Resource stresses are rising in many parts of the world. How long before we see political ruptures, including on a Arab Spring level?
Recent Items
Wednesday, September 10, 2025
Our Coming Arab Springs?
Topics: Doomsday scenarios, Economic fundamentals, Energy markets, Environment, Global warming, Income disparity, Politics, The destruction of the middle class
Posted by Yves Smith at 6:54 am | 28 Comments »
What Are the Real Reasons Behind Washington’s Latest Show of Force Against Venezuela?
The US Empire’s drums of war are once again beating loud and hard in Latin America.
Topics: Guest Post
Posted by Nick Corbishley at 6:45 am | 22 Comments »
Lessons from China: Industrial Policy Works Even After Retaliation
A new study finds that industrial policy pays off, even after factoring in the cost of retaliation. So when will neoliberals wise up?
Topics: China, Economic fundamentals, Free markets and their discontents, Globalization, Guest Post, Politics
Posted by Yves Smith at 2:42 am | 6 Comments »
Putin and Trump in Alaska: Do Men Make History or Does History Make Men?
At the meeting between Putin and Trump, the question of whether a leader is a product of history or its maker reveals much about them, and us.
Topics: Coffee Break, Politics, Russia, Social values
Posted by Curro Jimenez at 2:00 pm | 26 Comments »
Asking the Wrong Questions About Antidepressants
A new “reassuring” study about withdrawal from antidepressants shows how blinkered the thinking around this type of medication is.
Topics: Dubious statistics, Guest Post, Health care
Posted by Yves Smith at 9:59 am | 28 Comments »
Links 8/21/2025
Topics: Links
Posted by Conor Gallagher at 6:55 am | 129 Comments »
Has Extreme Poverty Really Plunged Since the 1980s? New Analysis Suggests Not
A new analysis challenges the widely-held view that extreme poverty has fallen sharply, and finds a big reversal due to neoliberal “reforms”
Topics: Africa, Dubious statistics, Economic fundamentals, Free markets and their discontents, Guest Post, Income disparity, Permaculture
Posted by Yves Smith at 6:54 am | 3 Comments »
The Core Problem of Economic Inequality: How Much Is Too Much?
Experts accept that economic ineqality is inevitable. But how does one determine acceptable/producitve levels versus destabilitzing ones?
Topics: Economic fundamentals, Guest Post, Income disparity, The destruction of the middle class, The dismal science
Posted by Yves Smith at 6:00 am | 30 Comments »
New Senate Report Details How Private Equity ‘Devastates’ Hospital Systems
A new report detials the impact of hospital system looting by private equity, here executed by Leonard Greene at Prospect Medical Holdings.
Topics: Guest Post, Health care, Legal, Politics, Private equity, Regulations and regulators, The destruction of the middle class
Posted by Yves Smith at 3:45 am | 12 Comments »
Coffee Break: Andrew Cuomo Counting on Trump’s Support in New York Race
Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is counting on support from President Donald Trump in the New York mayoral election.
Topics: Coffee Break
Posted by Nat Wilson Turner at 2:00 pm | 20 Comments »
Autism Fabulist RFK, Jr. Shuts Down Research Into Possible Environmental Causes Even as He Escalated Broad-Based Attack Against Vaccines.
More on RFK, Jr.’s hypocrisy.
Topics: Dubious statistics, Free markets and their discontents, Guest Post, Health care, Politics, Regulations and regulators
Posted by Yves Smith at 9:55 am | 12 Comments »
Links 8/20/2025
Topics: Links
Posted by Yves Smith at 6:55 am | 156 Comments »
Tucker Slams Predatory Buy Now, Pay Later Loans as the Economist Celebrates This New Debt Slavery Device
A relatively new financial product, buy now pay later loans, is deepening the misery of already over-extended Americans, especially Gen Z
Topics: Banking industry, Credit cards, Credit markets, Dubious statistics, Free markets and their discontents, Income disparity, Regulations and regulators, The destruction of the middle class
Posted by Yves Smith at 6:54 am | 74 Comments »
The US Should Look to Putin for Help to Rebuild Trust in American Institutions
American elites looked at post-USSR Russia and said “let’s do that here.” A president serious about MAGA should ask Putin how he dug the county out of that hole.
Topics: Banana republic, Free markets and their discontents, Income disparity, Privatization, Russia, Social policy, Social values, The destruction of the middle class
Posted by Conor Gallagher at 6:00 am | 15 Comments »
On Ukrainian Identity: Ukraine as a Buffer Zone
On the long process of Urkaine national identify formation and why, even with that, Ukraine was relatively late to become a state.
Topics: Europe, Guest Post, Politics, Social policy, Social values
Posted by Yves Smith at 4:18 am | 49 Comments »