Mike Norman Economics

This is a reasonably good assessment of Russia in terms of what it is now, it's past and it's forward trajectory. The one matter with which I would strongly disagree is Tenin view that Russia will never be a super-power again. Russia is a super-power now. It is the only country with the means to counter the US militarily. Although China is rising quickly, it likely won't become a superpower in a decade or two. But a strategic alliance between Russia and China would defang NATO's ability to...

The title might be a bit too strong. A better title might be, Is democracy all it's cracked up to be? The upshot is that the marriage of economic liberalism ("free market" capitalism) and political liberalism (democracy) may not be as efficient and effective as assumed. If much of the allure of democracy has been higher GDP per capita then the allure has been a mistake of confusing correlation for causation. A fortunate mistake but a mistake. The literature on democracy and growth implies...

Rebuffed by the EU, NATO-member Turkey pivots away from the West toward Eurasian integration. Russia and China smile. US scowls. Iran in play.Asia TimesSultan shines in the court of the Dragon KingPepe Escobar

Chinese public companies are borrowing from the private sector, while private sector business is borrrowing abroad in foreign currencies. What are they thinking over there? Asia TimesWhat bond markets tell us on China’s economy Alicia García Herrero

More UK politics than MMT, but worth reading for Bill's take on British democracy. He also has some interesting words on Edmund Burke and his contemporary applicability.Bill Mitchell – billy blogBritish Labour surrenders to the middle class and big business interestsBill Mitchell | Professor in Economics and Director of the Centre of Full Employment and Equity (CofFEE), at University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia

Commie USD zombies still hard at it: Forget the Fed - China Is Easing Again https://t.co/zvB6z3NSmp via @smartkarma #Fed #China — CrossBorder Capital (@crossbordercap) July 3, 2019 Bank capital available to instead finance productive activities will remain deficient:#Fitch Ratings:#China’s economy to slow from 6.2% this year to 5.8% in 2021;What’s available in banking system is not sufficient to support large-scale lending designed to prop up economic growth, as regulators have required...

Host Ross Ashcroft is joined by the journalist and Middle East based commentator Sharmine Narwani to discuss how Iran and the Middle East is reshaping the world order. Iran is fast developing its own science and technology, says Sharnine Narwani, and so won't it won't be a such a large market for Western made goods anymore. Third world countries developing their own technology has always bothered the West, and so they have always done their best to keep these countries backward and under...

“In 2019, we will hold six exercises on the territory of four countries: Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan, – Valery Semerikov said, answering journalists’ questions. – The total number of forces involved, according to our calculations, will be about 12 thousand”. During these operational and strategic exercises of the CSTO Joined forces “Combat brotherhood – 2019,” as reported, an entire complex of measures of prevention or deterrent, as well as resolution of military conflict...

Just as Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen alluded to, many of the “dissidents silenced” are media platforms literally run by foreigners. This includes the US State Department-funded and directed Voice of America and Radio Free Asia as well as the previously American-owned and operated Cambodia Daily newspaper.There are also political entities like the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) whose members regularly operate out of Washington D.C. itself.CNRP leader Kem Sokha has openly admitted...

This is probably a "should-read" but I consider it a must-read — all the way to the end, including two short works on freedom by Ivan Ilyin that Paul Robinson has translated for this post.IrrussianalityFreedomPaul Robinson | Professor, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa