The Fall of France – Paul Krugman – NYTimes.com

Looking back over some of my most popular blogs, I think this is worth a read

Dr Alf's Blog

Paul Krugman, Laureate of the Sveriges Riksban... Paul Krugman, Laureate of the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel 2008 at a press conference at the Swedish Academy of Science in Stockholm (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This is a MUST-READ article from Nobel Prize winning, liberal economist, Paul Krugman, in the NYT. Check it out!

via The Fall of France – NYTimes.com.

Personally, I prefer Krugman when he focuses on economics, rather than venturing opinion on politics – his politics are colored by his liberal views. But his article on France’s economic performance yesterday was excellent.

However, I must say that I agree that President Hollande has been a failure. Hollande has completely failed to live up to his anti-austerity rhetoric.

In my mind, we are witnessing German hegemony over Europe, via fiscal constraints. A similar point has been made by leading Oxford economist, Simon Wren-Lewis, using different language.

As…

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Immigration: The Polish paradox | The Economist

Looking back over some of my most popular blogs, I think this is worth a read

Dr Alf's Blog

European Union European Union (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This is a good article from the Economist, looking at Polish immigration into UK. Check it out!

via Immigration: The Polish paradox | The Economist.

Personally, I believe that the EU’s policy of free migration across Europe is good for Europe economically. It encourages greater competition and drives down inflation in labor costs. My own experience of Poles, Bulgarians and Rumanians is that they are prepared to work very hard indeed and are willing to take jobs that the indigenous population regard as beneath them.

It will be the millennials across Europe who will feel the greatest competition from the Bulgarians & Romanians, following the lifting of EU immigration restrictions in January, 2014.

How should responsible Governments respond to the political and social pressures of immigration? Any thoughts?

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