Author
Markus Heinrich
Managing Editor at The Globalist
Markus Heinrich is Managing Editor and contributor at The Globalist. He has a long track record of contributing to, and editing for, international publications – covering topics such as global security, development, sustainability, environment, politics, democracy, economics, culture and history.
Fluent in German and holding a Masters Degree in International Relations, he has been a contributor for Open Democracy, World Politics Review, Geopolitical Monitor, Friends of Europe, Defence Studies, Japan Times, Diplomatic Courier, The European Security and Defence Union, Foreign Policy Journal, E-International Relations and Salon among others.
Previously working for Development and Cooperation (D+C), which promotes sustainable development, global awareness and local action to solve global problems on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, he joined The Globalist in 2017.
Born in Germany, studying in the United Kingdom and now living in Ireland, he is a true citizen of the world – providing insight and a wide range of expertise to support The Globalist in its mission.
Selected publications
Water Scarcity: Cooperation or Conflict in the Middle East and North Africa?
Behind the headlines, Merkel’s refugee policy is working for Germany
New Century, Old Rivalries: Russian Military Modernisation and NATO
Why Brexit Will Be Hard to Swallow for British Food Producers
Articles by Markus Heinrich
With Trump Elected, Quo Vadis Europe?
Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential election is a wake up call for Europe to get its act together.
November 19, 2024
Decriminalizing Adultery in South Sudan
Why ending any form of patriarchal control is imperative to realize both human rights and gender justice in Africa and beyond.
November 8, 2024
Democracy, If You Can Keep It
The importance of civic education and lifelong engagement in strengthening democracy.
November 8, 2024
Why I Choose to Live on a Floating Island of Garbage
If Puerto Rico is a floating island of garbage, at least it is healthy, smart, educated, democratic and culturally sophisticated garbage.
November 5, 2024
21st Century America’s Perverse Desire for an Absolute Monarch
While Europe has distanced itself from its earlier monarchical traditions, the U.S. retains a political system which grants the President many traits of a monarch to this day.
November 4, 2024
Eight Trump Foreign Policy Disasters U.S. Voters Should Keep in Mind
It is well known that Americans prioritize economic and social issues when they go to the voting booth. But Donald Trump’s record of foreign policy failure deserves to be factored in more as voters cast their ballots.
November 3, 2024
Sinwar’s Death Presents a New Challenge to Israel and Hamas
The death of Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind behind the savage October 7 attack that led to the Gaza war, presents a new challenge to Netanyahu and Hamas. Both now face a new reality they cannot wish away.
October 28, 2024
Grave Challenges for the German Economy: 14 Facts
Germany's structural economic weaknesses in a global context of trade, innovation and climate change.
October 27, 2024
Stephan Richter On NPR: Could Trump’s Comments About German Carmakers Have Sway?
Trump wants German carmakers to “become American car companies.” How would that work exactly? A conversation with Marketplace Morning Report’s David Brancaccio.
October 26, 2024
Trump’s Rubicon
Though separated by 2,000 years, the uncanny parallels between Donald Trump and Julius Caesar continue to become more apparent.
October 26, 2024
Will Greece Break the Mold of 21st Century European Politics?
While Greece has resisted the rise of extremist and nationalist politics seen elsewhere in Europe, it faces significant internal challenges – including political fragmentation and the need for effective leadership.
October 23, 2024
Trump and Hitler: How Accurate a Comparison?
Along with many others, Republican vice-presidential nominee JD Vance has reportedly pondered at least once whether Trump would be America’s Hitler.
October 21, 2024
The Global History of the Peach
Peach cultivation goes back thousands of years. The story of its spread is a remarkable journey from China to India and from Spain to the Americas.
October 20, 2024
Decision 2024: Why Does Trump Get Away With So Many Lies?
What does it say about the state of civics in the United States if a former U.S. President, and possible future one, has no compunction to lie ever more grotesquely?
October 18, 2024
How Russia Invades Germany
German politicians and the German public at large have long underestimated or even downplayed the danger posed by Russia’s disinformation war against their country.
October 15, 2024
What We Are Made of: Blood, Guts — and Plastics
The packaging of the food that we consume is poisoning us with chemicals. We should move toward natural alternatives to safeguard human health and the environment.
October 12, 2024
Trump Means To Weaponize the Justice Department
Trump means what he says. If elected, he will weaponize Justice to jail his enemies and will empower the police to use violence.
October 11, 2024
Canada: What Explains Justin Trudeau’s Long Goodbye?
Is the Canadian Prime Minister’s refusal to leave office a symptom of hubris? Or does he have a legitimate hope for a turnaround?
October 9, 2024
The Four Roots of the Israel-Hamas Conflict
Hamas’ attack and Israel’s retaliatory war are the dire by-products of decades-long psychological impediments — historical, ideological, religious and humanitarian. They have hindered any progress toward a solution while making the conflict ever more intractable.
October 6, 2024
Is This 2016 All Over Again?
Is the upcoming November U.S. presidential election shaping up to be a repeat of the 2016 battle between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton?
October 2, 2024
The Battle Over U.S. Inflation and Its Real Cause
For all the focus on inflation ahead of the November U.S. presidential election, the debasement of the U.S. currency is the root of the U.S. cost of living crisis. And that is a bipartisan issue.
September 23, 2024
Michel Barnier: Succeed, Muddle Through or Forced to Resign?
France’s ancien régime no longer works, but everybody wonders what comes next.
September 20, 2024
Deciphering Putin’s NATO Blame Game
All the reasons why Putin wrongly blames NATO for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
September 18, 2024
Macron, the Underrated and the Misunderstood
For most of political Europe, Emmanuel Macron calling parliamentary elections earlier this year reflected his penchant for high-risk action. The contrary is true — it revealed him to be a cool, calculating realist.
September 16, 2024
Remembering the Costs of September 11
The September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, D.C. changed not only the United States forever. They also had global consequences that are felt to this day.
September 11, 2024
Meet Michel Barnier, France’s Prime Minister-Designate
Michel Barnier, 73, is the politician for all seasons in France. Emmanuel Macron has reached out to him to be France’s Prime Minister.
September 6, 2024
Needed: An Electricity Market Design to Meet Germany’s Climate Goals
Mr. Habeck’s new power market design runs counter to the German government’s stated ambition of contributing to a functioning European energy market.
September 4, 2024
Iran in Context
Modern Iran's roots go back to one of the world's most ancient civilizations. How does it compare to the contemporary Middle East?
September 3, 2024
Neutralizing Iran’s Nuclear Threat Without Force or Sanctions
The U.S. and Israel must develop a new strategy that factors in the possibility that Iran will become a nuclear power but renders it futile without using force or sanctions while creating a sustainable regional security order.
August 30, 2024
Hinduism: A Global Perspective
Hinduism is the third-largest religion worldwide, with approximately 1.2 billion Hindus in many different countries. Facts in a global context.
August 27, 2024
Are Most Women Predisposed to Lead More Ethically?
Exploring the links between gender, morality and power.
August 25, 2024
Kamala Harris Has Momentum… But Still Faces An Uphill Fight
Harris’ historic candidacy as a mixed-race woman cuts two ways, inspiring some voters and alienating others.
August 21, 2024
China’s Graduate Flood
China’s young generation is getting frustrated. They work very hard on a good education – and increasingly end up unemployed.
August 19, 2024
Oh Lord, Just Give Me a … Sorbet
From sorbets to gelato and ice cream, the global history of frozen desserts — Plus: A recipe for Yellow Plum Sorbet.
August 17, 2024
Germany At the Tipping Point
Whether on education policy, energy policy, migration policy, technology policy, infrastructure policy or housing policy, Germany faces a host of unresolved problems.
August 16, 2024
Trump and Christ: Should Christians Fear Trump?
Trump’s Christian supporters see him as the Chosen One. Yet there are very few of the Ten Commandments Donald Trump has not yet violated.
August 14, 2024
Christianity: A Global Perspective
Christians make up almost a third of the global population and that number is expected to grow. Facts in a global context.
August 14, 2024
Russia-Ukraine: Could an Istanbul Deal Have Brought Peace?
The experience of the post-Soviet republics with security-related agreements with Moscow is such that the 2022 Russian-Ukrainian talks had little chance of success.
July 28, 2024
Will Trump Become a Victim of His Own Success?
Trump’s generally dismal record in business may offer the Democrats much-needed hope for their 2024 Presidential campaign.
July 23, 2024
U.S. Presidents Granted a License to Steal
The U.S. Supreme Court ruling may encourage grand corruption.
July 15, 2024
China: Conquering Global Science
China has emerged as a powerhouse of innovation and is rapidly dominating the world in science and technology. What are the facts?
July 15, 2024
Cooperating With Iran’s President-elect Pezeshkian Will Far Outweigh the Risks
The election of the reformist Masoud Pezeshkian as Iran’s president augurs well for the Iranian people and for relations between the West and Iran.
July 12, 2024
France and Coalition Governments
While most European countries favor them, France has an aversion to coalition governments. Eight facts to put you in the know.
July 10, 2024
An Independence Day Reflection
Is the United States on the verge of a major civil transition?
July 4, 2024
Will American Monetocracy Ever Come to an End?
The U.S. is increasingly becoming a nation devoted to the religion of money – run by an ever-smaller group of elites who control it.
July 2, 2024
The Domestic Political Economy of Germany’s Debt Brake
If the current German government wants to reform Germany’s debt brake rules, there is only one realistic path forward. It must resign.
June 26, 2024
Myanmar: From Failed State to Total Collapse?
The tide of the war in Myanmar is changing — and the world should be prepared for a junta collapse.
June 24, 2024
The Population Bust and the Market for “Stuff”
With populations now shrinking in many countries, we are looking towards a future in which the demand for goods is likely to be far from robust.
June 22, 2024
Muslims: A Global Perspective
Muslims make up around a quarter of the world's population. What are the facts?
June 18, 2024
Global Food Waste
Wasting precious food greatly contributes to climate change. What are the facts?
June 15, 2024
Macron/Le Pen: Cohabitation in France?
Another possibility is that France may also end up with a hung parliament, in which neither the far-right nor the left nor centrist forces could muster a majority.
June 13, 2024
What’s Next for Israel?
After Gantz’s resignation, Netanyahu’s options are trying to hold on, forming a new government or new elections.
June 12, 2024
Putin and the Long Shadow of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
D-Day marked the beginning of the end of Hitler’s empire. But with Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, it also underscores that the job begun in Normandy eighty years ago remains only half-done.
June 5, 2024
Giorgia Meloni’s Italy
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni epitomizes modern European right-wing populism. We present some pivotal facts about the country she leads.
June 3, 2024
France and Germany: Putin Says Cпасибо (“Thank You”)
Did Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to Germany alter the not so charitable assessment about the state of Franco-German relations in any meaningful way?
June 1, 2024
Sizing Up Taiwan
China has its eyes set on swallowing Taiwan. As the small, but vibrant island nation rises in importance on the global agenda, we present some pivotal facts.
May 30, 2024
Scholz and Macron: The Battle of the Two (Mini-) Napoleons
Why do Olaf Scholz and Emmanuel Macron lock horns so fiercely?
May 27, 2024
The U.S and Israel: Right to Self Defense
Separating right from wrong in U.S. and Israeli responses to the brutality of terrorism.
May 26, 2024
Beyond Slovakia: The New Politics of Hate Takes Root In Europe
So far, today’s European politicians have not risen to the challenge of building a tolerant inclusive Europe. Might Robert Fico see the light?
May 23, 2024
Why Trump Supporters Love Putin
In its ardent pursuit of retro-mindedness, MAGA America would indeed be close to Russia – which is the true reason why America’s far right admires Putin.
May 21, 2024
Declining Trust In U.S. Institutions
The alarming numbers are not just a reflection of the corrosive effect that Donald Trump has on U.S. democracy. What are the facts?
May 20, 2024
Food From Thin Air? The Future
Scientists all around the world are developing revolutionary food substitutes – ranging from the strange to the bizarre.
May 18, 2024
The Carbon Footprint of AI
The AI revolution meets the energy transition. What are the facts?
May 15, 2024
Empathetic AI: Panacea or Ethical Problem?
Millions of people are turning to specialist therapy chatbots for mental health support. But AI tools could potentially do more harm than good.
May 11, 2024
Indebted to China
China has become the largest source of development finance globally. What are the facts?
May 8, 2024
Erdogan’s Golden Opportunity
Turkey’s President Erdogan could have emerged from the Israel-Hamas war as a peacemaker.
May 6, 2024
Remembering the Dead: We Must Do More
World Press Freedom Day and the legacy of Daphne Caruana Galizia reminds us of the urgency of fighting corruption and supporting civil society activists.
May 4, 2024
India: The Biggest Elections In Human History Using Risky AI Tools
Elections in the world's most populous country are a litmus test for how AI can be used to influence democracy.
May 3, 2024
Questions and Answers: The U.S. Decision to Provide Ukraine With ATACMS
The delivery of long-range "ATACMS" missiles to Ukraine could be a game changer.
April 29, 2024
Post Doom Scrolling Trauma (“PDST”)
Reflections on life in the age of discriminate algorithms beaming up social markers of identity, brand, humor and sympathy.
April 27, 2024
Hard Working Germany?
Lost working days due to sickness have caused the German economy to stagnate. What are the facts?
April 23, 2024
Orban’s Delusions of Grandeur
Hungary’s leader is wasting his money – but feverishly dreams of a Europe of mono-ethnic, nationalist, Christian patriarchal nations.
April 20, 2024
How India Slides Back
From press freedom to gender equality, India is going in the wrong direction. What are the facts?
April 16, 2024
How India Rises
India is making improvements in many areas affecting the lives of millions. What are the facts?
April 16, 2024
Countering Western Self-Righteousness
In an interview with the BBC, Guyana's President Mohamed Irfaan Ali pushed back powerfully against Western virtue-signalling on climate change.
April 12, 2024
The Struggle To Control Post-War Gaza
Aid is at the core of the Israeli-Palestinian fight about Gaza’s future. Its population of 2.3 million is largely a pawn in the cynical battle for control.
April 9, 2024
Announcing: The Stoltenberg Prize for NATO Resuscitation
The Western alliance was long considered moribund. No longer. It is not even a secret what – or rather who – did the trick.
April 6, 2024
EU Defense Spending: The Numbers
Faced with an aggressive Russia, EU governments have pledged to increase defense spending. What are the facts?
April 4, 2024
Brother, Can You Spare Some Food?
Plus: A recipe for cheap Moroccan-style chickpea soup.
March 30, 2024
Mission: Stop Iran In Its Tracks
Can the United States create a strategic alliance ranging from the Gulf to the Mediterranean to counter Iran’s ambitions?
March 23, 2024
Germany and a European Nuclear Deterrence Capability
German caution and hesitancy are mostly to blame for the lack of progress in developing a European nuclear deterrent. This must change.
March 21, 2024
The Biden (Non-Chaos) Interregnum Might End
If things go his way, Donald Trump would become only the second U.S. President to be elected to two non-consecutive terms.
March 19, 2024
Arab Solidarity? Brittle at Best
Gaza as a lightning rod for mounting frustration and discontent in Arab autocracies.
March 17, 2024
Russia’s Assets In the West Must Be Seized and Sent To Ukraine
The aim of the Western financial system should not be to serve authoritarian kleptocrats. The question is not whether Russia should pay, but how to make it pay.
March 13, 2024
The U.S.’s Best German Ally? The Greens
Anybody who would have predicted that the Green Party would ever become the U.S.’s best political ally in Germany would have been described as insane.
March 10, 2024
German Self-Righteousness and the European Battle Over Energy Policy
Germany loves to sit on its moral high horse and, when it believes to recognize misconduct, quickly resorts to condescension and public lecturing.
March 8, 2024
Chancellor Scholz Snubs Germany’s Key Allies
Olaf Scholz feels free to make public claims about British and French strategy that are generally regarded as military secrets.
March 1, 2024
Tennis Balls Against the Future
How the closed-mindedness of German soccer fans explains the country’s great reluctance to accept change of any kind.
February 26, 2024
A Sordid Centennial: Hitler’s Trial in 1924 and Trump’s Trials Today
The 100th anniversary of Adolf Hitler’s 1924 trial for treason summons direct parallels to Donald Trump’s upcoming trial for insurrection.
February 22, 2024
Puff Goes the Magic Dragon of Wokeism
Contrary to the claims of its promoters, the religion of wokeism has led to the marginalization of the essential work required to maintain and improve democracy.
February 21, 2024
Navalny’s Death and the Continuing Global Fight Against the Power of Corruption
The murder of Alexei Navalny is a wake-up call to provide more support to valiant campaigners fighting against corruption.
February 17, 2024
Will the West Fall Like Ancient Rome?
Are the Chinese the new barbarians, intent on triggering the fall of the West? Or is China risking internal failure?
February 16, 2024
China and the End of the American Dream
Why Donald Trump might get elected President again in 2024.
February 12, 2024
Extinction Of the Middle Powers? Lessons From Canada
Canada, like other middle powers on the world stage, is struggling with the new global order that gives multilateralism less clout.
February 8, 2024
Donald Trump Vs. the U.S. Constitution
The U.S. Supreme Court’s responsibility in light of Trump’s many transgressions is an occasion to invoke the dictum "the Constitution is not a suicide pact."
February 6, 2024
A 18th Century’s French Economist and Xi Jinping’s China
François Quesnay explained why he and the other “Physiocrats” regarded imperial China as the ideal kingdom. No wonder Xi Jinping must like that view.
February 4, 2024
Emerging Global Anarchy?
Many speculate that leadership of the world order is passing from the U.S. to China. But a more likely outcome could be growing world political disorder and anarchy.
January 30, 2024
The UN to the Rescue?
Why the world should pay attention to the 2025 UN conference on Financing for Development.
January 22, 2024
Ecuador: A Nation On the Brink
Can the attempt to unravel Ecuador’s gang violence succeed?
January 20, 2024
Cryptocurrencies Soar, Governments Lose
The rise of cryptocurrencies reflects the public's loss of trust in governments and the global financial system.
January 13, 2024
Paperless China?
The abolition of paper is in full swing in the country that invented it.
January 7, 2024
The Charge Sheet Against Netanyahu
13 reasons why Benjamin Netanyahu must go before he causes further irreversible harm to Israel.
January 4, 2024
The Fragmentation of Nations? Our Stage-Setter for 2024
Is the world moving into an age of economic stagnation and price inflation?
January 2, 2024
The Colombian Love Affair With Uniforms
The disillusionment in Colombia with the state's security sector which fails to adequately protect its citizens creates a national tendency to believe in the safety of uniforms.
December 28, 2023
Beauty Never Dies
Human beings crave beauty. Why then are we often failing to create surroundings that could serve our wellbeing and social cohesion?
December 24, 2023
Stephan Richter On NPR: Why Germany’s Economic Backbone Is Saying “Auf Wiedersehen”
How contemporary Germany is mostly living off the fumes of its past reputation: A conversation with Marketplace Morning Report's David Brancaccio.
December 21, 2023
Sakharov and Where Russia Went Wrong
After the end of any authoritarian regime, the future development of the country in question hinges on whether or not opposition forces come to power. Russia is a prime example.
December 16, 2023
The Gaza War and the Moral Rectitude of Western Democracies
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict’s role in undermining the moral backbone and pillars of democracy goes far beyond Western support for Israel in Gaza.
December 13, 2023
Gaza: Dividing the Wheat From the Chaff Among Religious Leaders
The Gaza war constitutes a litmus test for Muslim and Jewish religious leaders on whether they can rise above the fray and adopt humanitarian and morally defendable positions.
December 11, 2023
The World That Bush Built
The often overlooked factor that definitely changed the global equation for the worse is the ignorance and bombast of George W. Bush and his presidency.
December 7, 2023
2027: The Year World War III Begins?
Destination Taiwan? Why Emperor Xi could be tempted to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army in 2027 with an invasion.
December 4, 2023
Deportations From Pakistan: The Political Dimension
Are we dealing with yet another Afghan refugee crisis? Or an ongoing one?
November 25, 2023
Arab and Muslim Leaders Put Limited Influence and Differences On Display
Arab and Muslim leaders' dithering and delay to call an "emergency" meeting to discuss Israel’s assault on Gaza exposed their limited ability to influence developments.
November 16, 2023
Putin’s Russia and Trump’s U.S.: Converging in Resentment?
Russians are frustrated because they lost the Cold War. But why would right-of-center Americans, long proud to be the victors, feel a similarly deep resentment?
November 8, 2023
Debt and Migration: Does Germany Need a New Consensus?
Germany needs to take major decisions on migration and fiscal policy soon.
November 6, 2023
The Breakdown In Israeli-Palestinian Relations: Where Do We Go From Here?
The horrific massacre that Hamas perpetrated against innocent Israelis offers an unprecedented opportunity to reach an Israeli-Palestinian peace which has eluded both sides for 75 years.
November 4, 2023
Emotions Fuel Gaza War and Bury Hopes of Israeli-Palestinian Peace
The dominance of emotions produces an environment in which one atrocity justifies another, and reinforces Israeli and Palestinian demonization of one another.
October 15, 2023
I Have a Dream: Netanyahu Has a Way Out
This plan means taking an enormous risk. But it is also the only hope to end the vicious cycle that has plagued the region for three-quarters of a century.
October 12, 2023
Hamas’ Brutal Attack Could Have Been Avoided
Hamas's brutal attack occurred under the “watch“ of the most militant government in Israel’s history – and has proven its ineptitude and that ignoring the Palestinian problem will happen at Israel’s peril.
October 12, 2023
The Battle Over Taiwan
Presidential elections in Taiwan and the U.S. in 2024 could add some spice to the geopolitical battle over Taiwan.
October 8, 2023
Blowing Up Trump’s Brand and Finances
Who are you going to believe – Trump or your own eyes?
October 2, 2023
Why Europe Is Yesterday’s Hero
Europe is a weak link in the West’s security and will likely remain self-absorbed and a marginal player in world politics.
September 27, 2023
Welcome to Sweden: An Avid Solo Traveler’s Paradise
Camping in Sweden is glorious and brings out all the good qualities within myself. Just watch out for the mosquitoes!
September 23, 2023
Italy’s Culture Wars: A General Weighs In
A right-wing book captures popular dissatisfaction – and indirectly hits at Giorgia Meloni’s pragmatic course.
September 17, 2023
Germany: Increasingly Mimicking Italy‘s Economy? Or Eventually Turkey’s?
Today’s Germany may be threatened with what doomed Italy in the 1980s – a profound failure to adapt to a vastly changed world.
September 15, 2023
Switzerland To Act Against Dirty Cash?
Swiss authorities say they want to stop their banks laundering the cash of tax-evading tycoons, international gangsters and oligarchs. But a heavy dose of skepticism is needed.
September 12, 2023
Feeding Jupiter and His Harem of Chickens
How I put the circular economy into action – and created a lot of social interaction. An end-of-summer reflection from France's Dordogne.
September 9, 2023
Ukraine: The Case for Restricted Geozones
Western and other interested governments should enforce no-fly zones over Ukraine in order to protect objects (such as nuclear power plants) that are of strategic concern to their countries.
September 7, 2023
British Looting, Revisited
Few plunders by Western countries are more glaring than Britain’s looting of the Parthenon marbles from Greece’s Acropolis.
September 3, 2023
How Ron DeSantis Makes the Case for Bidenomics
Almost everything Ron DeSantis promises in his new plan – higher growth, more energy production and easing inequality – is already happening under Joe Biden.
August 29, 2023
Vladimir Putin, Global Despot: The Globalist’s Top Ten
A selection of articles exploring the Russian leader and the country he rules.
August 27, 2023
NATO and the “Orban-Exit”
Why it is high time for NATO to offer Putin to withdraw from at least one ex-communist country in Eastern Europe – Orban’s Hungary.
August 17, 2023
Absolute Poverty Rises Amid Debt Distress and Corruption
New humanitarian approaches are vital instead of IMF austerity.
August 7, 2023
What Russia’s Wagner Group Can Teach NATO
Russia’s unending series of war crimes warrant a more determined answer from Western nations.
July 26, 2023
Regretting Brexit: Has the UK Seen the Error of Its Ways?
British voters now say that they would vote to rejoin the EU in a new referendum. But don’t hold your breath.
July 25, 2023
Understanding the Ukraine Conflict: The Globalist’s Top Ten
As Putin's and Russia's war in Ukraine rages on, we present our top ten features exploring the conflict, its causes and its effects.
July 11, 2023
The Power of Diasporas In the Age of Globalization
Diasporas worldwide are increasingly gaining importance. The States of origin seek to control them as they are an essential element of the new geopolitical landscape for powers with global aspirations.
July 8, 2023
The U.S. Faces Its Greatest Peril Since the Civil War
Republicans who claim to put country before party must rise up along with their Democratic colleagues to save the United States from Donald Trump.
July 3, 2023
Is AI Creating Your Food and Drink?
How artificial intelligence is being utilized to monitor crop production and design food and drink products – and a very refreshing recipe for Nimbu soda.
July 1, 2023
Greece: A Vote for Stability, Growth and Reforms
A second term for Kyriakos Mitsotakis is not just good news for Greece. It also sends important signals to Europe.
June 28, 2023
End of the Ukraine War?
Reflections on the possible benefits of Prigozhin's March to Justice – and an important precedent from modern Chinese history.
June 26, 2023
The Many Dimensions of Adam Smith
Every ideological movement has a penchant to “cloth” itself in earlier writers and to appropriate some of their aura. Adam Smith is a prime example.
June 22, 2023
Adam Smith: Economic Philosopher for the 21st Century
The 18th century Scottish philosopher of the Enlightenment can provide us with important impulses for central economic policy issues of the future.
June 18, 2023
Erdogan: Repositioning at Home and Abroad
In a twist of irony, Gulf state support for Erdogan, despite his Islamist leanings, may be driven as much by economics as geopolitics.
June 13, 2023
War In Ukraine: Putin Can’t Win — But the US Can Lose
The destruction of the Kakhovka dam demonstrates that Russia is resorting to increasingly desperate measures. The question is how the West will respond.
June 11, 2023
Corruption: The Global Killing Machine
Corruption so often reflects extraordinary greed and an unquenchable lust for power. If unchecked, it also produces death on a vast scale.
June 6, 2023
Wars of Conquest: Mexico 1846 and Ukraine 2022 Compared
Why conquest in the 21st century is no longer an acceptable form of behavior from adults.
June 3, 2023
US Default?
Instead of hungering for power and party control, U.S. politicians should be hungering for solutions to the economic problems that vex the country.
May 27, 2023
Hirschman to the Rescue: How Political Should Companies Be?
What is the proper way for businesses to interact with the political process?
May 21, 2023
A New “Washington Consensus”: A Holy Grail?
Despite the attempt by the U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan to come up with a new “Washington Consensus,” the very real question is this: Can one even imagine a new consensus?
May 17, 2023
Why Turkey’s Elections Matter Globally
Turkish voters must not forget Erdogan’s evil deeds.
May 12, 2023
Germany’s “China Connection“ Revisited
There is a huge gap between German business interests in the People's Republic of China and Germany’s national economic interest.
May 10, 2023
Saudi Arabia’s New Geostrategic Doctrine
The resumption of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran signals the Saudis’ reassessment of their geostrategic interests.
May 4, 2023
China’s Fear of the Freedom Virus
The West has lost much of its credibility and charisma, but democracy and freedom are still the political gold standard that all autocrats fear.
April 24, 2023
Re-Globalization, Seriously?
Modernizing the trade system to meet 21st century challenges requires moving beyond the WTO’s consensus system.
April 20, 2023
Italy: Why Meloni Keeps Her Mussolini Heritage Locked Up
The umbilical cord that connects Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to the Italian fascist dictator Benito Mussolini is indisputable. And yet, umbilical cords always get cut.
April 14, 2023
Experiencing the UK In Freefall (Not a Brexit Story)
Skydiving has evolved into a global phenomenon. It contains some risk, but the experience is an epic one.
April 8, 2023
China’s Media and Information Warfare
One of Beijing’s goals globally is to promote its model of technology-enabled authoritarianism. Democracies ought to share best practices on how to respond.
April 6, 2023
EU: Trade War or Systemic Competition With the US?
Germany, the erstwhile champion in green technologies, still has not focused on the real challenge posed by the U.S. That challenge does not lie in subsidies.
April 3, 2023
A Short Sketch of German History After 1945
Olaf Scholz’s “Zeitenwende“ was already the third such epochal change event in the country’s history since the end of WWII.
February 2, 2023
Yet New Forms of Inequality
While the world has largely focused on economic inequality in the past, the will to play God and use technologies to edit human beings opens up a potentially dark frontier.
January 29, 2023
Trump: The Big Lie and the Big Rip-Off
How Donald Trump scammed his supporters to pocket hundreds of millions.
January 18, 2023
After Qatar: A Roadmap for Activists
Is it true that reputation laundering or sports washing is why autocrats host big sports events?
January 13, 2023
Is Trump Above the Law?
What sets democracy apart from autocracy is that no citizen is above the law.
November 23, 2022
Brazil: The Global Benefits of Bolsonaro‘s Defeat
Bolsonaro’s election loss gives hope to climate change advocates in the battle to protect the Amazon rainforest.
November 17, 2022
Nine Acres in Athens: Democracy’s Rise (and Fall)
As a veteran newspaper reporter with only a rudimentary education in the classics, visiting Athens fed my fascination with democracy’s long struggle in the era of Xi, Putin and Erdogan.
November 6, 2022
Who is Rishi Sunak?
Brexit will swallow its fifth Prime Minister as Sunak, the hedge fund PM, fails.
October 27, 2022
How Europe Sidelines Itself in World Politics
Reflections on leading European nations in deep domestic trouble, including a Germany that apparently can only think of itself.
October 25, 2022
Xi Jinping’s Contradictory Choices for China’s Future
As China’s President enters his third term, his political preferences directly undermine the economic achievements he envisions for his country for its 2049 centennial.
October 15, 2022
Meloni: Mussolini’s Come Back in Italy?
Giorgia Meloni is a cynical, quick-lipped, unmarried mother who speaks French and passable English. She is many things, but she is not a female Mussolini.
September 27, 2022
Liz Truss: Presiding Over the Sick Man of Europe
Liz Truss will have to deal with problems no UK prime minister has faced since Churchill took over as the German panzers were breaking through to arrive at the French coast in June 1940.
September 4, 2022
Needed: A Clear German Stance Toward China
Why the German government needs a new and tougher policy toward an increasingly aggressive China.
August 9, 2022
Bottled Water: How Pure Is It?
Microplastics from plastic water bottles can be found everywhere — in meat and dairy products, fish, human blood and even close to the summit of Mount Everest.
August 7, 2022
Deepening Transatlantic Cooperation
The world faces many challenges. More intense cooperation between the United States and the EU can help solve them.
August 4, 2022
Big Food Biz Vs. the Amazon Rain Forest
How to buy meat responsibly, plus: A recipe for Ossobuco.
July 7, 2022
Is Russia Fascist?
No previous fascism made it past its youth. This one is a late-stage fascism. It necessarily takes some styles and structures from late-stage Soviet Communism.
July 5, 2022
Stephan Richter on NPR: The Case for Moving to Germany
Comparing the cost of living in Europe to the U.S. A conversation with Marketplace Morning Report’s David Brancaccio.
February 15, 2018
Stephan Richter on NPR: How World Leaders Feel About President Trump
President Trump’s “America First” policy raised eyebrows at the World Economic Forum in Davos. A conversation with Marketplace Morning Report’s David Brancaccio.
January 23, 2018
The Trump House: Season 5
Is it season 5 already? Have we really milked it this much? Yes and hell yes!
May 20, 2017
The Trumps and the Fuggers
The Trumps want to become a dynasty like the Fugger family. Are they in the same league? Get the fugg outta here!
April 16, 2017
The Trump House: Season 3
Politics. Drama. Horror. Television doesn’t get any better than this.
March 26, 2017
Germany’s Past: From Shame to Fascination?
Not long ago, Germans shunned their country’s past. Now, they are far more open-eyed.
March 18, 2017
The Trump House: Season 2
A new reality TV show has gripped global audiences. Season 2 is almost here.
March 6, 2017
The Booming Global Arms Trade
Remember the "peace dividend"? The world, it seems, can never have enough weapons.
March 3, 2017
The Trump House: Season 1
A proposed new reality TV show could transform how we view American politics.
February 18, 2017
Ireland and Brexit: Behind the Facade
How ordinary Irish people think Brexit will affect the Republic of Ireland.
January 26, 2017
Different Under Trump? Why Russia Grates Americans So Much
The reemergence of US's erstwhile counterpart from the bipolar world order is an uncomfortable reminder that the presumed age of American hegemony is history.
December 28, 2016
Global Upheaval: The Sad New Normal
Instead of strengthening and stabilizing institutions, we are allowing them to fall.
December 23, 2016
UK Media and Brexit: A Responsibility Not to Misinform?
Press freedom is vital for democracy. But as the UK has proven, mass media also have the responsibility to be truthful.
October 26, 2016
EU Defense Cooperation: Threat or Benefit for NATO?
Britain has long opposed an EU defense identity fearing it would undermine NATO. Post Brexit, the remaining 27 members can forge ahead.
October 12, 2016
The EU and the German Risk
Germany is not just a core member of the EU, it is the core member. Being the EU’s biggest asset also means it is its Achilles heel.
September 22, 2016
The West and War: Culture Driving Conflict
When the world’s dominant culture exalts war, it is no wonder there is so much of it.
September 9, 2016
With Trump Elected, Quo Vadis Europe?
Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential election is a wake up call for Europe to get its act together.
November 19, 2024
Decriminalizing Adultery in South Sudan
Why ending any form of patriarchal control is imperative to realize both human rights and gender justice in Africa and beyond.
November 8, 2024
Democracy, If You Can Keep It
The importance of civic education and lifelong engagement in strengthening democracy.
November 8, 2024
Why I Choose to Live on a Floating Island of Garbage
If Puerto Rico is a floating island of garbage, at least it is healthy, smart, educated, democratic and culturally sophisticated garbage.
November 5, 2024
21st Century America’s Perverse Desire for an Absolute Monarch
While Europe has distanced itself from its earlier monarchical traditions, the U.S. retains a political system which grants the President many traits of a monarch to this day.
November 4, 2024
Eight Trump Foreign Policy Disasters U.S. Voters Should Keep in Mind
It is well known that Americans prioritize economic and social issues when they go to the voting booth. But Donald Trump’s record of foreign policy failure deserves to be factored in more as voters cast their ballots.
November 3, 2024
Sinwar’s Death Presents a New Challenge to Israel and Hamas
The death of Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind behind the savage October 7 attack that led to the Gaza war, presents a new challenge to Netanyahu and Hamas. Both now face a new reality they cannot wish away.
October 28, 2024
Grave Challenges for the German Economy: 14 Facts
Germany's structural economic weaknesses in a global context of trade, innovation and climate change.
October 27, 2024
Stephan Richter On NPR: Could Trump’s Comments About German Carmakers Have Sway?
Trump wants German carmakers to “become American car companies.” How would that work exactly? A conversation with Marketplace Morning Report’s David Brancaccio.
October 26, 2024
Trump’s Rubicon
Though separated by 2,000 years, the uncanny parallels between Donald Trump and Julius Caesar continue to become more apparent.
October 26, 2024
Will Greece Break the Mold of 21st Century European Politics?
While Greece has resisted the rise of extremist and nationalist politics seen elsewhere in Europe, it faces significant internal challenges – including political fragmentation and the need for effective leadership.
October 23, 2024
Trump and Hitler: How Accurate a Comparison?
Along with many others, Republican vice-presidential nominee JD Vance has reportedly pondered at least once whether Trump would be America’s Hitler.
October 21, 2024
The Global History of the Peach
Peach cultivation goes back thousands of years. The story of its spread is a remarkable journey from China to India and from Spain to the Americas.
October 20, 2024
Decision 2024: Why Does Trump Get Away With So Many Lies?
What does it say about the state of civics in the United States if a former U.S. President, and possible future one, has no compunction to lie ever more grotesquely?
October 18, 2024
How Russia Invades Germany
German politicians and the German public at large have long underestimated or even downplayed the danger posed by Russia’s disinformation war against their country.
October 15, 2024
What We Are Made of: Blood, Guts — and Plastics
The packaging of the food that we consume is poisoning us with chemicals. We should move toward natural alternatives to safeguard human health and the environment.
October 12, 2024
Trump Means To Weaponize the Justice Department
Trump means what he says. If elected, he will weaponize Justice to jail his enemies and will empower the police to use violence.
October 11, 2024
Canada: What Explains Justin Trudeau’s Long Goodbye?
Is the Canadian Prime Minister’s refusal to leave office a symptom of hubris? Or does he have a legitimate hope for a turnaround?
October 9, 2024
The Four Roots of the Israel-Hamas Conflict
Hamas’ attack and Israel’s retaliatory war are the dire by-products of decades-long psychological impediments — historical, ideological, religious and humanitarian. They have hindered any progress toward a solution while making the conflict ever more intractable.
October 6, 2024
Is This 2016 All Over Again?
Is the upcoming November U.S. presidential election shaping up to be a repeat of the 2016 battle between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton?
October 2, 2024
The Battle Over U.S. Inflation and Its Real Cause
For all the focus on inflation ahead of the November U.S. presidential election, the debasement of the U.S. currency is the root of the U.S. cost of living crisis. And that is a bipartisan issue.
September 23, 2024
Michel Barnier: Succeed, Muddle Through or Forced to Resign?
France’s ancien régime no longer works, but everybody wonders what comes next.
September 20, 2024
Deciphering Putin’s NATO Blame Game
All the reasons why Putin wrongly blames NATO for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
September 18, 2024
Macron, the Underrated and the Misunderstood
For most of political Europe, Emmanuel Macron calling parliamentary elections earlier this year reflected his penchant for high-risk action. The contrary is true — it revealed him to be a cool, calculating realist.
September 16, 2024
Remembering the Costs of September 11
The September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, D.C. changed not only the United States forever. They also had global consequences that are felt to this day.
September 11, 2024
Meet Michel Barnier, France’s Prime Minister-Designate
Michel Barnier, 73, is the politician for all seasons in France. Emmanuel Macron has reached out to him to be France’s Prime Minister.
September 6, 2024
Needed: An Electricity Market Design to Meet Germany’s Climate Goals
Mr. Habeck’s new power market design runs counter to the German government’s stated ambition of contributing to a functioning European energy market.
September 4, 2024
Iran in Context
Modern Iran's roots go back to one of the world's most ancient civilizations. How does it compare to the contemporary Middle East?
September 3, 2024
Neutralizing Iran’s Nuclear Threat Without Force or Sanctions
The U.S. and Israel must develop a new strategy that factors in the possibility that Iran will become a nuclear power but renders it futile without using force or sanctions while creating a sustainable regional security order.
August 30, 2024
Hinduism: A Global Perspective
Hinduism is the third-largest religion worldwide, with approximately 1.2 billion Hindus in many different countries. Facts in a global context.
August 27, 2024
Are Most Women Predisposed to Lead More Ethically?
Exploring the links between gender, morality and power.
August 25, 2024
Kamala Harris Has Momentum… But Still Faces An Uphill Fight
Harris’ historic candidacy as a mixed-race woman cuts two ways, inspiring some voters and alienating others.
August 21, 2024
China’s Graduate Flood
China’s young generation is getting frustrated. They work very hard on a good education – and increasingly end up unemployed.
August 19, 2024
Oh Lord, Just Give Me a … Sorbet
From sorbets to gelato and ice cream, the global history of frozen desserts — Plus: A recipe for Yellow Plum Sorbet.
August 17, 2024
Germany At the Tipping Point
Whether on education policy, energy policy, migration policy, technology policy, infrastructure policy or housing policy, Germany faces a host of unresolved problems.
August 16, 2024
Trump and Christ: Should Christians Fear Trump?
Trump’s Christian supporters see him as the Chosen One. Yet there are very few of the Ten Commandments Donald Trump has not yet violated.
August 14, 2024
Christianity: A Global Perspective
Christians make up almost a third of the global population and that number is expected to grow. Facts in a global context.
August 14, 2024
Russia-Ukraine: Could an Istanbul Deal Have Brought Peace?
The experience of the post-Soviet republics with security-related agreements with Moscow is such that the 2022 Russian-Ukrainian talks had little chance of success.
July 28, 2024
Will Trump Become a Victim of His Own Success?
Trump’s generally dismal record in business may offer the Democrats much-needed hope for their 2024 Presidential campaign.
July 23, 2024
U.S. Presidents Granted a License to Steal
The U.S. Supreme Court ruling may encourage grand corruption.
July 15, 2024
China: Conquering Global Science
China has emerged as a powerhouse of innovation and is rapidly dominating the world in science and technology. What are the facts?
July 15, 2024
Cooperating With Iran’s President-elect Pezeshkian Will Far Outweigh the Risks
The election of the reformist Masoud Pezeshkian as Iran’s president augurs well for the Iranian people and for relations between the West and Iran.
July 12, 2024
France and Coalition Governments
While most European countries favor them, France has an aversion to coalition governments. Eight facts to put you in the know.
July 10, 2024
An Independence Day Reflection
Is the United States on the verge of a major civil transition?
July 4, 2024
Will American Monetocracy Ever Come to an End?
The U.S. is increasingly becoming a nation devoted to the religion of money – run by an ever-smaller group of elites who control it.
July 2, 2024
The Domestic Political Economy of Germany’s Debt Brake
If the current German government wants to reform Germany’s debt brake rules, there is only one realistic path forward. It must resign.
June 26, 2024
Myanmar: From Failed State to Total Collapse?
The tide of the war in Myanmar is changing — and the world should be prepared for a junta collapse.
June 24, 2024
The Population Bust and the Market for “Stuff”
With populations now shrinking in many countries, we are looking towards a future in which the demand for goods is likely to be far from robust.
June 22, 2024
Muslims: A Global Perspective
Muslims make up around a quarter of the world's population. What are the facts?
June 18, 2024
Global Food Waste
Wasting precious food greatly contributes to climate change. What are the facts?
June 15, 2024
Macron/Le Pen: Cohabitation in France?
Another possibility is that France may also end up with a hung parliament, in which neither the far-right nor the left nor centrist forces could muster a majority.
June 13, 2024
What’s Next for Israel?
After Gantz’s resignation, Netanyahu’s options are trying to hold on, forming a new government or new elections.
June 12, 2024
Putin and the Long Shadow of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
D-Day marked the beginning of the end of Hitler’s empire. But with Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, it also underscores that the job begun in Normandy eighty years ago remains only half-done.
June 5, 2024
Giorgia Meloni’s Italy
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni epitomizes modern European right-wing populism. We present some pivotal facts about the country she leads.
June 3, 2024
France and Germany: Putin Says Cпасибо (“Thank You”)
Did Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to Germany alter the not so charitable assessment about the state of Franco-German relations in any meaningful way?
June 1, 2024
Sizing Up Taiwan
China has its eyes set on swallowing Taiwan. As the small, but vibrant island nation rises in importance on the global agenda, we present some pivotal facts.
May 30, 2024
Scholz and Macron: The Battle of the Two (Mini-) Napoleons
Why do Olaf Scholz and Emmanuel Macron lock horns so fiercely?
May 27, 2024
The U.S and Israel: Right to Self Defense
Separating right from wrong in U.S. and Israeli responses to the brutality of terrorism.
May 26, 2024
Beyond Slovakia: The New Politics of Hate Takes Root In Europe
So far, today’s European politicians have not risen to the challenge of building a tolerant inclusive Europe. Might Robert Fico see the light?
May 23, 2024
Why Trump Supporters Love Putin
In its ardent pursuit of retro-mindedness, MAGA America would indeed be close to Russia – which is the true reason why America’s far right admires Putin.
May 21, 2024
Declining Trust In U.S. Institutions
The alarming numbers are not just a reflection of the corrosive effect that Donald Trump has on U.S. democracy. What are the facts?
May 20, 2024
Food From Thin Air? The Future
Scientists all around the world are developing revolutionary food substitutes – ranging from the strange to the bizarre.
May 18, 2024
The Carbon Footprint of AI
The AI revolution meets the energy transition. What are the facts?
May 15, 2024
Empathetic AI: Panacea or Ethical Problem?
Millions of people are turning to specialist therapy chatbots for mental health support. But AI tools could potentially do more harm than good.
May 11, 2024
Indebted to China
China has become the largest source of development finance globally. What are the facts?
May 8, 2024
Erdogan’s Golden Opportunity
Turkey’s President Erdogan could have emerged from the Israel-Hamas war as a peacemaker.
May 6, 2024
Remembering the Dead: We Must Do More
World Press Freedom Day and the legacy of Daphne Caruana Galizia reminds us of the urgency of fighting corruption and supporting civil society activists.
May 4, 2024
India: The Biggest Elections In Human History Using Risky AI Tools
Elections in the world's most populous country are a litmus test for how AI can be used to influence democracy.
May 3, 2024
Questions and Answers: The U.S. Decision to Provide Ukraine With ATACMS
The delivery of long-range "ATACMS" missiles to Ukraine could be a game changer.
April 29, 2024
Post Doom Scrolling Trauma (“PDST”)
Reflections on life in the age of discriminate algorithms beaming up social markers of identity, brand, humor and sympathy.
April 27, 2024
Hard Working Germany?
Lost working days due to sickness have caused the German economy to stagnate. What are the facts?
April 23, 2024
Orban’s Delusions of Grandeur
Hungary’s leader is wasting his money – but feverishly dreams of a Europe of mono-ethnic, nationalist, Christian patriarchal nations.
April 20, 2024
How India Slides Back
From press freedom to gender equality, India is going in the wrong direction. What are the facts?
April 16, 2024
How India Rises
India is making improvements in many areas affecting the lives of millions. What are the facts?
April 16, 2024
Countering Western Self-Righteousness
In an interview with the BBC, Guyana's President Mohamed Irfaan Ali pushed back powerfully against Western virtue-signalling on climate change.
April 12, 2024
The Struggle To Control Post-War Gaza
Aid is at the core of the Israeli-Palestinian fight about Gaza’s future. Its population of 2.3 million is largely a pawn in the cynical battle for control.
April 9, 2024
Announcing: The Stoltenberg Prize for NATO Resuscitation
The Western alliance was long considered moribund. No longer. It is not even a secret what – or rather who – did the trick.
April 6, 2024
EU Defense Spending: The Numbers
Faced with an aggressive Russia, EU governments have pledged to increase defense spending. What are the facts?
April 4, 2024
Brother, Can You Spare Some Food?
Plus: A recipe for cheap Moroccan-style chickpea soup.
March 30, 2024
Mission: Stop Iran In Its Tracks
Can the United States create a strategic alliance ranging from the Gulf to the Mediterranean to counter Iran’s ambitions?
March 23, 2024
Germany and a European Nuclear Deterrence Capability
German caution and hesitancy are mostly to blame for the lack of progress in developing a European nuclear deterrent. This must change.
March 21, 2024
The Biden (Non-Chaos) Interregnum Might End
If things go his way, Donald Trump would become only the second U.S. President to be elected to two non-consecutive terms.
March 19, 2024
Arab Solidarity? Brittle at Best
Gaza as a lightning rod for mounting frustration and discontent in Arab autocracies.
March 17, 2024
Russia’s Assets In the West Must Be Seized and Sent To Ukraine
The aim of the Western financial system should not be to serve authoritarian kleptocrats. The question is not whether Russia should pay, but how to make it pay.
March 13, 2024
The U.S.’s Best German Ally? The Greens
Anybody who would have predicted that the Green Party would ever become the U.S.’s best political ally in Germany would have been described as insane.
March 10, 2024
German Self-Righteousness and the European Battle Over Energy Policy
Germany loves to sit on its moral high horse and, when it believes to recognize misconduct, quickly resorts to condescension and public lecturing.
March 8, 2024
Chancellor Scholz Snubs Germany’s Key Allies
Olaf Scholz feels free to make public claims about British and French strategy that are generally regarded as military secrets.
March 1, 2024
Tennis Balls Against the Future
How the closed-mindedness of German soccer fans explains the country’s great reluctance to accept change of any kind.
February 26, 2024
A Sordid Centennial: Hitler’s Trial in 1924 and Trump’s Trials Today
The 100th anniversary of Adolf Hitler’s 1924 trial for treason summons direct parallels to Donald Trump’s upcoming trial for insurrection.
February 22, 2024
Puff Goes the Magic Dragon of Wokeism
Contrary to the claims of its promoters, the religion of wokeism has led to the marginalization of the essential work required to maintain and improve democracy.
February 21, 2024
Navalny’s Death and the Continuing Global Fight Against the Power of Corruption
The murder of Alexei Navalny is a wake-up call to provide more support to valiant campaigners fighting against corruption.
February 17, 2024
Will the West Fall Like Ancient Rome?
Are the Chinese the new barbarians, intent on triggering the fall of the West? Or is China risking internal failure?
February 16, 2024
China and the End of the American Dream
Why Donald Trump might get elected President again in 2024.
February 12, 2024
Extinction Of the Middle Powers? Lessons From Canada
Canada, like other middle powers on the world stage, is struggling with the new global order that gives multilateralism less clout.
February 8, 2024
Donald Trump Vs. the U.S. Constitution
The U.S. Supreme Court’s responsibility in light of Trump’s many transgressions is an occasion to invoke the dictum "the Constitution is not a suicide pact."
February 6, 2024
A 18th Century’s French Economist and Xi Jinping’s China
François Quesnay explained why he and the other “Physiocrats” regarded imperial China as the ideal kingdom. No wonder Xi Jinping must like that view.
February 4, 2024
Emerging Global Anarchy?
Many speculate that leadership of the world order is passing from the U.S. to China. But a more likely outcome could be growing world political disorder and anarchy.
January 30, 2024
The UN to the Rescue?
Why the world should pay attention to the 2025 UN conference on Financing for Development.
January 22, 2024
Ecuador: A Nation On the Brink
Can the attempt to unravel Ecuador’s gang violence succeed?
January 20, 2024
Cryptocurrencies Soar, Governments Lose
The rise of cryptocurrencies reflects the public's loss of trust in governments and the global financial system.
January 13, 2024
Paperless China?
The abolition of paper is in full swing in the country that invented it.
January 7, 2024
The Charge Sheet Against Netanyahu
13 reasons why Benjamin Netanyahu must go before he causes further irreversible harm to Israel.
January 4, 2024
The Fragmentation of Nations? Our Stage-Setter for 2024
Is the world moving into an age of economic stagnation and price inflation?
January 2, 2024
The Colombian Love Affair With Uniforms
The disillusionment in Colombia with the state's security sector which fails to adequately protect its citizens creates a national tendency to believe in the safety of uniforms.
December 28, 2023
Beauty Never Dies
Human beings crave beauty. Why then are we often failing to create surroundings that could serve our wellbeing and social cohesion?
December 24, 2023
Stephan Richter On NPR: Why Germany’s Economic Backbone Is Saying “Auf Wiedersehen”
How contemporary Germany is mostly living off the fumes of its past reputation: A conversation with Marketplace Morning Report's David Brancaccio.
December 21, 2023
Sakharov and Where Russia Went Wrong
After the end of any authoritarian regime, the future development of the country in question hinges on whether or not opposition forces come to power. Russia is a prime example.
December 16, 2023
The Gaza War and the Moral Rectitude of Western Democracies
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict’s role in undermining the moral backbone and pillars of democracy goes far beyond Western support for Israel in Gaza.
December 13, 2023
Gaza: Dividing the Wheat From the Chaff Among Religious Leaders
The Gaza war constitutes a litmus test for Muslim and Jewish religious leaders on whether they can rise above the fray and adopt humanitarian and morally defendable positions.
December 11, 2023
The World That Bush Built
The often overlooked factor that definitely changed the global equation for the worse is the ignorance and bombast of George W. Bush and his presidency.
December 7, 2023
2027: The Year World War III Begins?
Destination Taiwan? Why Emperor Xi could be tempted to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army in 2027 with an invasion.
December 4, 2023
Deportations From Pakistan: The Political Dimension
Are we dealing with yet another Afghan refugee crisis? Or an ongoing one?
November 25, 2023
Arab and Muslim Leaders Put Limited Influence and Differences On Display
Arab and Muslim leaders' dithering and delay to call an "emergency" meeting to discuss Israel’s assault on Gaza exposed their limited ability to influence developments.
November 16, 2023
Putin’s Russia and Trump’s U.S.: Converging in Resentment?
Russians are frustrated because they lost the Cold War. But why would right-of-center Americans, long proud to be the victors, feel a similarly deep resentment?
November 8, 2023
Debt and Migration: Does Germany Need a New Consensus?
Germany needs to take major decisions on migration and fiscal policy soon.
November 6, 2023
The Breakdown In Israeli-Palestinian Relations: Where Do We Go From Here?
The horrific massacre that Hamas perpetrated against innocent Israelis offers an unprecedented opportunity to reach an Israeli-Palestinian peace which has eluded both sides for 75 years.
November 4, 2023
Emotions Fuel Gaza War and Bury Hopes of Israeli-Palestinian Peace
The dominance of emotions produces an environment in which one atrocity justifies another, and reinforces Israeli and Palestinian demonization of one another.
October 15, 2023
I Have a Dream: Netanyahu Has a Way Out
This plan means taking an enormous risk. But it is also the only hope to end the vicious cycle that has plagued the region for three-quarters of a century.
October 12, 2023
Hamas’ Brutal Attack Could Have Been Avoided
Hamas's brutal attack occurred under the “watch“ of the most militant government in Israel’s history – and has proven its ineptitude and that ignoring the Palestinian problem will happen at Israel’s peril.
October 12, 2023
The Battle Over Taiwan
Presidential elections in Taiwan and the U.S. in 2024 could add some spice to the geopolitical battle over Taiwan.
October 8, 2023
Blowing Up Trump’s Brand and Finances
Who are you going to believe – Trump or your own eyes?
October 2, 2023
Why Europe Is Yesterday’s Hero
Europe is a weak link in the West’s security and will likely remain self-absorbed and a marginal player in world politics.
September 27, 2023
Welcome to Sweden: An Avid Solo Traveler’s Paradise
Camping in Sweden is glorious and brings out all the good qualities within myself. Just watch out for the mosquitoes!
September 23, 2023
Italy’s Culture Wars: A General Weighs In
A right-wing book captures popular dissatisfaction – and indirectly hits at Giorgia Meloni’s pragmatic course.
September 17, 2023
Germany: Increasingly Mimicking Italy‘s Economy? Or Eventually Turkey’s?
Today’s Germany may be threatened with what doomed Italy in the 1980s – a profound failure to adapt to a vastly changed world.
September 15, 2023
Switzerland To Act Against Dirty Cash?
Swiss authorities say they want to stop their banks laundering the cash of tax-evading tycoons, international gangsters and oligarchs. But a heavy dose of skepticism is needed.
September 12, 2023
Feeding Jupiter and His Harem of Chickens
How I put the circular economy into action – and created a lot of social interaction. An end-of-summer reflection from France's Dordogne.
September 9, 2023
Ukraine: The Case for Restricted Geozones
Western and other interested governments should enforce no-fly zones over Ukraine in order to protect objects (such as nuclear power plants) that are of strategic concern to their countries.
September 7, 2023
British Looting, Revisited
Few plunders by Western countries are more glaring than Britain’s looting of the Parthenon marbles from Greece’s Acropolis.
September 3, 2023
How Ron DeSantis Makes the Case for Bidenomics
Almost everything Ron DeSantis promises in his new plan – higher growth, more energy production and easing inequality – is already happening under Joe Biden.
August 29, 2023
Vladimir Putin, Global Despot: The Globalist’s Top Ten
A selection of articles exploring the Russian leader and the country he rules.
August 27, 2023
NATO and the “Orban-Exit”
Why it is high time for NATO to offer Putin to withdraw from at least one ex-communist country in Eastern Europe – Orban’s Hungary.
August 17, 2023
Absolute Poverty Rises Amid Debt Distress and Corruption
New humanitarian approaches are vital instead of IMF austerity.
August 7, 2023
What Russia’s Wagner Group Can Teach NATO
Russia’s unending series of war crimes warrant a more determined answer from Western nations.
July 26, 2023
Regretting Brexit: Has the UK Seen the Error of Its Ways?
British voters now say that they would vote to rejoin the EU in a new referendum. But don’t hold your breath.
July 25, 2023
Understanding the Ukraine Conflict: The Globalist’s Top Ten
As Putin's and Russia's war in Ukraine rages on, we present our top ten features exploring the conflict, its causes and its effects.
July 11, 2023
The Power of Diasporas In the Age of Globalization
Diasporas worldwide are increasingly gaining importance. The States of origin seek to control them as they are an essential element of the new geopolitical landscape for powers with global aspirations.
July 8, 2023
The U.S. Faces Its Greatest Peril Since the Civil War
Republicans who claim to put country before party must rise up along with their Democratic colleagues to save the United States from Donald Trump.
July 3, 2023
Is AI Creating Your Food and Drink?
How artificial intelligence is being utilized to monitor crop production and design food and drink products – and a very refreshing recipe for Nimbu soda.
July 1, 2023
Greece: A Vote for Stability, Growth and Reforms
A second term for Kyriakos Mitsotakis is not just good news for Greece. It also sends important signals to Europe.
June 28, 2023
End of the Ukraine War?
Reflections on the possible benefits of Prigozhin's March to Justice – and an important precedent from modern Chinese history.
June 26, 2023
The Many Dimensions of Adam Smith
Every ideological movement has a penchant to “cloth” itself in earlier writers and to appropriate some of their aura. Adam Smith is a prime example.
June 22, 2023
Adam Smith: Economic Philosopher for the 21st Century
The 18th century Scottish philosopher of the Enlightenment can provide us with important impulses for central economic policy issues of the future.
June 18, 2023
Erdogan: Repositioning at Home and Abroad
In a twist of irony, Gulf state support for Erdogan, despite his Islamist leanings, may be driven as much by economics as geopolitics.
June 13, 2023
War In Ukraine: Putin Can’t Win — But the US Can Lose
The destruction of the Kakhovka dam demonstrates that Russia is resorting to increasingly desperate measures. The question is how the West will respond.
June 11, 2023
Corruption: The Global Killing Machine
Corruption so often reflects extraordinary greed and an unquenchable lust for power. If unchecked, it also produces death on a vast scale.
June 6, 2023
Wars of Conquest: Mexico 1846 and Ukraine 2022 Compared
Why conquest in the 21st century is no longer an acceptable form of behavior from adults.
June 3, 2023
US Default?
Instead of hungering for power and party control, U.S. politicians should be hungering for solutions to the economic problems that vex the country.
May 27, 2023
Hirschman to the Rescue: How Political Should Companies Be?
What is the proper way for businesses to interact with the political process?
May 21, 2023
A New “Washington Consensus”: A Holy Grail?
Despite the attempt by the U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan to come up with a new “Washington Consensus,” the very real question is this: Can one even imagine a new consensus?
May 17, 2023
Why Turkey’s Elections Matter Globally
Turkish voters must not forget Erdogan’s evil deeds.
May 12, 2023
Germany’s “China Connection“ Revisited
There is a huge gap between German business interests in the People's Republic of China and Germany’s national economic interest.
May 10, 2023
Saudi Arabia’s New Geostrategic Doctrine
The resumption of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran signals the Saudis’ reassessment of their geostrategic interests.
May 4, 2023
China’s Fear of the Freedom Virus
The West has lost much of its credibility and charisma, but democracy and freedom are still the political gold standard that all autocrats fear.
April 24, 2023
Re-Globalization, Seriously?
Modernizing the trade system to meet 21st century challenges requires moving beyond the WTO’s consensus system.
April 20, 2023
Italy: Why Meloni Keeps Her Mussolini Heritage Locked Up
The umbilical cord that connects Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to the Italian fascist dictator Benito Mussolini is indisputable. And yet, umbilical cords always get cut.
April 14, 2023
Experiencing the UK In Freefall (Not a Brexit Story)
Skydiving has evolved into a global phenomenon. It contains some risk, but the experience is an epic one.
April 8, 2023
China’s Media and Information Warfare
One of Beijing’s goals globally is to promote its model of technology-enabled authoritarianism. Democracies ought to share best practices on how to respond.
April 6, 2023
EU: Trade War or Systemic Competition With the US?
Germany, the erstwhile champion in green technologies, still has not focused on the real challenge posed by the U.S. That challenge does not lie in subsidies.
April 3, 2023
A Short Sketch of German History After 1945
Olaf Scholz’s “Zeitenwende“ was already the third such epochal change event in the country’s history since the end of WWII.
February 2, 2023
Yet New Forms of Inequality
While the world has largely focused on economic inequality in the past, the will to play God and use technologies to edit human beings opens up a potentially dark frontier.
January 29, 2023
Trump: The Big Lie and the Big Rip-Off
How Donald Trump scammed his supporters to pocket hundreds of millions.
January 18, 2023
After Qatar: A Roadmap for Activists
Is it true that reputation laundering or sports washing is why autocrats host big sports events?
January 13, 2023
Is Trump Above the Law?
What sets democracy apart from autocracy is that no citizen is above the law.
November 23, 2022
Brazil: The Global Benefits of Bolsonaro‘s Defeat
Bolsonaro’s election loss gives hope to climate change advocates in the battle to protect the Amazon rainforest.
November 17, 2022
Nine Acres in Athens: Democracy’s Rise (and Fall)
As a veteran newspaper reporter with only a rudimentary education in the classics, visiting Athens fed my fascination with democracy’s long struggle in the era of Xi, Putin and Erdogan.
November 6, 2022
Who is Rishi Sunak?
Brexit will swallow its fifth Prime Minister as Sunak, the hedge fund PM, fails.
October 27, 2022
How Europe Sidelines Itself in World Politics
Reflections on leading European nations in deep domestic trouble, including a Germany that apparently can only think of itself.
October 25, 2022
Xi Jinping’s Contradictory Choices for China’s Future
As China’s President enters his third term, his political preferences directly undermine the economic achievements he envisions for his country for its 2049 centennial.
October 15, 2022
Meloni: Mussolini’s Come Back in Italy?
Giorgia Meloni is a cynical, quick-lipped, unmarried mother who speaks French and passable English. She is many things, but she is not a female Mussolini.
September 27, 2022
Liz Truss: Presiding Over the Sick Man of Europe
Liz Truss will have to deal with problems no UK prime minister has faced since Churchill took over as the German panzers were breaking through to arrive at the French coast in June 1940.
September 4, 2022
Needed: A Clear German Stance Toward China
Why the German government needs a new and tougher policy toward an increasingly aggressive China.
August 9, 2022
Bottled Water: How Pure Is It?
Microplastics from plastic water bottles can be found everywhere — in meat and dairy products, fish, human blood and even close to the summit of Mount Everest.
August 7, 2022
Deepening Transatlantic Cooperation
The world faces many challenges. More intense cooperation between the United States and the EU can help solve them.
August 4, 2022
Big Food Biz Vs. the Amazon Rain Forest
How to buy meat responsibly, plus: A recipe for Ossobuco.
July 7, 2022
Is Russia Fascist?
No previous fascism made it past its youth. This one is a late-stage fascism. It necessarily takes some styles and structures from late-stage Soviet Communism.
July 5, 2022
Stephan Richter on NPR: The Case for Moving to Germany
Comparing the cost of living in Europe to the U.S. A conversation with Marketplace Morning Report’s David Brancaccio.
February 15, 2018
Stephan Richter on NPR: How World Leaders Feel About President Trump
President Trump’s “America First” policy raised eyebrows at the World Economic Forum in Davos. A conversation with Marketplace Morning Report’s David Brancaccio.
January 23, 2018
The Trump House: Season 5
Is it season 5 already? Have we really milked it this much? Yes and hell yes!
May 20, 2017
The Trumps and the Fuggers
The Trumps want to become a dynasty like the Fugger family. Are they in the same league? Get the fugg outta here!
April 16, 2017
The Trump House: Season 3
Politics. Drama. Horror. Television doesn’t get any better than this.
March 26, 2017
Germany’s Past: From Shame to Fascination?
Not long ago, Germans shunned their country’s past. Now, they are far more open-eyed.
March 18, 2017
The Trump House: Season 2
A new reality TV show has gripped global audiences. Season 2 is almost here.
March 6, 2017
The Booming Global Arms Trade
Remember the "peace dividend"? The world, it seems, can never have enough weapons.
March 3, 2017
The Trump House: Season 1
A proposed new reality TV show could transform how we view American politics.
February 18, 2017
Ireland and Brexit: Behind the Facade
How ordinary Irish people think Brexit will affect the Republic of Ireland.
January 26, 2017
Different Under Trump? Why Russia Grates Americans So Much
The reemergence of US's erstwhile counterpart from the bipolar world order is an uncomfortable reminder that the presumed age of American hegemony is history.
December 28, 2016
Global Upheaval: The Sad New Normal
Instead of strengthening and stabilizing institutions, we are allowing them to fall.
December 23, 2016
UK Media and Brexit: A Responsibility Not to Misinform?
Press freedom is vital for democracy. But as the UK has proven, mass media also have the responsibility to be truthful.
October 26, 2016
EU Defense Cooperation: Threat or Benefit for NATO?
Britain has long opposed an EU defense identity fearing it would undermine NATO. Post Brexit, the remaining 27 members can forge ahead.
October 12, 2016
The EU and the German Risk
Germany is not just a core member of the EU, it is the core member. Being the EU’s biggest asset also means it is its Achilles heel.
September 22, 2016
The West and War: Culture Driving Conflict
When the world’s dominant culture exalts war, it is no wonder there is so much of it.
September 9, 2016