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Chris Patten

Chris Patten

Writing for PS since 2000
169 commentaries
3 videos & podcasts

Chris Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong and a former EU commissioner for external affairs, is Chancellor of the University of Oxford and the author of The Hong Kong Diaries (Allen Lane, 2022).

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  1. The New Threat to Free Speech
    patten169_EVARISTO SAAFP via Getty Images_twitter EVARISTO SA/AFP via Getty Images

    The New Threat to Free Speech

    Sep 19, 2024 Chris Patten highlights governments’ struggle to manage online extremism while upholding a fundamental right.

  2. The Enduring Lessons of Stalin’s Wartime Endgame
    patten168_PhotoQuestGetty Images_post ww2 PhotoQuest/Getty Images

    The Enduring Lessons of Stalin’s Wartime Endgame

    Aug 21, 2024 Chris Patten reflects on how the events leading up to the end of World War II helped shape today’s international order.

  3. Can Democracy Win in 2024?
    patten167_Ricky VigilGetty Images_keirstarmer Ricky Vigil/Getty Images

    Can Democracy Win in 2024?

    Jul 12, 2024 Chris Patten highlights the challenges mainstream parties face as they try to boost growth and improve public services.

  4. Britain’s Make-or-Break Election
    patten166_ Dan KitwoodGetty Images_uk election Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

    Britain’s Make-or-Break Election

    May 31, 2024 Chris Patten laments the absence of responsible leaders capable of addressing the country’s many daunting challenges.

  5. The West Must Not Let Putin Win
    patten165_Anastasia VlasovaGetty Images_ukraine war Anastasia Vlasova/Getty Images

    The West Must Not Let Putin Win

    Apr 29, 2024 Chris Patten implores the US and Europe to continue supporting Ukraine’s fight for freedom with weapons and aid.

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  1. almubarak2_Leisa TylerLightRocket via Getty Images_kwazulu natal Leisa Tyler/LightRocket via Getty Images

    Financing Nature

    Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak & Bogolo Kenewendo propose ways to unlock more public and private capital for investments in preserving and restoring the planet.
  2. galbraith36_STRNurPhoto via Getty Images_krugman STR/NurPhoto via Getty Images

    Inflation Shamanism

    James K. Galbraith

    Following the US Federal Reserve's decision to cut its policy rate by 50 basis points, mainstream economists are heaping praise on the central bank for supposedly reining in inflation while also maintaining growth and high employment levels. Yet the data clearly show that monetary policy has been mostly a non-factor.

    marvels at the Federal Reserve's ability to win praise for positive outcomes it did not cause.
  3. bildt127_ROMAN PILIPEYAFP via Getty Images_ukrainewar Roman Pilipey/AFP via Getty Images

    Where Is the War in Ukraine Heading?

    Carl Bildt argues that while neither side can attain victory, peace remains plausible if certain conditions are met.
  4. rodrik212_Stephen MaturenGetty Images_biden Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

    What Kind of Industrial Policy Works?

    After a decades-long love affair with laissez-faire policies, many governments – notably in developed countries – are increasingly seeking to shape their economies through tariffs, subsidies, public procurement, and more. But not all industrial policies are created equal, and understanding their nuances and limitations is critical to their success.

  5. 0

    The Big Picture

  6. jyu3_ADEK BERRYAFP via Getty Images_cpc ADEK BERRY/AFP via Getty Images

    How China Is Preparing for America’s Next President

    Yu Jie assesses Chinese efforts to prevent deteriorating bilateral relations from hindering economic growth.
  7. haldar7_Kent Nishimura  Los Angeles Times via Getty Images_abortion rights Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

    Abortion and Reproductive Rights Are Economic Issues

    Laura Tyson

    Too often, the press and voters treat abortion, and reproductive rights more broadly, as well as other “family” issues – like child tax credits, paid family leave policies and affordable childcare – as somehow different from economic issues. But they are not.

    shows why abortion, childcare, and parental leave are not merely “family” issues.
  8. davila3_ David McNewGetty Images_maritime shipping David McNew/Getty Images

    Put a Price on Shipping Emissions

    Shania Scotland calls on small island countries to back a proposed levy on maritime greenhouse-gas emissions.
  9. patten169_EVARISTO SAAFP via Getty Images_twitter EVARISTO SA/AFP via Getty Images

    The New Threat to Free Speech

    Chris Patten highlights governments’ struggle to manage online extremism while upholding a fundamental right.

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