Category Archives: Economic fundamentals

Cheapflation and the Rise of Inflation Inequality in 2021-2023

Big companies victimized poor consumers via cheapflation: imposing greater price increases on low price goods than higher priced items

BRICS and De-Dollarization: An Alternative or Potential Disaster?

A discussion of some proposals for the BRICS de-dollarization project, suggesting a lack of convergence of ideas among key players.

Local Decline and Populism

Would prettying up small city high streets in decline ward off dreaded right wing populism?

The EU Retreats Further into a World of Self-Delusion

Mario Draghi calls for Europe, decimated by self-inflicted energy crisis and social austerity, to go on borrowing spree to pay for endless fight against Russia.

Putin Calls for Sanctions Revenge, Threatens to Cap Uranium Exports

Russia is considering restricting commodities exports such as uranium to what it has called “unfriendly” countries.

Official US Poverty Rate Declined in 2023, but More People Faced Economic Hardship

The arguably better official measure of US poverty says the poor are getting poorer.

No Solid Scientific Basis for Degrowth

Two economists depict degrowth studies as analytically weak and advocating political infeasible ideas.

A Short Overview of Making Colonial Empires by European Powers from the Time of the Vienna Congress up to WWI (1815−1914)

A high level recap of how European powers built out their empires in the century before the Great War.

The Myth That the US is Rapidly Approaching Bankruptcy

Michael Hudson and Richard Wolff take apart widespread myths about Federal spending and debts.

Russia’s Prosecution of the War in Ukraine: Can It Square the Circle of Probable Boundary Conditions?

Looking at a few likely Russian boundary conditions for its war in Ukraine suggests the end game will be tricky indeed.

Israel: 11 Months of War Have Battered the Country’s Economy

Israel’s economy continues to suffer as its war in Gaza drags on and unless the conflict ends soon, the damage will be lasting and deep.

China’s Rare Earth Restrictions Shake Up Global Markets

The US ceding its once-dominant position in rare earths comes back to bite, as China uses rare earths to retaliate against US sanctions.

Is the Labor Market “Normalizing?” What Even Is “Normal?”

Fewer quits and historically low layoffs & discharges mean fewer job openings, and less hiring to fill them. The massive pandemic churn slowed. But that’s only part of it.

The Persistent Human Costs of Deindustrialization: Lessons from the Collapse of the British Coal Industry

Deindustrialization has terrible consequences to the communities suffering from shut-downs, including future generations.

What’s Next for Germany After Sunday’s Elections Show Major Backlash Against Status Quo?

Two parties which oppose Project Ukraine make major gains. Is anyone listening?