Economic backwardness in Russia
Western sanctions after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have markedly changed the constitution of President Putin’s inner circle. This column argues that...
Opinion Pieces
The all-out aggression requires an all-out response
As the war in Ukraine enters its second year, the need for increased global support becomes more apparent. This column illustrates this need with two...
How the war is increasing inequality in Russia
The economic sanctions on Russia have had wide-ranging debilitating effects, from asset freezes to individuals’ travel bans and the dissolution of...
The economic toll of attacks on Ukraine’s power grid
Electricity blackouts caused by Russian rocket attacks on the power grid have become a daily occurrence in Ukraine. This column estimates the economic...
Flat tax reform in Ukraine: Lessons from Bulgaria
Developing a tax system which limits tax evasion is a key challenge for many emerging markets. This column argues that introducing a flat tax as a...
Ukraine’s wages and job loss trends during the war
Many statistical reports in Ukraine have been suspended since the start of Russia’s invasion, including on labour markets. This column uses wage...
Assessment of damages to Ukraine’s productive capacity
The ongoing war in Ukraine has resulted in large damages to both public infrastructure and private corporate assets. The extent of these damages will...
Total factor productivity growth: we need a new drug
Creating the innovations that drive total factor productivity (TFP) growth takes both ideas and firms that process those ideas into new products or...
Measuring Ukraine’s private consumption during the war
As Russia’s invasion continues to ravage many parts of Ukraine, the flow of official statistical data has been erratic. This column outlines an...
Restarting Ukraine’s agricultural exports
Russia has imposed a naval blockade on Ukraine, suffocating the country’s agricultural exports. The last time that Ukraine experienced an export...
Ukraine’s recovery challenge
The economic damage in Ukraine in the wake of Russia’s invasion is on a scale not seen in Europe since WWII. This column compares Ukraine’s economic...
The loss of human capital in Ukraine
School disruptions due to war, pandemics, or natural disasters can have persistent negative effects on learning outcomes. This column estimates the...
Facing the refugee challenge: a view from Moldova
The European Union and the International Monetary Fund have been deploying resources to help Moldova cope with an influx of refugees that represents...
Post-Corona balanced budget fiscal stimulus: The case for shifting taxes onto land
Land’s share in economies’ nonfinancial assets equals between 40% and 60%, and in the US currently equals over 50%. This constitutes a very large base...
Why some nations’ labour markets did better during the pandemic
Leaving human capital out of policy discussions might lead to incorrect inferences about which measures were most successful during the pandemic...
The new global tax deal arrives (but expect bumps ahead)
Nearly 140 countries have agreed to a new global tax deal, which was years in the making. Estonia, Hungary and Ireland, the last holdouts, joined the...
