Michael Hudson gives a long historical account of the role of debt and money as a tool for promoting prosperity and political dominance.
Recent Items
Monday, November 17, 2025
Webinar with Michael Hudson: A 4000-Year Perspective on Economy, Money and Debt
Topics: Banking industry, Credit markets, Currencies, Economic fundamentals, Federal Reserve, Free markets and their discontents, Globalization, Guest Post, Income disparity, Politics, Social policy, The destruction of the middle class, The dismal science
Posted by Yves Smith at 6:45 am | 24 Comments »
Clarification of Spending/Inflation Constraints According to Modern Monetary Theory
Economists go on tilt with the supposed profligate implications of Modern Monetary Theory. But there are many ways to check demand.
Topics: Economic fundamentals, Free markets and their discontents, Income disparity, Macroeconomic policy, Social policy, The dismal science
Posted by Yves Smith at 2:02 am | 68 Comments »
So Much For May Day
On the peculiar decline of May Day.
Topics: Free markets and their discontents, Guest Post, Income disparity, Politics, Russia, Social policy, Social values
Posted by Yves Smith at 1:43 am | 21 Comments »
Mamata Banerjee’s TMC Retains West Bengal, Shutting Out Modi’s BJP from Taking Power in the State
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP failed to pull off an upset in West Bengal, and still has never atatinaed a majority in the state.
Topics: Guest Post, India, Pandemic, Politics
Posted by Jerri-Lynn Scofield at 12:55 pm | 8 Comments »
Links 5/2/2021
Topics: Guest Post, Links
Posted by Jerri-Lynn Scofield at 6:55 am | 130 Comments »
Biden Urged to Stand ‘On the Side of Humanity’ and Back Waiver for Covid Vaccine Patents
Biden faces increased wroldwide pressure for WTO waiver of intellectual property rules for Covid-19 vaccines as case counts soar in India.
Topics: Africa, Banana republic, Guest Post, Health care, Pandemic, Politics
Posted by Jerri-Lynn Scofield at 6:25 am | 24 Comments »
Links 5/1/2021
Topics: Links
Posted by Yves Smith at 6:55 am | 171 Comments »
Mark Blyth – An Inflated Fear of Inflation?
Mark Blyth explains why inflation in the U.S., Canada, & E.U. is highly unlikely: a room for more government spending and higher wages.
Topics: Dubious statistics, Economic fundamentals, Guest Post, Income disparity, Macroeconomic policy, Market inefficiencies, Pandemic, Politics, The destruction of the middle class, The dismal science
Posted by Yves Smith at 6:50 am | 63 Comments »
American Cities Have Long Struggled to Reform Their Police – but Isolated Success Stories Suggest Community and Officer Buy-In Might Be Key
A hard look at why police reform has failed, and what approaches might work.
Topics: Banana republic, Guest Post, Income disparity, Politics, Social policy
Posted by Yves Smith at 6:49 am | 29 Comments »
Musical Interlude (“On the Path of Decent Groove”): Dimash Qudaibergen
Reader Bob H asked for an occasional musical feature. I’m being self-indulgent and offering a recent find: the remarkable Dimash Qudaibergen.
Topics: Curiousities
Posted by Yves Smith at 2:13 am | 66 Comments »
2:00PM Water Cooler 4/30/2021
~ Today’s Water Cooler ~
Topics: Guest Post, Water Cooler
Posted by Lambert Strether at 2:00 pm | 79 Comments »
Social Tipping Points and Forecasting Norms Changes
What does it take to move the norms needle?
Topics: Guest Post, Politics, Social values, The dismal science
Posted by Yves Smith at 9:55 am | 26 Comments »
Links 4/30/2021
Topics: Links
Posted by Lambert Strether at 6:58 am | 110 Comments »
How Dodgy Government Accounting Fueled Rapid Rise of Federal Student Loans
Why the student loan mess is even worse than you thought.
Topics: Banking industry, Credit markets, Macroeconomic policy, Politics, Ridiculously obvious scams, Student loans, The destruction of the middle class
Posted by Yves Smith at 6:44 am | 8 Comments »
A Lifetime “at War”
Even for those comfortably ensconced in the US, war-making has been a constant backdrop for all but the oldest Americans.
Topics: Banana republic, Doomsday scenarios, Globalization, Guest Post, Middle East, Politics, Russia, Social policy
Posted by Yves Smith at 6:14 am | 36 Comments »



