.png){kind=icon}
Politics in Developed States
- “The global power shift”
http://www.ted.com/talks/paddy_ashdown_the_global_power_shift.html(opens in a new window)
Several parts of the text have referenced the important 1944 Bretton Woods conference, held in New Hampshire that summer. Often described as a watershed moment in world economic history, the 1944 meetings still affect us today. Paddy Ashdown was a soldier in the British forces, an intelligence officer, a member of the British Parliament, and a foreign diplomat. He argues that, like that moment in 1944, we are now witnessing a drastic shift in power, which will affect global governance.
- “Canadian, U.S. military leaders agree on framework to retool Norad”
https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1584046147965(opens in a new window)
In 1957, Canada and the United States joined forces to create the North American Air Defence Command (later North American Aerospace Defence Command). This was the height of the Cold War, and suspicions about possible Soviet attacks were high on both sides of the border. Military leaders from Canada and the U.S. have come to an agreement on the nuts-and-bolts retooling of Norad.
- “The US Electoral College explained: why we don’t vote directly for a president”
http://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2012/sep/28/us-electoral-college-explained(opens in a new window)
One of the oddest parts of the US electoral system is the Electoral College. Americans do not elect their president directly; rather, they elect voters in the College, who then cast the vote directly for president on behalf of their home state. Harry Eten, US polling expert for British based guardian.com news, explains how the system works, its history, and political implications.
- “Japan’s Population Dilemma”
https://asiasociety.org/blog/asia/japans-population-dilemma(opens in a new window)
The number of babies born in Japan is declining faster than expected. Yet, although the declining birthrate threatens the sustainability of social security programs, some suggest that Japan’s population dilemma may also present opportunities. As this video conference from Asia Society suggests, as the number of Japanese workers exiting the labor force greatly exceeds the number of those entering it, virtually anyone in the coming years who wants a job can get one.
- “European economic crisis explained in three minutes”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldY2KfMI_tQ(opens in a new window)
In this irreverent video hosted by AbleEconomics on youtube.com, “experts” on finance sort through the massive economic crisis in Europe, only to stumble on some of the most important questions. Don’t expect deep analysis and background here, but some of the simple ideas are bandied about in a humourous, but nonetheless deeply concerning (!) way too.
- “Income Inequality and Poverty”
https://www.oecd.org/social/inequality-and-poverty.htm(opens in a new window)
Rising inequality is not only a threat to social cohesion, but it is also an economic concern. As this video produced by the OECD suggests, there is widespread concern that economic growth has not been fairly shared, and that the recent economic crisis has only widened the gap between rich and poor.