Populisms (II): Characteristics

What are the salient characteristics of populism? There’s disagreement on this point, since it can be studied from so many different angles. Nonetheless, we can define it in broad terms: The fundamental analysis revolves around two categories: “normal folk” versus “the elite,” which will have its own nomenclature in every country. “We” are the people […]

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Protectionism: Should We Really Worry About It?

The Global Competitiveness Report 2016-17 from the World Economic Forum, published this week, warns about a trend towards protectionism that could hinder future competitiveness and growth. Should we worry about it? Well, let´s first analyze the data. The report compares the average answers by group of countries to four variables that indicate openness. These variables are: […]

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TPP: United States and Japan make a move

The agreement signed by the United States and Japan, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which includes ten other countries, will represent 40% of the world’s trade volume. Given its scope, this agreement is a definite win for President Obama and Prime Minister Abe. With this agreement, numerous measures will be adopted to foster trade between the […]

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