Ever since Europe slid into crisis there has been talk that gold might be a way out. Why? Because of gold reserves held by various central banks. Italy, for example, could pay off a substantial part of its burdensome debt by unloading it gold stocks at current prices. And here is the rub: at current […]
December 2, 2011
When the well-known mainstream economist Nourial Roubini, a former adviser to the International Monetary Fund, quoted Karl Marx as perhaps being right about an inherent fault in the economic system, he caused a minor stir, but no real criticism. Because the inherent fault is one that is now generally acknowledged and is at the centre of the present — and ongoing — global economic crisis.
August 20, 2011
Produced for the Bulletin & Record (Zambia) Zambia — and different versions of the Zambian experience — has become a prime topic in South Africa’s increasingly strident debate about the possible nationalisation of the country’s mineral resources and, in particular, a range of older gold mines. In July, the claimed pros and cons of Zambia’s […]
August 10, 2011
Global financial markets, along with the other manipulated casino operations such as Stock Exchanges, are in a completely predictable crisis. This market monster is badly diseased and dangerous: how it should be slain, how to dispose of the corpse and how to build a real alternative is what we should now be debating.
July 24, 2011
With the decision in June by the South African Competitions Tribunal to allow WalMart to take control of the South African-based Massmart chain, the world’s largest retailer cleared the last of the major hurdles it faced to gain entry to African markets. And despite threats from trade unions and consumer groups that they would appeal […]
January 20, 2011
This chapter on the South African economy was written and submitted on August 3, 2007 for a proposed book. It was not published and the chapter was not submitted or published elsewhere. However, given developments to date this text may be of some interest to anyone concerned about economic developments in South Africa.
January 7, 2012
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