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If GDP per capita in USA, EU, China, India was to converge then ...
2010 GDP (PPP)(1) Population (2) $ billion in billion ppl EU 15,203 0.500 USA 14,526 &nbs...
Kiss the European Social Model goodbye!
Fellow EUropeans and EUROpeans, if Greece "falls" we can all kiss the European Social Model (eventually) goodbye. For the per capita GDP of USA, EU, China and India to converge, guess who is going to kiss his/her quality of life goodbye. Factor in...
The German people need and deserve ...
The German people need and deserve to be exposed to alter points of view! To realise what is doing the German taxpayer good and what not. One could argue that the reasons that the Greeks must be austeritised is to justify the past and future "social...
Germany 2012 AD - Athens 470 BC
The role and effect a) of Germany in the Eurozone and b) of Athens in the Delian League. Compare and contrast.NickPthinks on business, EU policy, socio-economics and systemics in Europe. North America and the world...
Instead of the EU using its 500,000,000 Internal Market ...
Instead of the EUrope using its 500,000,000 Internal Market (albeit a tad internally dysfunction 19 years after launch) as a huge negotiations chip in bilateral trade deals it's engaged in intra-EU blame each other "games".NickPthinks on business, EU...
Instead of Merkel soliciting money from China ...
Instead of Merkel soliciting money from China, she should be proposing EU exit from WTO which China has flooded with cheap prdocts via inter alia a Yuan policy and focus on existing and new bilateral deals of the EU with other countries or free trade...
Liberal democracy in the UK and the Netherlands - LibDems and VDD - D66
In the Netherlands, the VVD part is a member of a very "conservative" government coalition between CDA-VVD with the support of the PVV. Some argue its the most conservative government in the Netherlands in 60 years. The UK's Liberal Democrats are a...
Have modern Europeans forgotten the lessons from WWI and WWII?
In the 20th the "precious asset" was know-how (the "how to do"), In the 21st it is philosophy (the "why do", watch my vlog (on YouTube): "A key difference between the 20th and 21st centuries: From "How?" to "Why"", 1 min 46 seconds) In the first 11...
The EU as a system and can one policy fit all?
Has EU regional policy helped make Portugal, Spain, Ireland, Greece, South Italy more competitive inside the EU Single Market? But then how can most be competitive in the Single Market with a Euro worth 1.3, 1.4, 1.5 USD? ECB policy undermined EU Re...
Looking for a new version of Capitalism in the Alps!
IMO capitalism is the system where money capital plays the central role, borne out of the capital intensive industry Now that the majority of economic activity in most of the West is Services related, a new system is needed, one with money capital...
The faults of capitalism lie in faults in Western thinking
1) "Davos elites to seek reforms of 'outdated' capitalism" is the title of a report (via AFP) in France24.com. "Capitalism in its current form, has no place in the world around us" says the founder and host of the Davos World Economic Forum. 2)...
Where is Doha these days? Not the city, the round!
Has anyone heard anything recently of the WTO Doha Round? Has it been lost somewhere in the ocean (Pacific or Atlantic)? Many many months ago, it was announced that the 10 year old round of WTO talks looked most unlikely to conclude and that a "Doh...
Free what? The myth of (WTO) "free trade"
WTO trade is free-er world trade compare to some decades ago. Not free. Tariffs are allowed especially by developing countries and the BRICs plus most countries of the WTO have hidden/tricky barriers to trade (imports). Especially the pro free trade...
Lobbying or Public Affairs? Putting the Public back in Public Affairs.
Intro: This is a compilation of some thoughts I tweeted today on the role of public affairs in corporate strategy planning, of the merger of public affairs and communications, the effect of mass media and social media on public affairs and public pol...
How balanced is globalisation in 2012?
World wide web, global social media, global finance, global warming, world trade. Where is the world/global parliament?NickPthinks on business, EU policy, socio-economics and systemics in Europe. North America and the world...
What the SMEs need should be key factor in what the EU needs!
Among the main results of a study on the essential contribution of SMEs on job creation presented by the European Commission is that "85% of net new jobs1 in the EU between 2002 and 2010 were created by small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). This...
SOPA, PIPA and more or less globalisation?
In the world of the near future, the idea you express, the song you sing, the story you tell, etc has to be your own or you pay to use it. Why? Read below! Here is a selection of the thoughts I expressed on the subject during many Twitter debates an...
If .... then .... else! Ancient Greece, USA, Europe
If the city-states of Ancient Greece had united into one entity, the History of the world 450 BC - present would be different If the states of America were not united & thus had not joined WWI and WWII, the history of the world 1914-present woul...
2012: A reminder to European leaders and policy makers (countries and EU)
What European companies need is a single market, single currency & a single political entity in Europe, especially the SMEs (the real economy).NickPthinks on business, EU policy, socio-economics and systemics in Europe. North America and the world...
What is behind the Hollywood sign and the Merkozy plan?
20 months ago Angela Merkel visited Hollywood and the area behind the famous Hollywood sign. Read the reportage by Der Spiegel (in English, 15/4/10), especially the exchange between her and Simon Baker, the Aussie star of the US TV series The Mental...
