Political turmoil in 2016 can be traced back to the 2008 financial crisis
Dec 28, 2016 15:21 pm UTC| Insights & Views Economy Politics
How would you rate and characterise 2016 in economic terms? It was obviously an extremely difficult year for many countries, including South Africa. From a South African point of view, the challenges are clearly...
Universal basic income: the dangerous idea of 2016
Dec 28, 2016 01:24 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics Law
The resurrection of universal basic income (UBI) proposals in the developed world this year gained support from some prominent Australians. But while good in theory, its no panacea for the challenges of our modern...
In a world of 24-7 entertainment, art, sport and politics are the poorer
Dec 27, 2016 07:02 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics
Historically, entertainment was a vehicle for a meaningful activity, like a ritual or ceremony. In more recent times, it has become associated with amusement or diversion, consistent with the French notion of...
Basic income is a radical idea bound for the political mainstream – here's why
Dec 25, 2016 05:00 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics Economy
An idea gaining traction in various part of the world is that everyone in society should receive an amount of money from the state to cover their basic cost of living. People would no longer be stigmatised on benefits,...
Why Berlin Christmas market attack puts new pressure on Angela Merkel
Dec 21, 2016 11:09 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics
A juggernaut ploughed into a crowded Christmas market in Berlin city centre on the evening of December 19, killing at least 12 people and injuring at least 48. Minister of the interior Thomas de Maizière said that...
Three radical political experiments for a new age of extremes
Dec 21, 2016 10:51 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics
Historian Eric Hobsbawm famously called the 20th century an age of extremes, one characterised by polarising ideological battles fought in the name of nationalism. Whether fascism, communism, or Western capitalism,...
Should Paraguay allow its presidents to be reelected?
Dec 21, 2016 06:04 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics
Like the United States and Europe, most Latin American countries permit their presidents or prime ministers to be reelected, either consecutively (as in Brazil and Argentina) or after alternating out of office (as in...