Political Economy

This Great Graphic is a 90-day history of the "betting" at PredictIt that Trump becomes the new US President.  With Cruz suspending his campaign, the odds of Trump have risen just above 40%.  The US national interests and challenges to...

China is experiencing the most sustained domestic political crackdown since Tiananmen Square. Much attention has been devoted to the increasing state repression being directed at lawyers, journalists and civil society activists. However, there is a separate and more fundamental concern....

As America is struggling amid a historical protest election, the political risk could undermine US economic rebound and the lingering global economic recovery. Europe will be least immune to spillovers, says Dan Steinbock. As America is struggling amid a historical...

Free trade has become the Republican elephant in the room, thanks to Donald Trump.  The GOP front-runner has helped make trade one of the hot-button issues of the 2016 presidential race. Moreover, it is tearing the Republican Party apart – just...

There’s increasing speculation there will be a July 2 election in Australia this year, called shortly after the May 3 budget. Or will it be later in the year? If so when will it be called? Well, who knows? Perhaps...

The whole world is looking to one presidential election at the moment: the United States of America. The policies of one of the most powerful nations, largely driven by the president, will affect us all. The whole world is looking...

Tax breaks for elite colleges cost the taxpayer billions, which would be better spent on making public colleges free. The bestselling Canadian author Malcolm Gladwell made headlines recently with a series of Tweets about national Government subsidies of private universities...

Lobbying is often seen as a dirty business – a profession of backroom deals that promotes immoral special interests to the greedy. Therefore, you might be tempted to cheer a new anti-lobbying rule that is about to come into effect,...

Whether Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump or somebody else takes the White House, pragmatism is likely to be the eventual winner. Dan Steinbock looks ahead to how an American presidency led by either of the two leading contenders will deal with...

Since its inception in 1990, the H-1B guestworker program that allows employers to bring in high-skilled foreign workers on six-year visas has been steeped in controversy. Since its inception in 1990, the H-1B guestworker program that allows employers to bring in high-skilled foreign workers...

Most prospective prime ministers would be mildly embarrassed if a boost to their chances made financial markets plunge. However, Boris Johnson is doubtless gratified that his backing for Brexit led to the pound’s biggest one-day fall since the aftermath of...

The great British geographer Halford Mackinder invented the term “geopolitics” over 100 years ago. He painted a grand vision of international relations that revolved around one fear: dominance of what he called the “Heartland” of Eurasia. Mackinder believed the road...

The billionaire’s strategy of appealing to angry white men by stigmatising minorities is exerting lasting damage on the Republican Party’s image. Demographic shifts could make the party unelectable for a generation, or more. The billionaire’s strategy of appealing to angry...

ECB President Draghi made clear at yesterday's press conference that new risks have materialized and the central bank's job to reaching its mandate is far from over. Current efforts may not suffice to achieve its legal prescribed mandate. Monetary policy...

Rather than undermine his campaign, Bernie Sanders has made a virtue of the label ‘socialist’ and is riding a wave of opposition to economic inequality that began with the Occupy Wall Street movement. Rather than undermine his campaign, Bernie Sanders...