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the New Economy Ticker
The latest news, debates, proposals and developments on new economic thinking at a glance.
The dangers to democracy have a new name: How the fight against the right succeeds – Article
Thomas Gebauer, Frankfurter Rundschau, 23.09.2024
The Berlin Summit Declaration calls for a change of direction to combat right-wing populism. The ‘Gastwirtschaft’ column.
Draghi plan is the only way to prevent Germany’s deindustrialisation – Article
Marcel Fratzscher, Focus Online, 14.09.2024
Former ECB chief Mario Draghi is calling for billions in investment and joint European debt – unthinkable for Finance Minister Lindner. But there is no alternative if the deindustrialisation of our economy is to be prevented, explains DIW President Marcel Fratzscher in this guest article.
Why the Draghi report is a huge opportunity for Germany – Article (Paywall)
Lucas Guttenberg, Nils Redeker und Sander Tordoir, Handelsblatt, 17.09.2024
Germany is at the centre of the crisis. Draghi’s analysis is above all an offer for us to solve the problems in the EU.
Draghi is trying to save Europe from itself – Article (Paywall)
Martin Wolf, Financial Times, 17.09.2024
His report on competitiveness presents the EU with an ‘existential challenge’
What’s wrong with research about ‘degrowth’? – Article (Paywall)
Financial Times, Soumaya Keynes, 20.09.2024
Some recent reviews highlight vague language and fuzzy policy.
What a Successful Industrial Policy Needs – Article (Paywall)
Pinelopi Koujianou Goldberg, Project Syndicate, 17.09.2024
New research on the importance of cross-border knowledge and technology spillovers suggests that government support alone cannot guarantee success in an industry. That is why Taiwan and South Korea’s semiconductor industrial policies succeeded, while China’s has not.
Do something already! – Article (in German)
Commentary by Mark Schieritz, Zeit Online, 10.09.2024
First former central bank chief Mario Draghi called for it, then even industry: Investments worth billions are needed. Or Germany’s decline is guaranteed.
Does it have to be like this? – Article (in German; Paywall)
Guest article by Philippa Sigl-Glöckner, Die Zeit, 11.09.2024
The debt brake has been in the German constitution for 15 years. On the origins of a rule that was well-intentioned but now prevents good policy.
Economists are open to higher debt – with one exception – Article (in German)
Stephan Balling, Das Parlament, 06.09.24
More funds are needed for the Bundeswehr and infrastructure. Economists are discussing a new special fund and a reform of the debt brake.
Mario Draghi calls for joined-up thinking in Europe – Article (Paywall)
FT Free Lunch Newsletter by Martin Sandbu, 12.09.2024
When it comes to lifting EU productivity, fortune will favour the bold
Harris Can Win on the Economy, but She Needs a Stronger Message – Article (Paywall)
New York Times Opinion Piece by Jedediah Britton-Purdy, 12.09.2024
In Tuesday’s debate against Donald Trump, Kamala Harris emphasized her middle-class background, her admiration for small business owners and her plans for an “opportunity economy.” She promised tax credits for young families and support for first-time homeowners. Those attempts to put meat on the bones of her economic plan will not be enough to win the presidential election.
A New Trilemma Haunts the World Economy – Article (Paywall)
Dani Rodrik, Project Syndicate, 09.09.2024
It may be impossible simultaneously to combat climate change, boost the middle class in advanced economies, and reduce global poverty. Under current policy trajectories, any combination of two goals appears to come at the expense of the third.
An investment rule as the centrepiece of a reform of the German debt brake – Article
Tom Krebs, Makronom, 04.09.2024
The traffic light coalition is also planning an FDP austerity policy for the coming year with a green-red tinge. The debt brake could be reformed in such a way that additional public investment expenditure is made possible by borrowing. An article by Tom Krebs.
‘In hardly any other country is wealth distributed as unequally as in Germany’ – Article (Paywall)
Interview von Thore Rausch, Süddeutsche Zeitung, 30.08.2024
Für ihr Buch „Crazy Rich“ hat sich Julia Friedrichs auf die Suche nach den Multimillionären Deutschlands gemacht. Ein Gespräch über Superyachten und Steuervermeidung.
Open flanks of the traffic light coalition – A major reorganisation needs a lot of participation – Article
Petra Pinzler, Neue Gesellschaft | Frankfurter Hefte, 02.09.2024
Nobody wants to be ‘transformed’, ‘dynamised’ or ‘modernised’. So in order to turn the theoretical idea of transforming the country into good policy, the traffic light coalition should have become concrete much more quickly. Through massive investment in infrastructure and services of general interest, through good laws and rousing stories. To take the threat out of change.
‘The China shock is destroying Europe’s core industry’ – Article (Paywall)
Gustav Theile and Patrick Welter, FAZ, 04.09.2024
Twenty years ago, the first China shock hit the USA. Now the second is jeopardising Germany’s economic backbone, warns economist Sander Tordoir.
How national security has transformed economic policy – Article (Paywall)
Sam Fleming, Demetri Sevastopulo and Claire Jones, Financial Times, 04.09.2024
Nationalism is reshaping the global economy. In the first in a series, the FT explores how fears about spying and dual-use technologies have eclipsed free market orthodoxy.
Packages for the super-rich – Article (Paywall)
Thomas Fischermann, Die ZEIT, 04.09.2024
Wealth taxes could help the climate, but the fear of tax evasion is great. A new proposal has now come from Brazil.
How fair is inheritance in Germany? – Article
Kristin Langen, Fluter, 03.09.2024
This issue has long been the subject of dispute. The Federal Constitutional Court is soon to rule on it. Time to take a closer look at the debate.
Economist calls for paradigm shift – Article
Philip Zeitner, Rheinische Post, 27.08.2024
It is nothing less than a paradigm shift in economic policy that dozens of renowned economists are calling for in the ‘Berlin Declaration’. Among them is the Düsseldorf economist Jens Südekum.
Regional policy is the key – Article (Paywall)
Jens Südekum, FAZ, 27.08.2024
The successes of right-wing populism have focussed attention on regions that have been left behind. In order to prevent structural bridges, funding policy must be revolutionised.
Not inheriting is a kind of trauma that can turn into bitterness – Article(Paywall)
Interview with sociologist Rudolf Stummerer, Handelsblatt, 12.07.2024
400 billion euros are bequeathed in Germany every year. What about those who come away empty-handed? A sociologist explains how non-heirs feel
Tax authorities should reconsider the taxation of assets – Article (Paywall)
Robert Ullmann, Handelsblatt, 26.08.2024
Lower taxation of current income in Germany seems possible – but only if assets are taxed more heavily at the same time.
Kamala Harris needs her own economic project to win – Article (Paywall)
Ann-Kathrin Nezik, Süddeutsche Zeitung, 25.08.2024
The Democratic candidate is understandably not talking much about content at the moment. But if she wants to be a good president, she also needs to explain how she intends to tackle her country’s major economic problems.
Special offer policy – Article (Paywall)
Julian Heißler, Die Zeit, 22.08.2024
In her election campaign, presidential candidate Kamala Harris promises to lower food prices in order to strengthen the middle class. Economists have considerable doubts.
Energy-intensive industry sparks new debt brake debate – Article (Paywall)
Catiana Krapp, Julian Olk, Handelsblatt, 22.08.2024
Minister of the Economy Robert Habeck meets several industry associations on Thursday. It is clear to them that a rapid climate transformation will only succeed if the state spends more money on it – despite the budget crisis.
The Best Climate Policy Puts Carrots Before Sticks – Article
Monika Schnitzer and Gernot Wagner, Project Syndicate, 08.08.2024
Economists have long insisted that the only way to cut emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases rapidly and at scale is to put a price on them. But while that is true, the key to a successful, politically sustainable climate policy is to ensure that the benefits precede the costs.
A Sahm rule for the German debt brake – Article
André Kühnlenz, Makronom, 15.08.2024
The unemployment rate in the USA has just broken through a critical threshold. This has been the case in Germany since 2022, and the German government should take urgent action. A State of Swing blog post by André Kühnlenz.
Aux Etats-Unis, deux ans après l’Inflation Reduction Act, l’eldorado américain entre bluff et réalité – Article (Paywall)
Arnaud Leparmentier, Le Monde, 14.08.2024
Un vif débat concerne la concrétisation des investissements effectués dans le cadre du programme massif de subventions à la transition énergétique lancé par Joe Biden, en août 2022.
Pensions must become much fairer – Article
A column by Marcel Fratzscher, Die Zeit, 09.08.2024
Abolishing the mothers’ pension would not solve the pension insurance system’s problems. We need a basic pension and higher pensions for people on low incomes.
Economist Truger on the economy: ‘The traffic light must not make any more cuts’ – Article
Interview by Simon Poelchau with Achim Truger, Taz, 15.08.2024
If necessary, the traffic light system must step up its growth initiative, advises economist Achim Truger. Because the situation has deteriorated significantly.
OUR MAIN TOPICS
New Paradigm
NEW PARADIGM
After decades of overly naive market belief, we urgently need new answers to the great challenges of our time. More so, we need a whole new paradigm to guide us. We collect everything about the people and the community who are dealing with the question of a new paradigm and who analyze the historical and present impact of paradigms and narratives – whether in new contributions, performances, books and events.
Redefining
the role of
the state
REDEFINING
THE ROLE OF
THE STATE
For decades, there was a consensus that reducing the role of the state and cutting public debt would generate wealth. This contributed to a chronic underinvestment in education and public infrastructure. New research focuses on establishing when and how governments need to intervene to better contribute to long-term prosperity and to stabilize rather than aggravate economic fluctuations.
Remaking
finance
REMAKING
FINANCE
More than a decade after the financial crisis there still seems to be something seriously wrong with the financial system. Financial markets still tend to periodically misprice risk and contribute to boom and bust cycles. A better financial system needs to discourage short-termism and speculative activity, curtail systemic risk and distribute wealth more broadly.
Greening
prosperity
GREENING
PROSPERITY
During the high point of market orthodoxy, economists argued that the most 'efficient' way to combat climate change was to simply let markets determine the price of carbon emissions. Today, there is a growing consensus that prices need to be regulated and that a carbon price on its own might not be enough.
Reducing
inequality
REDUCING
INEQUALITY
The rising gap between rich and poor has become a threat to social cohesion in most rich countries. To reverse this trend it will be crucial to better understand the importance of different drivers of income and wealth inequality.
Innovation Lab
INNOVATION LAB
Do we need a whole new understanding of economic growth? What would be a real alternative? How viable are alternatives to GDP when it comes to measuring prosperity? These and other more fundamental challenges are what this section is about.
Globalization
for all
GLOBALIZATION
FOR ALL
After three decades of poorly managed integration, globalization is threatened by social discontent and the rise of populist forces. A new paradigm will need better ways not only to compensate the groups that have lost, but to distribute the gains more broadly from the start.
Europe
beyond markets
EUROPE
BEYOND MARKETS
The euro was planned during a period in which economic policy making was driven by a deep belief in market liberalism and the near impossibility of systemic financial crises. This belief has been brought into question since the euro crisis, which showed that panics do happen. New thinking needs to focus on developing mechanisms to protect eurozone countries from such panics and to foster economic convergence between members.
Corona Crisis
CORONA CRISIS
The current Corona crisis is probably the worst economic crisis of the post-World War 2 era. Economists are working hard on mitigating the economic effects caused by COVID-19 to prevent a second Great Depression, the break-up of the Eurozone and the end of globalisation. We collect the most important contributions.