Atlas Shrugged. Part One: Trump’s Security Strategy blows up the American world order.
“The days of the United States propping up the entire world order like Atlas are over.” White House National Security Strategy, 2025
International
Globalisation
From In and Down to Outward-In: The Big Picture matters
The world is entering a generation of challenges not seen since the late 1930s. New Zealand is better placed than most states to weather this challenge if it prepares now.
Spare a thought for poor Nick Mowbray
Nick Mowbray, who has supported and promoted a number of right wing causes, finds himself losing out big time because of Donald Trump’s tariffs. And is complaining.
The Empire strikes back
A recent run on US Government bonds showing possible coordination between different countries may have been the reason that Donald Trump walked back the worst of his tariff changes. And he has also realised the US can’t make cheap IPhones.
The Trump Shock: Why the US President Crashed the Global Economy
There is a method to Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariff madness. The chaos and confusion is deliberate; the aim is nothing less than the […]
Tax and the Splintering World
The resurgence of the tax debate reflects impacts of neo-liberal economic policy and developments in the global economy over the last half century. As Labour considers further its approach to tax policy, this wider context should be considered
The Promises of Lange, Moore, Bolger, and the WTO
In 2024 we ought to ask if the economic reforms of the 1980s and 1990s has delivered on what was promised.
Really Small States in Really Big Conflicts
In case we just missed it, New Zealand really has picked a side. Prime Minister Hipkins will head to the NATO summit in Lithuania together with Australia, Japan and South Korean leaders. Also Vladimir Zelinskyy is intending to go as well.
In praise of Michael Hudson
82-year old polymath Michael Hudson is my favourite economist. He currently lectures in China to million-strong audiences. His latest book is The Destiny of Civilisation: Finance Capitalism, Industrial Capitalism or Socialism. His latest article is well worth a read.
The politics of high inflation – can governments do anything?
It is clear that we will continue to face these economic challenges with tools that are ill-equipped to face the problems. Only a truly international response can create an economy that delivers for all.
Blinken and Blind-Sided?
Russian peacekeepers are already leaving Kazakhstan having nipped the ‘colour revolution’ in the bud. Blinken clearly didn’t have a clue when he said Russians never leave the house. Russian intelligence was superb. Now we wait for Russia’s response to US likely refusal to pull back from its borders. One thing I’d bet on – no invasion of Ukraine.
“Beyond Jacinda” – Colin James and Cr Tamatha Paul
Colin James and Councillor Tamatha Paul will discuss Colin’s paper “Beyond Jacinda” on Monday 7 December at 5:30pm at Baptist Church, 46-48 Boulcott Street Wellington. It will also be shown on Zoom and available on YouTube. Registration links below. All Welcome.
How Trump Has Changed New Zealand’s future
Post Trump how is the world order looking?
Unthinkable Things
With the government clearly watching the unravelling of Australia’s Covid-19 response and putting in place $14 billion in preparation for a second infection wave, we are clearly now in a history-in-making territory of the highest instability outside a world war.
Tourism: Death and Revival
New Zealand’s tourism economy has essentially collapsed, and it is part of a global tourism industry collapse that is so big that it may be permanently smaller. But does it have to be?
Things that will live
Despite downbeat economic predictions and an imminent global recession, the New Zealand recovery offers opportunities for entrepreneurial success that exceed anything we’ve seen for decades.
The plan for Monday
Even if New Zealand gets out of the immediate Covid-19 infection better than most other countries, the result is still a wrecked world […]
Beyond mere rescue
It’s time to plan the re-launch the very idea of New Zealand.
It’s the end of main stream media as we know it …
The Covid-19 lock down has and will tip media companies already struggling to survive into closure.
Fonterra, again
Why New Zealand – and its government – need to engage much harder about Fonterra.
Macron speech – The end of Western hegemony
France President Macron’s remarkable and wide-ranging speech to French ambassadors after France hosted the recent G7 conference in Biarritz is well worth a read. He lays it all out – so much better than Trump’s tweets or BoJo’s bluster.
What China crisis?
Claims that New Zealand is at a crisis point in terms of its relationship with China appear to be somewhat overegged.
Trump’s brilliant strategy to dismantle US dollar hegemony
Polymath economist Professor Michael Hudson’s latest article is a geopolitical panoramic masterpiece, sparked by outrage at a series of concurrent events on January 31 which he predicts means that 2019 will be the “year of global fracture.” Definitely worth a read.
14 Million Yemenis and a Diplomatic Nightmare
In Yemen right now, children are living in the worst humanitarian crisis we have seen in the last 100 years.
Fonterra’s loss
Fonterra has just reported an after tax loss of $196 million for the 2018 year. It’s never had an annual loss in its history.
What is the RCEP?
It’s time we paid attention to RCEP, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.
Guest post: The end of Neoliberalism – What went wrong?
The Left predicted the death of neoliberalism after the global financial crisis of 2008. But since then inequality has increased and new right nationalism is on the ascendancy. How should the left respond?
South Africa, Zimbabwe, New Zealand
In 1962, John F Kennedy said “Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.” Is peaceful revolution possible in South Africa, Zimbabwe or New Zealand?
Julian Assange; Journey’s End?
Is Julian Assange about to be arrested? Equador looks set to evict the accused rapist and capitalist tool from its London embassy.
Trump meets Putin
Some things that President Trump won’t do as when meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki.
The trade war
The speed of the growing trade war between the United States and China will hit New Zealand. Our long term diplomatic arc, such […]
Far right Canadian activist wants to come to New Zealand to insult local communities
Far right journalist Lauren Southern wants to come to New Zealand to give a speech which will no doubt insult various communities. Should we let her in?
New World Disorder.
Liberalism was meant to be the New World Order and even (so the briefly celebrated Fukiyama reckoned anyway) an End to History. Big stuff then. But it seems the placid and complacent consensus is fraying round the edges.
Is Karl Marx dead?
2018 marks several anniversaries of Karl Marx whose significance for the critique of capitalist society is hard to diminish. But what now for his beliefs?
New Zealand Is all right, at the end
Democracy’s permanence is not inevitable. Its imagining is not beyond imagining. And New Zealand is one of the shrinking number of democracies who really have it.
Is capitalism obsolete?
Former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis has given a speech where he has stated that capitalism is coming to an end because it is making itself obsolete.