When opportunities to engage in economic activity are open to all, not just the privileged classes, prosperity and opportunity abound
By Miguel Cervantes and Tanja Porčnik The Fraser Institute While tensions in the Middle East rise daily, there’s still hope for the region to liberalize and grow more prosperous. Economic liberalism in the Persian Gulf region would help unleash the effort and creativity of the whole population – not just a few at the top.…
Life in an air-conditioned bunker, drinking vodka sodas and binge-watching Netflix may not be enough to stimulate the privileged climate-change survivors
The actions of the Donald Trump presidency and the many global populist governments that follow suit (Brazil, the Philippines, and arguably Saudi Arabia and even Australia) reveal a line of thought about the climate crisis: it doesn’t really exist. Climate change is basically viewed as an externality determined by God, nature or whimsy. When it’s…
Leaders must fully incorporate social, cultural and environmental considerations – not just economic ones – in their decision-making
One of the greatest, and most memorable, sports-related quotes comes from Nelson Mandela. “Sport has the power to change the world,” said Mandela. “It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create…
It’s difficult to know for sure since academics and economists want to hide behind jargon rather than offering concrete analysis
As the Buffalo Springfield sang in 1966, “There’s something happening here. What it is ain’t exactly clear. …” They were referring to civil unrest but could have been predicting the current debate about neoliberalism. Neoliberalism is the ill-defined trend to less government, rolling back social programs, downward pressure on wages, fewer union jobs and careers…
It’s time to open up trade. Even the EU accepts that 90% of global growth will take place outside its group over the next 15 years
No other time in the recent history of British politics has been so turbulent. But the United Kingdom needs to stay the Brexit course. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been accused of lying to the Queen by a Scottish court, the Conservative government has lost its majority and kicked out 21 rebel Tory MPs, opposition…
Unnaturally high growth rates were driven by post-war reconstruction, the baby boom and rising female labour force participation
The single biggest determinant of long-term economic well-being is the rate of economic growth, but our expectations for modern growth may be misplaced. The industrial era, since the early 19th century, has seen powerful economic growth and unprecedented increases in living standards. Growth rates reached their peak in the postwar economic boom from 1945 to…
The rule of law and its protection of property form the bedrock of economic freedom, but pressures from mainland China put those attributes in peril
By James Gwartney and Fred McMahon The Fraser Institute In the Fraser Institute’s latest Economic Freedom of the World ranking, Hong Kong again tops the list as the world’s freest economy. It has occupied this position almost without exception through the past half century – but will it remain there? The foundation for Hong Kong’s…
What’s a recession going to do to the East Coast? Reap what’s left in our mattresses and sock drawers?
Oh, Recession. So there you are. For months, you’ve been rattling about my back door knocking over rubbish bins like a starving raccoon at night. The sun’s up now. No need to be coy. “The escalating trade war between the U.S. and China is nudging the world economy toward its first recession in a decade…
What are the new jobs? How do you train for them? Every old-economy business needs to plan for next-economy transitions
How does work change in an era of climate crisis? What skills will have value and how do we acquire them? What advice do we give young people entering the job market? How do we retrain those whose skills are no longer in demand? What roles do colleges and universities play in this workplace transition?…
As sea ice recedes in the Northwest Passage, new shipping lanes could open that change the world economy
It’s not hard to find opinions on climate change. But however it unfolds, it may yet pay dividends. Radio, television, print media and the Internet provide almost nonstop information on the subject. In Canada, almost all of the information consists of warnings about the harm climate change is expected to cause. In truth, our climate…
By Miguel Cervantes and Tanja Porčnik The Fraser Institute While tensions in the Middle East rise daily, there’s still hope for the region to liberalize and grow more prosperous. Economic liberalism in the Persian Gulf region would help unleash the effort and creativity of the whole population – not just a few at the top.…
