Monetary Policy and Finance

The U.S. in Decadence? The Warning Signs Cannot Be Overlooked

The United States today exhibits characteristics of decadence that historians have considered instrumental in the decline or loss of power of earlier empires. A brief analysis.

Our Superstate: Controlled by Party Headquarters, Bureaucracies—and Central Banks

A new book by Beat Kappeler shows that the separation of powers is being undermined, parliaments are being commanded by governments and bureaucracies, and the debt economy is being financed by central banks. The author also proposes remedies for these issues.

China, the US, and Europe: Who Will Lead after the Coronavirus Crisis?

Will China soon be the world’s number one power? Not if the West returns to its basic values of liberty, and if the Western governments dare to destroy their self-inflicted debt traps.

“Irrational Stock Exchanges” and the Wirecard Scandal: On the Blanket Suspicion of Financial Capitalism

Joint stock companies and stock exchanges have made the upswing of modern economies possible. However, they have always been suspected of serving the greed of a few. What, then, is the function of “financial capitalism”?

The Bolivian Fairy Tale – The Illusory Success of “21st Century Socialism”

For years Bolivia was considered a successful example of the “Socialism of the 21st century”. An apparently booming economy blinded economists and politicians and obscured the view of a regime that was in reality authoritarian and corrupt.

For Eurozone Countries, the Problem Is Not So Much the Coronavirus, but Italy

The Italian people are hardworking, noble, and clever but held back by their own decadent institutions. With no end in sight, this mess hurts the entire European monetary union. It would be better for Italy and the other eurozone nations if Italy had an orderly departure from the euro.

What Comes after the Coronavirus Crisis – More Socialism or More Capitalism?

Statism is on the rise, despite the fact that western nations were ill-prepared for the Coronavirus pandemic. Old leftist demands are now given even more credence than usual. How can classical liberals and capitalists counter this statist impulse?

Rescuing Businesses during the Coronavirus Crisis Accelerates the Path to a State-Run Economy

The lockdown has accelerated the onset of the financial crisis. Global rescue programs are opening the door to a creeping nationalization. We now face the threat of the kinds of restrictions found in former planned economies.

The Coronavirus Crisis Shines Light on the Debt Spiral

The coronavirus crisis has exposed once again the fragility of our debt-based economic system. There are alternatives to this artificial system of the last 70 years. There are ways that we can better incentivize saving, which will create not only more productivity but more robustness.

The Coronavirus Wake-up Call

The economy and the financial sector need more robustness. The corona epidemic shows this. Because of low interest rates, the number of weak companies grew so rapidly that their failure is now a threat to the rest of the economy.

The Political Management of the Coronavirus Crisis: The Potential Harm of Damage Compensation

We could be facing the biggest economic crisis of all time. Will politicians be able to learn the lessons from this and use the crisis as an opportunity for a new beginning in economic and public health policy?

The Interest Rate Reversal Has Ended: What’s Next?

Another recession is very likely. For the first time it will not be possible to mitigate it with further interest rate cuts. Previously unknown scenarios are looming. One thing is certain: savers will need to take on more personal responsibility.