Opinion

The American left has a romantic self-conception as a movement of the masses. But its actual strength is concentrated in the minority of the population that is highly educated. This tension has led to an odd dynamic: To put it bluntly, the fewer people paying attention, the better the left does. Consider last week’s election in New York City, which ...

As the European Union’s leaders gather in Brussels to take stock of the bloc’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the feel-good narrative is gathering steam. The shambolic start to vaccine distribution is a distant memory, with about half the EU’s population having received at least one dose. Cafes, restaurants and retailers are filling up again in Paris, Berlin and Rome ...

How will we know if inflation is making a comeback? Most economists are focused on the price of commodities, wages, and other basic goods and services. But history suggests they might want to keep an eye on a related phenomenon that often escapes notice: so-called “shrinkflation.” This practice became increasingly common in the 1960s and 1970s, when manufacturers confronting runaway ...

A company’s reputation is to all intents largely perception — but to get it to a better place, the reality has to be somewhat altered. No major bank’s reputation this year has suffered more this year than Credit Suisse Group AG. Incoming chair Antonio Horta-Osorio is tasked with restoring the Swiss institution to its former poise. But he doesn’t actually ...

A Black ex-cop who takes a strident tone against rising gun violence is likely to be the next mayor of New York City. As unlikely as this may seem to outsiders, especially after a year of protests over police killings of Black men, the success of Eric Adams should not come as a surprise. That’s because Black voters in the ...

In the wake of the meeting between Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin last week, British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace mooted the possibility of a summit between Boris Johnson and Putin — provided the Russian president ceases “malign activity.” France and Germany were hoping to resume Russia-EU summitry to reset relations with the bloc. The confrontation off the coast of Crimea ...

The US has traditionally been a nation of optimists about technology. But just when the world seems poised for a technologically-driven productivity boom, Americans have acquired a dour outlook about the march of progress. Growing fears that not everyone will share in the benefits is leading to resistance that threatens to hold the nation back. Recapturing the bold attitudes of ...

In a 5-4 decision with important implications for class actions and for Congress’s ability to authorise lawsuits of all kinds, the Supreme Court has rejected the idea that violation of a statute can ever be enough grounds for a lawsuit unless it comes with a more concrete “injury in fact” to potential plaintiffs. Corporate defendants and the corporate bar will ...

Mukesh Ambani’s rivals should be relieved, though perhaps not too much. The petrochemicals czar has just told shareholders that he’s undertaking his life’s “most challenging” mission by investing 750 billion rupees ($10 billion) in clean power and fuel over three years. It doesn’t appear to be a big capital commitment from India’s most powerful businessman, certainly not when he’s just ...

It’s been five years since UK citizens voted to exit the European Union and almost 200 days since they belatedly departed. The decision looks to be working in the UK’s favour — at least on the surface. The economy will grow 6.4% in 2021, second-best among the Group of Eight developed countries, followed by a G-8 leading 5.4% gain in ...