Taking on debt, yes, but what for?
October 11, 2020Following on from Keynes, it’s been years that I’ve been talking about it and outlining the mechanisms. At present, reality is catching up with the “mainstream” economists who with regret have recognised the absolute necessity for governments to deepen their debts in the current recession brought about by the health crisis. However, while the leaders…
The Monetary Theory of Happiness
April 29, 2020A government that puts its monetary system to the service of its citizens and businesses views money as an instrument to improve their prosperity. In the absence of this belief, government action is ineffective or effective for just a minority. This degenerates into “poverty in the midst of plenty” to quote Keynes, who illustrated…
No economic recovery without political courage
June 20, 2017Seven years of growth, and three rates rises in a few months. But the US economy is nevertheless at the dawning of a recession! In spite of the monetary policy which seems to be on its way to normalisation, interest rates will never be – when the next, imminent crisis comes about – at levels…
The central bank of the 21st century
December 17, 2016Central banks hold the key to our economic recovery since they can afford to create money in unlimited quantities, without ever fearing bankruptcy. While they don’t do it deliberately to relaunch growth, it is true that – in their defense – they weren’t founded to regulate public consumption. Their raison d’être has historically been to…
The European social nightmare
March 8, 2016What European social model? Is there only one, when the Germans are more than ever obsessed with competitiveness and their trade surplus? In reality, Merkel and Schauble’s only solution in order to compete with emerging and developing countries – and therefore to preserve Germany’s market shares – consists of crushing southern European workers under an…
Oil: victim of deflation
January 30, 2016The collapse in oil prices has not brought with it the happiness that had been counted on, since economic fundamentals have not improved. As for Western consumption, its slight progress is owed more to a further drop in inflation indices than to an increase in salaries and revenues that is worthy of being called so.…
Real estate, growth’s parasite
May 29, 2015The meager European economic growth – often described as anemic – stems from a savings glut. Economic stagnation becomes secular from the moment the money stops flowing, that is, once the investor keeps his precious cash in his bank account and that bank is no longer able to recycle it towards productive sectors of the…