Robin Hood Tax

Here you can find a great video in defence of the so called "Robin Hood Tax". Doesn´t it really make sense? What would be the arguments against it?

A sign of restraint

A $9m bonus is now seen as a sign of restraint...

Wolf from Davos with right comments on the crisis

Here are some reflections from Martin Wolf on the current state of the world economy. A couple of particularly interesting points:

a. For those of us that prefer the European social-democratic model to any other, it is painful to see how badly the EU manages its macroeconomy. An excessive concentration on stability and a lack of any kind of coordination between poor and rich countries could lead into a permanent recessionary environment in several countries (including Spain).

b. After a year of significant expansionary programs, why are we rolling them back so quickly?

c. Will most Latin American countries really follow a V-shape trajectory? What will happen with Mexico and Central America, which face significant external weaknesses?

Samir Nair on the unjustice of history

Samir Nair argues in El Pais that the last year has shown a political paradox (he talks about "the ingratitude of history"). The financial crisis has demonstrated the weakness of globalization, but the anti-globalization movement has been unable to capitalize and to build a real political response. I think the paradox is even larger than he argues: why hasn´t the world seen more social mobilization and more protests in the last year? Why are we all accepting the expansion of profits in the financial system AND growing austerity measures, when both have been the result of the programs to support the banking sector (programs that were, in my view, needed). One wonders if this is just a result of a growing structural weakness of trade unions and social movements all over the world...