Europe: Reform Now or Be Left Behind!

The world Europe confronts is changing rapidly. On the hand, the United States is becoming widely viewed as an indispensible, but unreliable ally. Equally importantly, the global economy appears to be entering an era of rapid technological change for which Europe is not fully prepared. To be sure, the region enjoys an enviable economic model; [...]

France: Plus Ca Change?

2 March 2025 "Plus ca change" is a French adage loosely meaning "the more things change, the more they stay the same". To be sure, France enjoys an enviable socio-economic model: producing high levels of productivity and living standards combined with a strong commitment to equity and sustainability. Indeed, I have just returned from an [...]

Election 2024 Edition #4: It’s the Economy…..

28 October 2024 The US Presidential election is in nearly here, at last. In recent weeks, we have discussed key topics receiving insufficient attention during the bruising campaign: looming fiscal crises, international trade policy, and climate change. In 1992, James Carville famously reminded us the economy is usually the most important determinant of American election [...]

Global Government Debt: Balloon Still Expanding

11 June 2024 Government efforts to mitigate the economic consequences of the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) and the Covid pandemic have led to surging government debt. In the United States, for instance, public sector liabilities are approaching levels not seen before in peacetime (Chart above). And, while I will discuss important differences between countries and [...]