naturally, summed up developments on the Euro Crisis during 2012 and the prospects for 2013. To listen click: Behind the News with Doug Henwood for December 27th 2012 Podcast Contents […]
Up from Here? Panel discussion on 'The Impediments to Recovery' with K. Arrow, R. Gordon, E. Laursen and Y. Varoufakis
, 06/01/2013
On 4th January 2013, in the context of the ASSA-AEA Annual Conference, EPS (Economists for Peace and Security) organised a panel to discuss the ‘Global Crisis and the Impediments to Recovery’. The organisers afforded me the distinct honour of sharing a platform, to discuss our world’s most pressing issues, with Kenneth Arrow and Robert Gordon. […]
Ten highs and ten lows, circa 2012: my intensely biased list
, 26/12/2012
THE HIGHS The definitive discovery of the Higgs boson particle that confirms our capacity to grasp the ways of the universe first through logic and theory and later empirically; a triumph of human reason Mitt Romney’s implosion at the ballot box At last, a decent James Bond flick A piece of graffiti in downtown Athens […]
Will the real economy rebound, following Wall Street's resuscitation? And what of Europe? – Interviewed by El Confidencial
, 20/12/2012
Another Spanish newspaper, El Confidencial, were kind enough to interview me on the global and european crisis, on the occasion of the Global Minotaur‘s Spanish translation-edition. Here is the interview, in English (the actual article will appear in Spanish, of course). Read on…
Taking stock of the Global and Euro Crisis
, 16/12/2012
A Spanish journalist interviewed me on the Spanish language edition of The Global Minotaur. Her questions, however, gave me an opportunity to look retrospectively at the Global Crisis, its Eurozone offshoot and, of course, the worst aspect of the latter, the Greek calamity. In the process, I refer to what I call the ‘death of […]