Mike Norman Economics

Useful backgrounder on international relations and the different schools of thought in the US, particuarly liberal internationalism, neoconservatism and realism.  QuilletteThe World According to RealismRyan Zielonka is an independent consultant and incoming PhD student at the University of Washington

It's short but if you don't choose to read it all, at least read the last one, "brainwashing." The ConversationSix 'Psychological' Terms That Psychologists Never UsePeter Kinderman | Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of Liverpool

Do the opposite of what is going on in the markets right now.

Keeper Keynes quote.The reference is "Economic Possibilities for our Grandchildren," Section II, in John Maynard Keynes, Essays in Persuasion, New York: W. W. Norton & Co., 1963, pp. 358-373.Lars P. Syll’s BlogMoney in perspective Lars P. Syll | Professor, Malmo UniversitySee alsoIdeological through and through, because economics is joined at the hip with political economy, and, in fact, used to be called political economy. Political economic is, of course, joined at the hip with...

One of the questions that often comes up in economic discussions is: why is a positive inflation rate seen as a good thing? There are a few angles to this question, which makes it somewhat more complex. I am somewhat ambivalent on the subject, but I believe the best answer lies in the area of political economy, not economic theory.… Bond EconomicsWhy Is A Positive Inflation Rate A Good Thing?Brian Romanchuk

Whoever controls the narrative controls the world. The world is better off being controlled by the collective will of the people rather than the will of a few sociopathic oligarchs, and we absolutely have the ability to take that control by force whenever we want to. All we have to do is shift value and credibility from plutocrat-generated narratives to popular collective narratives, and cultivate an aggressive disgust for all attempts by the powerful to manipulate the public dialogue....

Sergei Shoigu delivers serious smackdown.  The Russian defense minister has reminded his German counterpart that approaching Moscow from a “position of unity and strength” is not the wisest idea, citing the bitter history of WWII that should’ve made Berlin more prudent.“We are open for dialogue. We are ready for a normal cooperation, but not at all from a position of strength,” Sergey Shoigu told Rossiya 24 TV station. “I certainly hope that the time when we could be talked to, as...

The world just got a lot more complicated. When it comes to the Middle East, China has not been shy about its recent ambitions to expand its geopolitical influence in the Gulf region: Just last week we reported that the Chinese Ambassador to Syria, Qi Qianjin, shocked Middle East pundits and observers by indicating the Chinese military may fill the void left in the wake of the collapse of ISIS - and most regional armies - and directly assist the Syrian Army in an upcoming major offensive on...

Introduction: Few, if any, believe what they hear and read from leaders and media publicists. Most people choose to ignore the cacophony of voices, vices and virtues.This paper provides a set of theses which purports to lay-out the basis for a dialogue between and among those who choose to abstain from elections with the intent to engage them in political struggle.… James Petras WebsiteA Decalogue of American Empire-Building: A DialogueJames Petras | Professor (Emeritus) of Sociology at...

This article looks at Bryan Caplan's The Case Against Education critically. Caplan is a professor of economics at George Mason University. The economic school of thought with which he identifies is public choice, e.g, James Buchanan.While I regard Caplan's solutions as questionable if not ridiculous, as does the author of the review, he does make a point. What is contemporary education really for? That does not seem to be clear as Caplan points out. He concludes therefore that education is...