Uncategorized
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 […]
Euro Crisis, Modest Proposal, Social Democracy's Waterloo, and the threat of Fascism: Interview
, 11/10/2013
An interview with Alessandro Bianchi, editor-in-chief of the Italian political news website, www.lantidiplomatico.it
Game Theory: An assessment of the theory that aspires to unify the social sciences
, 10/10/2013
Audio is now available here: . Listen in conjunction with the slides available here. The talk was delvered on Thursday 10th October 2013, 12:15 to 1:30p at the Lyndon B. Johnson Graduate School of Public Affairs (SRH 3.219/3.216), University of Texas at Austin, Austin
Johnny (Paulson) Got His Gun (and is aiming at some grim, Greek pickings)
, 07/10/2013
“Did anybody ever come back from the dead?”… “Put the guns into our hands and we will use them. Give us the slogans and we will turn them into reality.” Dalton Trumbo, Johnny Got His Gun “We think Piraeus and Alpha, two banks we have a position in, are now very well capitalised and poised to recover… They have […]
Europe in 25 years – my 'futuristic' piece in Europe's World
, 02/10/2013
Europe’s World commissioned me to write the article below on where Europe may be in twenty five years from now. Hope that it proves anything other than prophetic… (Click here for Europe’s World site.) Six years have passed since the Shanghai Crash of 2032, and Europe’s architecture is incapable of responding to its challenges in a way that […]
What Merkel’s Third Term Means for Europe
, 28/09/2013
(This article was commissioned by The New Left Project – click here for the NLP’s site) A few days before the German federal election, the American commentator Bob Kuttner called upon German Chancellor Angela Merkel to use the election victory that was clearly in the making to change tack regarding the European Periphery. Focusing on […]
No signal: an intimate, personal history of ERT
, 25/09/2013
Regular readers will recall my pieces on the closure of the Greek public broadcaster. A longer and more comprehensive version, in which I took the time and the space to unfold my memories of ERT’s presence in our collective Greek experience, became our third contribution to Witte de With’s Review. For the WdW Review site, click […]
Alexis Tsipras at the Kreisky Forum, Vienna (the complete speech/address to Austrian social democrats)
, 24/09/2013
Last week, Alexis Tsipras (SYRIZA’s chair) gave a talk at the Kreisky Forum, in Vienna. In it he addressed Austrian social democrats, in Bruno Kreisky’s old residence. I post Tsipras’ speech here for two reasons: First, because it sends an interesting message to central European social democrats (Austrian and German in particular). Secondly, because this […]
THE INAUGURAL EUROPE LECTURE, Sydney 23rd October 2013
, 22/09/2013
The History Group in the School of Humanities and Communication Arts, University of Western Sydney is pleased to present: THE INAUGURAL EUROPE LECTURE Europe: The Dirty War for its Integrity and its Soul Professor Yanis Varoufakis Wednesday 23 October 2013, 6-8pm Dixon Room, State Library of NSW For the flyer containing more information please click [...]Hollande and Merkel: Where Left is Right – guest post by Stuart Holland
, 22/09/2013
Rather than the claim of German finance minister Wolfgang Schäuble that the rest of Europe needs austerity to be able to compete (The Guardian, July 19th), François Hollande was right to say in an interview with Le Monde (September 3rd) that Europe should stop apologising for the Eurozone crisis and its failure to recover growth and […]
Nazi Murders – and what to do about them (radio interview plus a short article)
, 20/09/2013
When anti-racist rapper Pavlos Physsas was stabbed to death by Nazi thugs in the streets of working class Keratsini, near Athens, Greek society was forced to acknowledge that the serpent’s egg had not only hatched but that it had produced a venomous snake intent on taking a terrible toll. No longer content to bash migrants […]
The Modest Proposal as a Trojan Horse for the dreaded transfer union: Guest post by Hubert Marcks
, 17/09/2013
To all those who can’t help but feeling that an external surplus recycling mechanism as described in the modest proposal would just be an appeasing technical term for the dreaded transfer-union and that it would condemn the deficit countries into eternal servitude, I would like to point to an example within the mother of all […]
A modest objection to the Modest Proposal: Debt write offs instead of the Modest Proposal
, 17/09/2013
Jordi Angusto sent me the following missive regarding our Modest Proposal. To which both Stuart Holland and I respond below.
Why asymmetrical monetary unions are bound to fail (unless they feature an effective, extra-market surplus recycling mechanism)
, 15/09/2013
Asymmetrical monetary unions, wherever and whenever tried in combination with free trade and deregulated capital movements, ended up in tears and retribution. The Gold Standard, the various pegs between domestic currencies and the US dollar (S.E. Asia, Argentina, Mexico etc.), the ERM (European Exchange Rate Mechanism), the Eurozone that followed the latter’s collapse etc. they […]
Greece an "island of stability"? On CBC radio
, 14/09/2013
I live in hope that, one of these days, I shall be in a position to say something positive and cheerful upon being asked by a journalist after my views on the latest ‘Greek Success & Recovery’ story as put forward by Greece’s Prime Minister. Unhappily, I am not able to do so presently.
Interviewed by ARENA PUBLICA: Estados Unidos ha destruido la economía social
, 06/09/2013
(For the ARENA PUBLICA’s website click here)
Interviewed by Carmen Aristegui, CNN Mexico, on Mexico's financial and energy sector reforms
, 05/09/2013
Click on the photo or here
Klaus Kastner replies (adds) to my Mexico City talk
, 05/09/2013
When in Mexico City last week, I argued in favour of financial sector reforms (see previous post) that impose minimum equity limits on the TBTF banks (or SIFIs) while treating very differently (almost motherly) small, local banks, helping establish a rich ecology of local capital recyclers. Klaus Kastner, who has contributed variously in this blog, […]
Global Banks as exporters of Permanent Credit Crunches to Peripheral Economies: The case of Mexico
, 05/09/2013
The speech below was delivered on 29th August 2013 at ITAM, Mexico City, in the context on a conference on planned financial sector reforms in Mexico; organised by IMEF (the Mexican Institute of Finance Executives), in collaboration with UNIFIM (a confederation of Mexican owned financial institutions). For an audio of my talk click For the text…
Was Chancellor Merkel right (about Greece)?
, 02/09/2013
Is Chancellor Merkel right when she recently said: “Greece should not have been admitted into the euro area”?
In Mexico City
, 30/08/2013
Just a quick note for regular readers to explain my recent ‘silence’. I am in Mexico City, invited by Adalberto Palma, CEO of UNIFIM (a confederation of Mexican owned financial institutions, and IMEF (the Mexican Institute of Finance Executives), to participate in the current debates on Mexico’s forthcoming financial sector reforms. A major tussle has […]
A salutory warning to those who think Greece is none of their business
, 21/08/2013
The back cover of a portuguese magazine dedicated to politics and critical thinking recently depicted a car mirror in which a Greek flag was clearly visible, complete with the sign: WARNING – OBJECTS IN MIRROR ARE CLOSER THAN THEY APPEAR. With no further comment from me…