Category Archives: Free markets and their discontents

Mr. Market Swoons as Trump Administration Escalates Trade War with China With “Currency Manipulator” Charge

Markets are in a tizzy over the US-China trade row. But what might come next?

Mark Blyth’s Incisive Post-Crisis Takedown: “A Brief History of How We Got Here and Why”

Mark Blyth gives a pithy talk on the economic regimes of the modern period and what is likely to be in store.

Neoliberalism: Political Success, Economic Failure

Now, after nearly half a century, the verdict on neoliberalism is in.

Why We Need Publicly Owned Energy for a Green New Deal

Moving to zero carbon output requires a decentralized, publicly-owned energy system.

Private Equity: The Perps Behind Destructive Hospital Surprise Billing

How private equity ginned up yet another abuse.

Reclaiming the Commons Through State Ownership? Maybe Not

Transnational state capital can be just as harmful as its private counterparts. Local, democratic and sustainable alternatives offer better protection.

Hospitals Squeal Like Stuck Pigs Over Trump Proposal to Force Disclosure of Insurance Company Discounts

A Trump proposal to force some price transparency on hospitals has them hopping mad.

The “Existential Battle” Is for Control of the Democratic Party

Democratic Party operatives would have voters focus on Trump, as opposed to the batttle within their party over the Sanders-led effort to implement policies that serve Americans broadly, not the top 10% .

Libra – Freedom for Whom, from What?

What is Libra supposed to bring to us that we don’t have already? Freedom from legacy currencies will have a high price to pay.

Nobel Economist Angus Deaton: Inequality is Destroying Democratic Capitalism

Angus Deaton argues that the present level of inequality is a threat to “democratic capitalism” but contends that historically, even more severe inequality has been reversed.

The Politics of CEOs

Quelle surprise! CEOs back parties with an eye to increasing their own power.

Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg’s Fake Accounts Ponzi Scheme

Why Facebook may be a bigger fraud than Enron.