Over at Ricochet, I’ve transcribed my podcast interview with Yanis Varoufakis, economist and Syriza candidate in tomorrow’s Greek elections. With Syriza looking to get the most votes and possibly an outright parliamentary majority, I asked Yanis about the Greek economy, Syriza’s economic plans, his views on what these mean for Europe and how we
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Political Eh-conomy: Political Eh-conomy Radio: the left in Greece and Poland
https://politicalehconomy.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/podcast-150123-poland-greece1.mp3 I’ve been visiting family in Poland for the past few weeks so, fittingly, this week’s podcast deals with the situation of the left at two opposite ends of the European periphery: Greece and Poland. My first guest is Yanis Varoufakis, professor of economics at the University of Athens and candidate for SYRIZA
Continue readingFrench hold most favourable views of Jews and Muslims
How the French view their minority populations after the violent events earlier this month will probably take a while to sort out. But a poll conducted last year suggested they were about the most tolerant in Europe. Eighty-nine per cent of French men and women hold a favourable view of
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Louis-Philippe Rochon’s Top 10 Economic Predictions for 2015
Louis-Philippe Rochon has written a provocative blog post for the CBC titled “Top 10 Economic Predictions for 2015.” The post is available here.
Continue readingCanadian Dimension: A comment on Ukraine
Photo by Yevgen Nasadyuk James Petras distinguishes himself by rejecting the wrong-headed theories on the political left that the driving force of events in Ukraine is a ‘Russian aggression’ or a struggle by ‘two imperialisms’ for control of the country. He calls it as it is–we’re seeing a continuation of
Continue readingCanadian Dimension: Russia’s Vulnerability to the EU
Photo by Remy Steinegger Introduction The US-EU sponsored coup in the Ukraine and its conversion from a stable Russian trading partner to a devastated EU economic client and NATO launch pad, as well as the subsequent economic sanctions against Russia for supporting the Russian ethnic majority in the Donbas region
Continue readingParchment in the Fire: Corrupt Spanish politics faces shock therapy from an angry electorate | Miguel-Anxo Murado | Comment is free | The Guardian
Corrupt Spanish politics faces shock therapy from an angry electorate | Miguel-Anxo Murado | Comment is free | The Guardian. Being “between Pinto and Valdemoro” is an old Spanish saying that refers to being in trouble. Now with the number of politicians being investigated for corruption in Spain nearing
Continue readingParchment in the Fire: Unions incensed after ‘surreal’ meeting – English – ANSA.it
Unions incensed after ‘surreal’ meeting – English – ANSA.it. (ANSA) – Rome, October 27 – The leaders of Italy’s four main labor union federations were incensed Monday after a meeting with government ministers, ostensibly to discuss the government’s proposed 2015 budget, turned out to be what they said was a
Continue readingParchment in the Fire: Morning Star :: Swedish government reveals progressive budget
Morning Star :: Swedish government reveals progressive budget. Filed under: Austerity Tagged: Austerity, Europe, social democracy, Sweden
Continue readingParchment in the Fire: Renzi budget has business ‘dreaming’ and unions worried – English – ANSA.it
Renzi budget has business ‘dreaming’ and unions worried – English – ANSA.it. CGIL and FIOM metalworkers rally for jobs Redazione ANSA Rome 14 October 2014 (ANSA) – Rome, October 14 – Italy’s employers on Tuesday hailed Premier Matteo Renzi’s forthcoming 2015 budget bill as a dream come true while Italy’s
Continue readingCanadian Dimension: Scotland’s referendum: Some lessons for Quebec… and Canada
Garnotte, Le Devoir, September 20, 2014 Superficially, the 55-45 victory of the No in Scotland’s referendum on September 18 was a clear rejection of independence. The Yes forces won a majority only in the four poorest and most deprived of the nation’s 32 local divisions, although a class breakdown of
Continue readingCanadian Dimension | Articles: Scotland’s referendum: Some lessons for Quebec… and Canada
Superficially, the 55-45 victory of the No in Scotland’s referendum on September 18 was a clear rejection of independence. The Yes forces won a majority only in the four poorest and most deprived of the nation’s 32 local divisions, although a class breakdown of the vote would show a majority
Continue readingParchment in the Fire: Front National wins seats in French senate for first time | World news | The Guardian
Front National wins seats in French senate for first time | World news | The Guardian. Marine le Pen hailed her party’s success as ‘an absolutely historic victory’ and a ‘breath of fresh air in a rather sleepy chamber’. Photograph: Phililppe Huguen/AFP/Getty Images The far-right Front National (FN) scored a
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Who’s afraid of free trade with Europe?
The prospect of freer trade with European nations is generally popular among Canadians. And why shouldn’t it be? Doesn’t the Canadian left repeatedly point to the advantages of many European social and economic institutions? Who could argue with lower prices for European cheese, wine, or chocolate? After all, we’ve been
Continue readingParchment in the Fire: Free-market era in Sweden swept away as feminists and greens plot new path | World news | The Observer
Free-market era in Sweden swept away as feminists and greens plot new path | World news | The Observer. For a man who is a near-certainty to become Sweden‘s prime minister after today’s general election, Stefan Löfven has had a miserable campaign. In his latest misstep, Löfven, a burly union
Continue readingCanadian Dimension | Articles: Shifting Centres and Dead-Ends: An Analysis of the Presidential Election in Turkey
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan became the first publicly elected President of Turkey in the history of the Republic, winning 52 per cent of the votes at the presidential elections of August 10. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoğlu, joint candidate of the CHP (secularist, so-called centre-left) and the MHP (nationalist, centre-right), finished second with 38
Continue readingParchment in the Fire: Spain prepares for an autumn of discontent by buying €1bn of riot gear | World news | The Guardian
Spain prepares for an autumn of discontent by buying €1bn of riot gear | World news | The Guardian. The Spanish government is readying itself for an autumn of discontent, spending nearly €1bn on riot gear for police units as disparate protest groups prepare a string of demonstrations. Since June,
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Banging the War Drum – Washington Post
It was earlier this month that the German financial newspaper, Handelsblatt, warned of the dangerous spread of war fever throughout Europe. The paper found that Europeans were being “mentally mobilized” for war. Something eerily similar is happening in America. In today’s Washington Post, columnist Anne Applebaum questions whether the European
Continue readingParchment in the Fire: Eurozone fears of stagnation grow as France and Italy suffer | World news | The Observer
Eurozone fears of stagnation grow as France and Italy suffer | World news | The Observer. Francois Hollande and Paris’s mayor, Anne Hidalgo, at a ceremony on 25 August marking the 70th anniversary of liberation. Photograph: Joel Saget/AFP/Getty Images François Hollande removed his government’s leading anti-German, anti-austerity leftwinger last
Continue readingParchment in the Fire: An austerity revolt has broken the French government. Will the EU follow? | John Palmer | Comment is free | theguardian.com
An austerity revolt has broken the French government. Will the EU follow? | John Palmer | Comment is free | theguardian.com. If there were any lingering doubts about the seriousness of the crisis hanging over the future of the euro – and potentially of the European Union itself – the
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