While lecturing at a European summer school in Lombardy, Italy, about reconstructing Europe after crisis, I visited Premana. Near Lake Como, nestled in the mountains, it’s one of the small towns where the road ends and the forest takes over. Premana is surrounded by pine and chestnut trees that rise from the bottom of the …
Economist who called 9% inflation has this grim forecast for what’s next – Steve Hanke
Central Bank Digital Currencies and Freedom Are Incompatible
The truth is CBDCs are government’s attempt to protect its privileged position and exert more control over people’s money. …
Reflecting on Shinzo Abe’s Legacy, Part 2: Geopolitical and Strategic Impact
Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe may have failed in many of his domestic reform initiatives, but his conceptualization of the Indo-Pacific as a single strategic region remains a potent concept. In the second part of this two-part series on the late Japanese leader’s life and legacy, we explore the strategic context and enduring geopolitical impact of Abe’s eight-year term as prime minister. …
Fed Must Act Now to Stop Runaway Inflation
Price inflation in the United States is getting out of control. Americans are seeing prices rise at the fastest rates in 40 years. Until recently, the Federal Reserve — the agency tasked with ensuring price stability — has been unwilling to address the problem. …
Japan Enters a New Phase in Its History
Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated last week. Days later, his political party won an overwhelming majority in parliament. The Liberal Democratic Party certainly saw a bump from sympathy votes, but the election result was for the most part a statement about where the Japanese public stands on the major issue of Article 9, which was written into the Japanese constitution under the supervision of Douglas MacArthur, commander of the U.S. occupation force in Japan. Article 9 forbade Japan from having any military force. It was a decision Washington came to regret. …
Price Stability Is More Than Enough for the Fed — No New Mandates
It’s no secret that the Fed is having a hard time controlling inflation. While it is failing at its primary duty, the Democrats are busy crafting executive orders, passing bills and proposing new legislation that will expand the list of goals the Fed must prioritize. …
