British, French, and German leaders and bureaucrats realised after World War II that only an economically stable ‘United States’ of Europe would guarantee peace, says Kyran Fitzgerald.

There is the risk of another global economic recession in the next few years, though entral banks may manufacture a soft landing, and it’s best to be prepared, warns Eddie Hobbs

John Maynard Keynes had a plan that was ahead of its time. A few updates and the global economy would be much healthier, writes Yanis Varoufakis

Millions are spent each year on promoting neoliberal ideas worldwide. JP O’Malley reads between the lines of a subtle example of this. 

In 2010, the Troika imposed a program of what is politely termed ‘fiscal adjustment’ on Greece, which, by the IMF’s own admission at the time would be “tough, difficult and painful’.

Julian Baggini’s mission is to make us think about what we eat and to learn more about it by exposing some of our absurd beliefs about food production, sourcing and cooking. Tony Clayton-Lea enjoyed the repast.

With oil prices on a seemingly never-ending slide, China, Europe, and, Indeed, Ireland wait to see the ramifications, writes Kyran FitzGerald.

The Biggest Battle of the Second World War — Fought Behind Closed Doors

A famous quote attributed to the great British economist John Maynard Keynes goes, "when the facts change, I change my mind". It would seem that Bank of England governor Mark Carney takes a similar view.

Mark C. Nolan, €30

‘Abenomics’, a mix of fiscal and monetary expansion together with structural reforms, is helping to revive Japan’s stagnant economy and, while some question its sustainability, at least it has helped lift morale, says Kyran Fitzgerald

In his 1936 book The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money back-in-fashion economist John Maynard Keynes used the phrase “animal spirits” to describe the emotions that shape human behaviour and the feelings that can be measured in terms of consumer confidence.

Since 2008 we are living under the effects of the economic meltdown. The collapse of the international financial markets has revealed the problems that are at the heart of the global economy today.

LAST Sunday, at Béal na mBláth, Enda Kenny brought Vladimir Lenin to Ireland.

We were surprised when the tweet landed, from Jackie Cahill in Semple Stadium, bemoaning the fact that he counted approximately 100 people there to support Tipperary.

It was never envisaged the IMF would be needed to bail out a developed economy like Ireland’s. Michael Clifford reports on how its role has changed

WHEN it comes to solidarity, it’s hard to beat intercounty managers.

With bureaucratic infighting and misconceptions rampant, the EU faces huge challenges in 2012, writes George Soros

THE eurozone debt crisis may be as much about the heart as it is about the head — like a jilted lover, markets are just finding it hard to trust again.

THE First World War finally draws to a close next week when after 92 years of shouldering a crippling debt the Germans will make their final payment of wartime reparations to the Allies.

AS Charlie Haughey might have put it, I think there is some dissatisfaction with the (FF) leadership at the moment. Forty years ago, in the wake of the Arms Trial, the issue was policy; today, the grumblers claim their differences with the Taoiseach are presentational.

IF YOU have only read one economics book — and one is, understandably, too many for some people — it was probably Freakonomics.

IT’S been shown beyond doubt that a free market, with little or no regulation, is a recipe for disaster.

AS they say in the movies, we need to be afraid. Very afraid. There’s a story being told, and it’s a pretty frightening one.

Robert Heilbroner, an economist and the author of the best-selling book The Worldly Philosophers: The Lives, Times and Ideas of the Great Economic Thinkers, has died at 85.