Democratic backsliding and growth in Serbia In a previous article, I critiqued this year’s Nobel Prize for its institutional theory on development, highlighting Serbia as a case where economic gr
The myth of Yugoslavia living on debt
My recent article, published at LINKS to commemorate the anniversary of the founding of socialist Yugoslavia in 1943, has sparked criticism for allegedly being too apologetic. It is true that socia
The Long Retreat: Capitalism, Crisis, and the Left’s Challenge
Originally published at LINKS Boris Kagarlitsky, a prominent leftist thinker, political prisoner, and fierce critic of neoliberal capitalism, has consistently offered a critical lens on global capi
Whataboutism as a Marxist Tool: Challenging Hegemony and Rebuilding the Left
Whataboutism: A Marxist critique of hegemonic narratives Critics of whataboutism often accuse it of nihilism, relativism, or a lack of moral courage to take a “just” position. But this
Marx, Marginalism, and the True Nature of Capitalism
Karl Marx’s economic theory, despite being one of the most comprehensive critiques of capitalism, has often been criticized for lacking the mathematical rigor associated with modern economic anal
Great Disappointment Revisited: Neoliberal Capture During and After COVID-19
I was surprised to learn from my friend Pascale Delpeche, the widow of the outstanding Yugoslav writer Danilo Kiš (rumor has it he was once considered for the Nobel Prize in Literature but passed
The United Nations: Balancing High Ideals and Harsh Realities
October 24th marks United Nations Day, commemorating the moment in 1945 when the UN officially came into being, following the ratification of its Charter by the majority of signatories, including t
The Nobel Prize for Institutions: A Critique of Acemoglu and Robinson’s Framework
Introduction On the same day the Nobel Committee announced its decision to award the 2024 Nobel Prize in Economics to Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson, and James A. Robinson for their work on institut
A Class Analysis of Russia’s Imperialism
First published at LINKS International Journal of Socialist Renewal In his interview “Political imperialism, Putin’s Russia, and the need for a global left alternative,” Ilya Matveev
Boris Kagarlitsky: China and Russia in the modern world-system — A dual challenge
This is one of those unique cases when I republish someone else’s article. But I feel compelled to do so. The article is written by my co-author Boris Kagarlitsky, currently serving a 5-year