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Martin WolfFinancial Times |
The country needs a strategy that takes on its most obvious weaknesses
Were the former president to return to the White House, it would encourage rightwing populists everywhere
But significant downside risks will continue to pose a challenge for policymakers
The chancellor’s task is made much harder by structural weaknesses in the UK economy
His new suggestions would have a far bigger impact than the relatively modest ‘starter protectionism’ of his first term
There are reasons to expect real rates to go even higher
Breaking Labour’s commitments would be a bad thing to do but failure to improve the UK’s condition could be even worse
The key is to ensure that regulation doesn’t stifle growth
His report on competitiveness presents the EU with an ‘existential challenge’
The UK chancellor should explain how her programme is going to work
The principal failure of these countries lies not in accumulating too little capital, but in using it poorly
Large shocks are likely to recur in the future, bringing significant challenges for policymakers
Plutocrats must understand that wealth is only a source of power if it is protected by a law-governed state
The option of temporary worker contracts is not embraced by either side but it may be the solution
Many things need to change, among them how the country governs itself
Its hostility to debt is folly or hypocrisy. It should use more of its surplus savings at home
The nation can play a big part in shaping the world’s future but its internal challenges are formidable
The challenge for Labour is not just to govern well, but to restore trust in doing so
Investor returns imply that the welfare of future human beings is close to irrelevant
Many business leaders dismiss fears of a return of the former president to the White House — they are wrong to do so
Treating the voters as mere children can only guarantee ever-rising cynicism
Politicians should acknowledge how much we could lose in the new era of suspicion, protectionism and interventionism
There are excellent reasons why we may want to intervene in the economy but these taxes will rarely be the best way
Neither major political party wants the debate that the country needs about taxes, spending and structural reform
If America retreats from its security guarantee of Europe, the consequences for global stability will be dire
Falling fertility rates are one of the biggest challenges facing our world
People will have to work longer and pension systems will need to be transformed
Trump’s rhetorical style seems to appeal more to voters than the economic reality
The elimination of extreme poverty is slipping from our grasp
Past and present policymakers should ask more searching questions about the causes and impact of the price surge
An ECB interest rate cut soon would make sense but the Fed faces a more difficult call in the US
Short-term performance has been surprisingly good but policymakers are walking on eggshells
There are four clear ways to fix the current economic mess
Since the era of ultra-low interest rates ended, large-scale government borrowing is looking more and more problematic
All the evidence shows that despotism cannot consistently deliver the economic goods for developing countries
Their plans should not make things worse. But can they make them better?
The 1920s and 1930s were different times but a core of traditional attitudes persists
Handing Vladimir Putin an unearned and undeserved victory will only hurt the US
The bigger the challenges the UK faces in restoring its fortunes, the more timid politicians seem to become
The question of whether Xi-ism is killing Deng-ism is growing
The old budgetary theatre will not help improve the dire performance of the UK economy
Beijing must dare to choose radical remedies to deal with them
The UK is caught in a vicious downward spiral at a time when it needs bold leadership and imaginative policy
Western countries have the resources but now must display the will to ensure Russia does not prevail
Fragilities in the global economic system are real and must be confronted
Addressing the UK’s challenges requires more than the performative politics of populist leaders
From demography to technology, we must pay attention to the forces that will certainly shape our future
Freedom is under threat in the west and elsewhere, but it must be defended
The rate at which extreme poverty is falling has slowed alarmingly — the rich world needs to act
The country has for too long settled for managing stagnation