The feminisation of poverty is a global phenomenon whereby a greater proportion of women live in poverty than do men. Around 14 million people in the UK – 22 per cent of the population – are living in poverty (ONS, 2016). Within this group, 37 per cent are men, 40 per cent are women, and...Read More

Karl Marx’s prediction was that capitalism would lead to the numbers of wealthy property owners (the bourgeoisie) becoming smaller and smaller, while everyone else sank into an immiserated proletariat, which would eventually revolt to overthrow its masters and introduce a new socialist order. During the century after his death, his analysis was invalidated by two...Read More

Bob Savic says having recently consolidated their power domestically, both leaders should have a freer hand to cooperate and advance common goals, among them a resolution of the North Korea nuclear stand-off. China’s 19th Communist Party Congress ended with the inclusion of President Xi Jinping’s name and political thought into the party’s constitution, elevating his status as a...Read More

Former global energy competitors and geopolitical rivals in the Middle East and Central Asia, Russia and Saudi Arabia have been resolving their differences in order to build a long term strategic partnership. Recent backdrop to Russia-Saudi relations Following on from Saudi’s deputy Crown Prince and Defence Minister, Prince Mohammed’s visit to Moscow, in early 2017,...Read More

Former global energy competitors and geopolitical rivals in the Middle East and Central Asia, Russia and Saudi Arabia have been resolving their differences in order to build a long term strategic partnership. Recent backdrop to Russia-Saudi relations Following on from Saudi’s deputy Crown Prince and Defence Minister, Prince Mohammed’s visit to Moscow, in early 2017,...Read More

Brexit is the source of a great deal of uncertainty as far as the exit agreement is concerned. The British government has announced that it will trigger the procedure provided for by article 50 TEU on 29th March, but the commercial aspect of the negotiations is still subject to several strategic factors. Moreover, Theresa May’s...Read More

The outcome of the recent referendum on the question of Britain’s membership in the European Union has many important implications. These range from the exact modalities of Britain’s future relationship with the EU and other EU-member states, the free movement of labour on the continent, the continued stability of the UK housing market, financial services...Read More

The collapse of the Shanghai stock market at the end of August (a downward correction of 37% since 12th June) has brought back to the fore the inherent weaknesses in China’s current economic development. The country’s decreasing growth to 7% over the first six months of the year (with an annual forecast of 6.7% for...Read More

This paper utilises long term data series on short-term Japanese interest rates to identify historical changes in interest rate behaviour. Japanese trajectories are then compared to those of key foreign short-term rates and their relationship examined using cointegration analysis to assess the impact of international financial integration. The findings suggest that lasting changes began in...Read More

Atlanticists on both side of the pond have used the current standoff with Russia over Ukraine to reassert the centrality of NATO and of the transatlantic partnership. Continued interest in a united and purposeful West is a good thing, but the conceptual basis of the transatlantic relationship is outdated and in urgent need of overhaul....Read More