Skip to main content

James Livingston

James Livingston

7 commentaries

James Livingston, Professor Emeritus of History at Rutgers University, is the author of six books, including Origins of the Federal Reserve System: Money, Class, and Corporate Capitalism, 1890-1913 (Cornell University Press, 1986), and the forthcoming The Intellectual Earthquake: How Pragmatism Changed the World, 1898-2008 (University of Chicago Press).

Sort by: Show:
  1. What Was Capitalism?
    op_livingston4_PolinmrGetty Images_capitalism money Polinmr/Getty Images

    What Was Capitalism?

    Feb 16, 2024 James Livingston asks whether those at the commanding heights of today's economy are steering us toward feudalism or fatuousness.

  2. Neoliberal Minority Rule
    livingston3_GIORGIO VIERAAFP via Getty Images_desantistrumpflorida Giorgio Viera/AFP via Getty Images

    Neoliberal Minority Rule

    Nov 1, 2023 James Livingston says that the question is no longer how, but whether, free markets can serve democracy’s cause.

  3. Men Overboard
    op_livingston3_Kevin DietschGetty Images_joshhawley Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

    Men Overboard

    Aug 11, 2023 James Livingston explores the unspoken tragedy at the heart of conservatives' fixation on defending patriarchy.

  4. The Sense of an Ending
    op_livingston2_Beata ZawrzelNurPhoto via Getty Images_capitalisamprotest Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images

    The Sense of an Ending

    Mar 10, 2023 James Livingston surveys the intellectual terrain created by the transition from capitalism as we have come to know it.

  5. The Contested Fed
    op_livingston1_Anna MoneymakerGetty Images_fed Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

    The Contested Fed

    Dec 2, 2022 James Livingston reviews three books that, each in its own way, reveal a central truth about the world’s leading central bank.

  1. ghosh77_MANDEL NGANAFP via Getty Images_ajaybanga Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

    The “Billions to Trillions” Charade

    Jayati Ghosh explains why using development banks' resources to incentivize private-sector finance is unlikely to succeed.
  2. aljasser1_SEYLLOUAFP via Getty Images_dakarairport Seyllou/AFP via Getty Images

    Leveraging Islamic Finance for Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure

    Muhammad Al Jasser shows how a hybrid financing model could help fund desperately needed projects in the developing world.
  3. GettyImages-1357300450

    Adekeye Adebajo on the Non-Aligned Movement, United Nations peacekeeping, African institution-building, and more

    Adekeye Adebajo argues that Israel’s war in Gaza is accelerating the trend toward global apartheid, highlights the strengths and weaknesses of United Nations peacekeeping missions, criticizes the militarization of US engagement with Africa, and more.
  4. alemanno1_MARCEL VAN HOORNANPAFP via Getty Images_debate MARCEL VAN HOORN/ANP/AFP via Getty Images

    Europe’s Non-European Elections

    Alberto Alemanno highlights structural flaws that impede the European Union’s ability to address its current and future challenges.
  5. almubarak1_In Pictures Ltd.Corbis via Getty Images_africawomancooking In Pictures Ltd./Corbis via Getty Images

    A Turning Point for Clean Cooking

    Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak & Joseph Nganga

    The models are in place to achieve clean cooking for all, which would have enormous benefits for the climate, health, and gender equality. Now rich-country governments, the private sector, and international organizations must agree to provide the necessary funding at this week’s IEA Summit on Clean Cooking in Africa.

    urge global leaders to provide the financing to end a practice with dire effects for health and the climate.
  6. qxu2_VCGVCG via Getty Images_chinashipping VCG via Getty Images

    Why the US Can’t Win the Trade War With China – and Shouldn’t Try

    Qiyuan Xu argues that high capital outflows – largely a result of US policy – have resulted in an undervalued renminbi.
  7. eichengreen190_Tomohiro OhsumiGetty Images_japanexchange Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images

    The Dilemmas of the Dollar

    Barry Eichengreen

    The dollar's strength, particularly against major Asian currencies, has triggered a wave of skittishness in financial markets. Can anything be done to stem the greenback's rise, and even if something can be done, should it?

    asks whether anything can or should be done about the greenback's strength, especially against Asian currencies.
  8. matola2_Per-Anders PetterssonGetty Images_malawi cooking Per-Anders Pettersson/Getty Images

    Clean Cooking Advances Women’s Empowerment

    Rachel Ruto outlines a gender-based strategy for improving energy access and reducing air pollution in Africa.
  9. kirtondarling1_Andreas RentzGetty Images_european green new deal Andreas Rentz/Getty Images

    There Can Be No Business as Usual for European Industry

    Judith Kirton-Darling urges EU leaders to make a renewed Green Deal, backed by competitiveness-bolstering initiatives, a top priority.

Edit Newsletter Preferences

Set up Notification

To receive email updates regarding this {entity_type}, please enter your email below.

If you are not already registered, this will create a PS account for you. You should receive an activation email shortly.