2017
The path to ‘soft Brexit’ has now been firmly established. But the real disjuncture between the UK and the EU may be yet to come
No leader, no ideology can come to power — and stay in power — alone. Who are the key thinkers, organisers and behind-the-scenes players shaping Corbynism, what does its future hold, and what does this mean for civil society?
Africa is undergoing an urban revolution which is taking place in the context of a sea change in global geopolitics
The recent Budget showed the Conservatives following Thatcher’s example of facilitating homeownership as a means to build political support
Labour and Conservative governments in the 1970s abolished exchange controls and the reasons don’t just lie in free market ideology
The Macroeconomic Imbalance Procedure attempts to prevent future economic crises within the Eurozone by remedying emerging imbalances. Precisely how to achieve this, however, has opened a struggle for the very direction of European governance
In order to prevent future pension crises, under-pensioned and precarious workers in the modern economy need a long term and sustainable vehicle for retirement saving, but the Taylor Review missed an opportunity to address this
University of Sheffield President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Keith Burnett urges policymakers to stop pretending broken markets can be fixed with more regulation
A finance curse research agenda involves forensic dissection of financial dysfunction and pathology, helping to illuminate what needs to be put right
The Chancellor glossed over terrible forecasts, delivered more hype than substance on industrial strategy, and succumbed to another housing market stimulus. But the Osbornomics bag of budget tricks is delivering diminishing returns for the British economy
Germany’s large trade surplus, especially with the US, has become a significant political issue, but remedying the situation is not straightforward
The East Asian developmental state was a phenomenon of its time that hasn’t been precisely replicated, but state developmentalism as a strategy for national insertion into the global order remains necessary
Feminist political economy can help to reveal subordination in a labour market built on gendered economic relations
The endeavour to set out and implement a new vision for more inclusive growth will fail if it is not treated fundamentally as a matter of political economy, rather than an aspect of social policy
International development is increasingly being financed in innovative new ways. Public aid money is critical and its role should be celebrated more
A workshop in Sheffield this week will examine the symptoms of a phenomenon known as the ‘finance curse’, establish a future research agenda and discuss potential responses
Industrial policy needs to be rethought if it is to remain effective in promoting economic development in a highly globalised world economy
President Macron’s extensive labour reforms are part of a programme of state-led liberalization which will shift the balance of power towards employers and test trade union strength and unity
Coordinated policy actions are needed to tame dominant corporate power and rent-seeking
The Paradise Papers reveal how debt and other financial mechanisms are used to move funds offshore and avoid tax. New constraints on firms and managers are needed
In the evolving context of Brexit, a new framework can help explain the factors that shape migrants’ choices to stay in the UK or to leave
Six months have passed since Greater Manchester and Liverpool City Region elected metro-mayors. In this first of a series of three blogs we assess their progress so far
What do the high levels of development and economic upgrading achieved by a small Indian Ocean island country tell us about the notion of the developmental state?
Firms such as Google and Uber – and their control of our data – may pose a threat to the UK’s competition regime. How policy-makers respond to this will help to define the platform economy
Uncertainty is the essence of social, political and economic systems. This is the final post on our series on researching uncertainty
The final report of the Industrial Strategy Commission outlines a bold vision for strategic economic management in the UK, including institutional reforms at the centre. Can we expect the same radicalism from the May government?
The essence of contemporary African developmentalism lies less in the nature of the state and more in that of the regime, especially its capacity to pursue sound development policies
The question of why uncertainty does not feature more prominently as an economic ontology requires answers that are rooted in intellectual history. This post, the sixth in our series on uncertainty, searches for them by looking at how economic history has become increasingly colonised by economic theory, and economic theory by mathematics.
Although the UK embraced Capital Markets Union (CMU) in its early stages, it also strongly resisted attempts to enhance EU-level supervisory powers. Brexit could now see the CMU agenda develop further – but not in the way the UK had initially anticipated
Real and credible development in these countries means pursuing knowledge social economy visions that are genuinely autochthonous
As more places around the UK focus on inclusive growth it is essential that the social economy is no longer left out
Recent statements about inequality by the IMF have attracted media interest, but are they saying anything new?
The Bank of England’s inflation forecasts in the period since the Brexit vote have been largely inaccurate – is this because the Bank has forgotten the rule of thumb championed by its own chief economist? This is the fifth post in our series on the impact of uncertainty on social science
Whether China liberalises politically, as the original ‘Asian Tigers’ did, or maintains its authoritarian approach is an issue with theoretical and practical implications that resonate well beyond China’s own immediate development challenges
It’s time to open up a new debate about the potential gains offered by this longstanding and core concept in the study of the political economy of development
It’s time to open up a new debate about the potential gains offered by this longstanding and core concept in the study of the political economy of development
The Democrats and the Labour Party have been on the defensive for too long. Winning again requires a progressive re-radicalization of politics
UK-based companies are ramping up efforts to combat slavery in their overseas supply chains. But companies also need to be working harder to address the severe labour exploitation taking place at home
Britain just can’t generate the politics with which to build the new reformist consensus its political economy so badly needs
Understanding the concept of depoliticisation – and of politicisation – is key to understanding the governing strategies of policymakers and how decisions are made
The West has paid little attention to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. This is set to change as it becomes increasingly influential in global geopolitics
As the UK leaves the EU it risks a potential ‘digital cliff-edge’. How it navigates its way through global tensions around digital trade rules will orientate the shape of the economy for years to come
The significant deterioration in US-Russia relations and new sanctions could profoundly impact the EU and its energy needs
Ten years after the financial crisis, the risks associated with securitisation are yet to be fully appreciated
After higher youth turnout in the 2017 general election Labour has to think hard about whether fairness is about class or cohort
Chinese investment to Zambia has created jobs and trade but there are serious concerns about conditions for labour in the copper industry
Property and land are increasingly significant to local government financing – but their valuation and taxation need urgent reform to fund local services and support growth
The practice of saving has been complexified, but the concept has until recently retained discursive significance as part of an ‘asset-based welfare’ agenda. The 2017 election may, however, have signalled a significant shift in British economic statecraft
A new conversation about devolution that acknowledges the impact of austerity on city regions is urgently needed
The ‘nasty party’ tag will stick until the Conservatives reject making moral judgements about poorer members of society
There are good pragmatic and principled reasons for the Labour Party to reverse its opposition to the free movement of EU citizens
The UK must pay urgent attention to the complexities of African trade in order to avoid Brexit having damaging effects
With Macron dominant and the left divided, the future of a devastated Socialist Party is extremely unclear
In even flirting with leaving the EU Single Market, the UK is heading full steam towards an iceberg of historic proportions, and this will destroy Labour if a change of course is not pursued
The new report by Industrial Strategy Commission sets out positive principles that can be the foundations for a new UK industrial strategy
Rethinking debt and how it is ‘cared for’ reveals its gendered, classed and racialised nature
To replace neoliberalism we need a renewal of liberal capitalism combined with a renewal of democracy
The concerns and conflict that are already central to the Trump presidency will be key to understanding Trump as future history
The India-Iran relationship is often ignored yet it provides insights into shifting geostrategic relationships within Asia
China’s grand geopolitical project threatens a new East-West divide in Europe
Europe can learn lessons from China’s development and should agree a new common approach on trade
Our proposal shows how to fund a new state bank that would harness the money creation power of the Bank of England for the public good
The election continued the swing of working-class voters to the Conservative Party – but also the more important trend of working-class disengagement from politics. Can Labour respond without succumbing to populism?
Future negotiations about service trade liberalisation will present significant difficulties for the UK – whoever is in power
Europe’s citizens must put pressure on their leaders to reform the Eurozone – before the next crisis hits
The election will have profound consequences for Brexit, in a transformed political climate where the initiative has been handed to Labour
New research suggests foreign investment opportunities benefit domestic firms and should be welcomed by national governments
LOBO loans and other derivative products connect local authorities with global finance and indicate a new management of municipal debt
With the EU issue in the UK far from settled, reports of the demise of the EU and the Eurozone have been greatly exaggerated
Protectionist or pragmatic? Leave or Remain? A year ago neoliberals were divided on Brexit but now they are united
Industrial strategy is the Achilles heel of British economic statecraft, but the radical approaches promised by both the Conservatives and Labour fall short of a transformative agenda
Analysis of new EU mortgage reforms shows how civil society groups were able to translate their key goals into policy and counters the financial industry ‘capture’ narrative
The Corbyn ‘surge’ denied the May government the majority it took for granted – but the implication that austerity in the UK is over is far from clear
Multiple scenarios now exist for the imminent Brexit negotiations. An informed deliberation over the options must be the immediate way forward
Corbyn’s success in building an alliance that extends from Greens to UKIP voters only postpones the moment of Labour’s reckoning with Brexit
Understanding Brexit requires us to consider the political economy of tax justice and the abuse of wealth protection
Despite dominating UK politics for the last decade the crisis has been a notable absence from the 2017 general election campaign
The story of how Australia embraced the free market
Our new tax spillover framework is intended to increase scrutiny of countries’ tax regimes and discourage ‘race to the bottom’ behaviours
To counter moves towards more nationalist politics, regional integration must involve greater social integration
While the current method of uprating the state pension is imperfect, Theresa May’s proposal to abolish it is based on a flawed view of intergenerational fairness
Shared economic interests mean Scottish independence could enhance not threaten the north’s economy. This must be part of the independence debate
New research by the TUC to understand the lives of Britain’s young workers will help improve work and give them a path to union membership
Despite broad post-crisis support in Europe for a financial transaction tax, the financial industry successfully lobbied to water down proposals and delay its implementation
Reform of UN Security Council must look to a ‘Weak Veto’
Learning from the history of women’s work can help to overcome discrimination and improve working conditions in the gig economy
This timely new book expertly charts the endurance of the British state and how elites have sought to ‘repurpose’ it. Whether this can be achieved again after Brexit is highly uncertain
New metro-mayors must now deliver on their policy commitments, and quickly seek to secure the ‘democratic moment’ that advocates of devolution promised
Transfers between defined benefit pension schemes and (re)insurance companies are expanding the landscape of retirement risk shifts
Labour market support systems need to adapt to better support the growing number of workers in vulnerable employment
Rhetoric used today to describe intergenerational debates will shape tomorrow’s policies – and affect all of our futures
As polls open a range of electoral features – personality, campaigning and voting systems – will tell us if voters see today’s elections as ‘second-order’
New strategies of organisation and workers’ control in Latin America suggest ways to tackle the insecurity of the gig economy
The gig economy companies must and can be challenged to better protect their workers; this can be done under existing legislation
Paradoxically, the snap election is a further nail in the coffin of actually-existing British democracy – and reinforces the role of Brexit in the revival of conservative statecraft
New metro-mayors will be elected in English city-regions on May 4th. Once elected the hard task of defining the new roles begins
The economy and employment are changing fast, but there are important steps that unions can take to be prepared
Adopting online freelancing platforms as part of your business model presents organisations with challenges that require novel solutions
Socialist candidate Benoît Hamon looks set to finish fifth in Sunday’s presidential election. With crucial legislative elections following in June, the party is in disarray.
Technology is used to monitor workers doing platform-based work. It can also be used to regulate work and protect workers
To understand the future of work we need to explore the diversity of platforms and how they are used in the modern economy
From April 1st companies in the UK can choose to switch their water provider; a domestic roll-out for households seems inevitable
The internet provides new opportunities to strengthen collective action and improve new forms of work
The gig economy has got us talking about the labour market, but the decline in trade union membership matters more
To improve security at work we must bring together the demands of people in work with those looking to find work
Britain urgently needs a new national development strategy after the Brexit vote and must find the will to embrace a radically different model of the state
The Commission’s White Paper understates both the depth of the crisis associated with the EU status quo and what needs to be done about it
The Commission’s new White Paper offers some interesting post-Brexit scenarios for ‘the future of Europe’, but realising any of these will be difficult in a context of political divisions among the remaining 27 states
In debates about tax policy we need to de-emphasise the role of economics and measurement and rekindle the politics
Interest in ‘tax spillover’ is growing but there is a need to reframe existing analysis. Our new framework would give a fuller reading of international and domestic tax vulnerabilities
The Supreme Court’s Article 50 judgement was based on a constitutional fallacy that puts the stability of the United Kingdom at risk
The varied generational impact of Italy’s enduring economic crisis was a central factor behind the No vote
The populist right’s focus on race and immigration claims to be about fairness and inequality, but actually distracts from the more acute matter of the concentration of wealth and income at the very top
The study of how neoliberalism is remaking moral order in Africa reveals important insights for scholars of political economy
As opposition mounts to post-crisis regulatory reforms, scholars should rethink their critical evaluation of the progress that has been made
Greater Manchester is an important test-bed for how inclusive growth can be put into practice at a local level
The significant public and political protests during the first month of the Trump presidency represent the backlash to the backlash
A new growth model must be economically and morally sustainable – now, and for future generations
Alan France’s ambitious account of young people’s experience of economic crisis across eight developed countries shows what it means to be young has been transformed
Under Raúl Castro’s presidency Cuba’s centrally planned economy has significantly integrated market socialist features
Those touting China and other rising powers as saviours of the liberal economic international order are likely to be disappointed
With increased support for private sector pay ratio reporting now coming from the likes of major investors such as Legal & General and the Investment Association, this blog argues that action by the UK government is now essential
ASEAN needs to develop stronger leadership and become more democratic. Failure to do this will mean it continue to be fragmented and vulnerable to the danger of ‘breaking up’
With the failure of Hollande’s promise of ‘le changement’, ahead of this year’s elections the French Socialists find themselves severely weakened and maybe even at breaking point
A month after the Italian constitutional referendum and nothing has really changed. The country has a new government and Prime Minister, yet the political and significant economic challenges remain
The former is the new project of the populist right; the latter needs to be the new vision of the centre-left
What does the discursive appeal to industrial strategy by Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May tell us about the prospect for radical policy change or continuity?
To secure a fourth term a less liberal version of Angela Merkel may emerge as she reacts to the domestic and global tumult of the last year
The British government is displaying an abject grasp of global trade politics; ironically the EU red tape the Brexiteers wish to burn is the very basis on which the ‘free trade’ they hope for rests
Modern trade politics is about regulatory harmonisation and attracting flows of investment, and this calls into question the very idea of ‘trade’ as we have understood it until now
The securitization of European government bonds is likely to increase hierarchies in the Eurozone. Eurobonds represent the most viable path to fiscal solidarity and political union
The ‘shirt ripping’ Air France trial highlights the usefulness of Bourdieu’s analysis to understanding conflicts within financialised capitalism
Nicola Sturgeon is keen to emphasis a distinctive Scottish model – yet the SNP’s style and rhetoric differ from the substance and reality of Scotland’s economy
After Castro’s death and with profound political and economic change across the Americas what is the future for Cuba’s medical internationalism?