The Serbian-American economist Branko Milanović has emerged as one of the most discerning thinkers of our time – and certainly one of the most productive. In his books since 2016, he has moved from measuring global inequality to theorising capitalism’s competing forms to excavating how we’ve historically thought about inequality. His new book, The Great Global Transformation, studies… Read More The Great Global Transformation
Narendra Modi’s decade in power has seen an erosion of democracy alongside soaring inequality. While religious nationalism diverts public attention, the super-rich add to their wealth. Economic performance remains lacklustre, welfare spending stagnant, and authoritarian tactics silence dissent. Atul Kohli; Kanta Murali —Growing economic inequalities under Congress governments after 1991 fractured the party’s voter base,… Read More India Under Modi: Shrinking Democracy, Growing Inequalities
Adam Tooze: Chartbook This year marks the 80th anniversary of 1945. Given the turmoil we are living through, it is tempting to look both backwards and forwards for orientation. As one of the tailgunners at a conference last week at Columbia University commemorating the 1945 moment, I was asked to give 15 minutes of remarks… Read More The future of the world economy beyond globalization – or, thinking with soup
Lily Jamali At OpenAI’s DevDaythis week, OpenAI boss Sam Altman did what American tech bosses rarely do these days: he actually answered questions from reporters. “I know it’s tempting to write the bubble story,” Mr Altman told me as he sat flanked by his top lieutenants. “In fact, there are many parts of AI that… Read More ‘It’s going to be really bad’: Fears over AI bubble bursting grow in Silicon Valley
Modern corporations are not merely economic entities, but political entities without democratic accountability Grace Blakeley‘s Vulture Capitalism critiques the alliance of corporations, finance, and states underpinning the capitalist system that drives inequality, stifles democracy and enriches elites. Brilliantly combining theory, analysis and practical solutions in engaging prose, this book offers a blueprint for reclaiming power… Read More Vulture Capitalism: Corporate Crimes and the Death of Freedom
Santhosh Mathew “History often rewards those who speak for the voiceless,even when their words are unwelcome.”On his 200th birth anniversary, Dadabhai Naoroji stands tall not merely as a nationalist icon,but as a polymath, thinker, parliamentarian, social reformer, and above all, the conscience-keeper of colonial India. If today Shashi Tharoor reminds the world that India once… Read More Dadabhai Naoroji at 200: The Grand Old Man Who Exposed an Empire’s Loot
New Delhi spent decades cosying up to the US. The truth is, Washington doesn’t have allies outside the west – it has clients. What changed was that over the past quarter of a century, India’s political class began to see the US as the country’s natural partner. It was the main destination of India’s exports… Read More Blindsided by Trump, Modi is learning hard lessons about India’s place in the new world order
On Doval–Wang table: LAC situation, next steps to repair ties; visits taking place in run-up to SCO summit in China, possible visit by Putin to India NB: During the 1960’s the RSS hailed the American war of agression against Vietnam as a dharm-yuddha, or ‘holy war’: manifesting their visceral hatred of socialism and of communist… Read More Jaishankar heading to Moscow, Wang to Delhi amid strain in India ties with US. Remember Nehru’s non-alignment?
Given India’s own macroeconomic position, as vulnerable as it is now, it is imperative for the government to try and achieve a trade-compromise with the US in the short term at least. Deepanshu Mohan The additional 25% tariff penalty imposed on India by Trump administration, taking the overall tariff level to 50%, signals a low… Read More Few Options on the Negotiating Table as India and Modi Are Cornered by Trump
V Sudarshan: Hitchhikers Guide To Trump’s Galaxy Trump goes and says things that our Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson just can’t, not while the Parliament is on and in an unvarnished fashion. He doesn’t hide behind anonymity Trump goes and says things that our Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson just can’t, not while the Parliament… Read More Hitchhikers Guide To Trump’s Galaxy / Modi’s Vishwaguru Image Dented by Trump’s Taunts
After the truth-shower 