It is well known that Germany is running high export surpluses - more than 200 billion US-Dollar or 7.5% of its GDP in 2017, of which more than 40 billion vis-a-vis the United States. The surpluses are acting as a break on growth throughout Europe and have led to threats by the Trump administration to … Continue reading Germany’s export ideology
Korea: Neutrality is the only solution
Summary: Tensions in Korea are running high. Yet one possible solution has been little explored: unification of the peninsula with China's consent and under the leadership of the South. South Korea would assure China's cooperation by pledging to become neutral, with US troops leaving the peninsula. Commentators around the world scramble these days to give … Continue reading Korea: Neutrality is the only solution
Italy and the future of the Euro
Italy is currently struggling to form a government, after its elections of 4 March have been won by the country’s two main populist parties, the League - formerly Northern League - and the Five Star Movement (M5S). The xenophobic League is demanding mass deportations of foreign migrants and M5S a basic income for everyone. The … Continue reading Italy and the future of the Euro
The future of Social Democracy
The coalition agreement between Germany’s Social Democrats (SPD) and Christian Democrats will be put to a vote by all SPD members. Many in the SPD argue against entering government because they fear that this would further erode voter support for the SPD. Yet Social Democratic parties across Europe, irrespective of whether they are in government … Continue reading The future of Social Democracy
Gaza – the next Singapore
Summary: I have a dream in which there is peace between Israel and Palestine. It all started with a Industrial Zone initiated by China in the North of the Sinai peninsula which turned Gaza, and with it the whole Palestinian economy, into a new Singapore. Like the great Martin Luther King, I have a dream. … Continue reading Gaza – the next Singapore
Syrian Kurds on the Defensive
![By Ferhates (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](https://amostoday.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/western_kurdistan.jpg?w=511)
Turkey's recent military operation against Afrin in Syria's Northwest aims, as similar incursions before, to prevent a congruous Kurdish-controlled area to come about along its southern border. It looks as if the Syrian Kurds will have to reduce their aspirations for independence, just like the Iraqi Kurds were forced to do last September. For their … Continue reading Syrian Kurds on the Defensive
The New Wilhelminism
Summary: Germany under its last emperor Wilhelm II strived to become a world power and ultimately failed. Today’s Germany, while dispensing with the empire's militarism, is more successful: it is dominating Europe, due to its economic weight. Germany's dominance is increased through its unnecessarily high external surpluses. These benefit only Germany's industrial elite, which is … Continue reading The New Wilhelminism
