Auteur/autrice : Heidi Barathieu-Brun

Published on naked capitalism, by Yves Smith, July 21, 2014.

One way to induce a Pavlovian reflex in mainstream economists is to invoke the expression “free trade”. Conventional wisdom holds that more trade is always better; only Luddites and protectionists are against it. That’s one big reason why the toxic Trans Pacific Partnership TPP and its evil twin, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership TTIP, have gotten virtually no critical scrutiny, save from more free-thinking economists like Dean Baker. They have been sold as “free trade” deals and no Serious Economist wants to besmirch his reputation by appearing to be opposed to more liberalized trade.   Continuer la lecture de « More Challenges to “More ‘Free Trade’ is Always Better” Orthodoxy »

Video – The Ascent of Money: A Financial History by Niall Ferguson, Epsd. 1-5 FULL, 240.14 min, uploaded by Spirit of Revelation, Nov 7, 2011 (again a chance for those who have still not got it).

Other Links:   Continuer la lecture de « … rich, richer … poor, poorer … »

Published on The Bullet, Socialist Project’s E-Bulletin no. 1011, by Dan La Botz, July 17, 2014.

… Electoral Breakthrough?

In November 2013, the statistics seemed to be confirmed by the stunning victory of socialist Kshama Sawant in Seattle that attracted the attention of both the U.S. left and the major news media. The victory of Socialist Alternative candidate Sawant seemed to suggest that something might be changing politically in America. Now, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who openly calls himself socialist but is not a a member of any political party, says that he is considering a run for President of the United States, though he is not clear about whether he will run as an independent or a Democrat.   Continuer la lecture de « The Working Class and Left Politics: Back on the American Radar »

Published on RiaNovosti.ru, July 16, 2014.

The Stockholm District Court upheld Wednesday an arrest warrant issued for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on charges of rape and sexual molestation. The press statement, announcing the court’s decision, runs counter to what Assange’s team of lawyers aimed for, when they claimed that an arrest warrant issued in late 2010 has no grounds to remain in force. The legal team indicated that their client would appeal the decision, speaking to the press about the ruling … // Continuer la lecture de « Stockholm Court Upholds Arrest Warrant for WikiLeaks Founder Assange »

Published on PressTV.ir, by RS/HJL, July 17, 2014.

The BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) are giving a lead. It should be BRIIICS (the three “I”s are India, Indonesia and Iran). Yet, even that is unfair because many other countries now aspire to the freedom from Western domination and bullying that the BRICS association represents … // Continuer la lecture de « BRICS give a lead, but … »