Is The Perfect Always And Everywhere The Enemy Of The Good?
Against a backdrop which offers an eerie parallel with events which took place somewhat to the North more than 30 years ago, Catalonia is now threatening to separate from Spain. In so doing the region seems to be putting at risk both the future of the host country and beyond that the outlook for the ... Read more
The Real Experiment That Is Being Carried Out In Japan
The future never resembles the past – as we well know. But, generally speaking, our imagination and our knowledge are too weak to tell us what particular changes to expect. We do not know what the future holds. Nevertheless, as living and moving beings, we are forced to act. – John Maynard Keynes Discussions of ... Read more
Does Portugal Have Its Own “Shortage Of Japanese” Problem?
In a number of posts recently I have highlighted the impact of declining workforces on economic growth (here, for example, or here, or here) and the way the policies persued to address the Euro debt crisis are having the impact of accelerating the movement of young people away from the periphery and towards the core (here, ... Read more
The Suitcase Mood
Suitcase mood is a Russian website with travel and tourism content. The term is also a popular expression widely used within Russian culture to describe the state of mind which grips a voyager on the brink of a journey. The mood is often associated with a ritual which involves the departing person sitting, sometimes accompanied by family ... Read more
The A-b-e Of Economics
And the world said “Let Shinzo Abe be”, and all was light. A new craze is sweeping the planet. Known by the title “Abenomics” over the last couple of years it has been steadily gathering adepts in financial markets across the globe. Despite the fact Abe’s move fits comfortably within the austerity vs growth policy ... Read more
The Shortage of Bulgarians Inside Bulgaria
Oh, there’s a hole in my bucket, dear Liza, a hole…… Wenn der Beltz em Loch hat – stop es zu meine liebe Liese Womit soll ich es zustopfen – mit Stroh, meine liebe Liese According to Angela Merkel, speaking in the German city of Mainz in mid February, European countries struggling with the fallout ... Read more
Hungary’s Matolcsy Joins Japan’s Abe In Practicing The Ancient Art Of Verbal Intervention
It’s amazing what you can achieve these days just by promising to do something. It’s also fascinating to watch just what a storm you can stir up. Last July Mario Draghi surprised markets when he vowed to do anything – whatever it would take – to save the Euro. He didn’t go into details, he ... Read more