debating progressive politics in Europe and beyond
After a Romanian think tank published a study allegedly showing German over-representation in key positions in the new European Parliament, now it is the French’s turn. EurActiv France reports that French influence in the EP remains modest compared to the German. Well, this is not true if you believe that the Romanians at least got [...]
The FT is asking an interesting question: “Why did no one see the crisis coming?” Queen Elizabeth asked last year. “A failure of the collective imagination of many bright people” who were all “doing their job properly on its own merit”, was the answer many of those bright people gave in a letter to the [...]
The current debate about Barack Obama’s health care plan is very interesting, also from a European perspective. It doesn’t only highlight how different people’s attitudes to health care provision are but also that in this area many of the fundamentals are changing. Whilst Paul Krugman is happy if the US makes incremental improvements on the [...]
The Romanian think tank European Institute for Participative Democracy (Qvorum) has published an influence ranking of the new European Parliament (EP) allocating points for key positions such as group leaders, committee chairmen, heads of delegations, … The researchers’ conclusion: Germany is over-represented in those key positions. The problem I have with this study is not [...]
The chairmen and chairwomen of the committees of the new European Parliament have recently been decided and one new position has struck my attention in particular. I am sorry to start this blog with a critical entry, but I simply don’t think it’s a good idea that a member of the German liberal party FDP [...]
First of all a big thank you to everybody who participated in our reader survey. It provided very interesting insights and we are already acting on the advise given. Here are some of the results and points made: 1. How would you grade the CONTENT of Social Europe Journal (articles, website opinion pieces and discussions) [...]
The study group Europe of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung has drawn up a list of tasks to be incorporated in the programme of the new European Commission over the next few years. Its detailed proposals should serve as a blueprint for political decision-making, as well as a set of benchmarks for the European Parliament and the European [...]
We are all capitalists, in the sense that we may point to one thing or another and call it ‘mine’. The Marxist notion that ‘private property is theft’ is all but dead outside of the most extreme and chronically naive positions. It is often said that communitarian or communist ideology which espoused the principle of [...]
Professor John Kay (London School of Economics / Financial Times Columnist) discusses the future of banking at the Global Policy Institute conference on the future of the City of London, Bloomberg Centre, April 2009.
Professor Willem Buiter (London School of Economics) speaks about the future of banking at the Global Policy Institute conference on the future of the City of London, Bloomberg Centre London, April 2009.
Professor Stephen Haseler (Global Policy Institute / Chief Editor of Social Europe Journal) speaks about his new book ‘Meltdown – How the Masters of the Universe destroyed the West’s Power and Prosperity’, London, December 2008.
Professor Lord Anthony Giddens speaks about the politics of climate change and collective decision traps, London, September 2008.
All Content