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Harold James

Harold James

Writing for PS since 2001
226 commentaries
2 videos & podcasts

Harold James is Professor of History and International Affairs at Princeton University. A specialist on German economic history and on globalization, he is a co-author of The Euro and The Battle of Ideas, and the author of The Creation and Destruction of Value: The Globalization Cycle, Krupp: A History of the Legendary German FirmMaking the European Monetary Union, The War of Words, and, most recently, Seven Crashes: The Economic Crises That Shaped Globalization (Yale University Press, 2023).

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  1. Fascism in Our Time
    james223_Win McNameeGetty Images_fascism Win McNamee/Getty Images

    Fascism in Our Time

    Oct 28, 2024 Harold James emphasizes the similarity of US business leaders’ behavior to that of their counterparts in 1930s Germany.

  2. Trump’s Tariffs Are an Opportunity for Harris
    james222_Win McNameeGetty Images)_debate Win McNamee/Getty Images)

    Trump’s Tariffs Are an Opportunity for Harris

    Oct 7, 2024 Harold James urges the Democratic presidential candidate to reject the new consensus against free trade.

  3. The Future of Conservatism
    ps3q2024 predictions GettyImages-1958540720-fade_AW Getty Images

    The Future of Conservatism

    Sep 9, 2024 Elizabeth Corey, et al. consider whether the populist “new right” in America, Europe, and elsewhere is here to stay.

  4. Who Will Create a New European Culture of Debate?
    james221_JOHN MACDOUGALLAFP via Getty Images_macron JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP via Getty Images

    Who Will Create a New European Culture of Debate?

    Aug 27, 2024 Harold James thinks the Franco-German twosome, historically Europe’s engine of integration, has become a spent force.

  5. Is the Polycrisis So Bad?
    james220_Getty Images_stopping crisis Getty Images

    Is the Polycrisis So Bad?

    Jul 31, 2024 Harold James suggests that the current moment is neither as unprecedented nor as bleak as many assume.

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  1. khrushcheva187_Chip SomodevillaGetty Images_trumpmcconnell Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

    How Trump Won

    Nina L. Khrushcheva

    Despite being a criminal, a charlatan, and an aspiring dictator, Donald Trump has won not only the Electoral College, but also the popular vote – a feat he did not achieve in 2016 or 2020. A nihilistic voter base, profit-hungry business leaders, and craven Republican politicians are to blame.

    points the finger at a nihilistic voter base, profit-hungry business leaders, and craven Republican politicians.
  2. woo7_Getty Images_ us china Getty Images

    Trump vs. China, Round Two

    Angela Huyue Zhang warns that if the US doubles down on aggressive policies, it risks becoming defined by what it opposes.
  3. legrain39_AntonioMasielloGettyImages_meloni_rutte Antonio Masiello/Getty Images

    How Europe Should Woo Trump

    Philippe Legrain

    Shell-shocked Europeans will be tempted to hunker down and hope that Donald Trump does not make good on his most extreme threats, like sweeping import tariffs and quitting NATO. But this would be a catastrophic mistake; Europeans must swallow their pride and try to capitalize on Trump’s craving for admiration.

    outlines a strategy for EU leaders to win over the next US president and mitigate the threat he represents.
  4. spence178_NurPhotoGettyImages_china_deflation_supermarket1 NurPhoto/Getty Images

    China Can Beat Back Deflation

    Michael Spence predicts that, with the right policies, the economy’s growth momentum can be restored within 2-3 years.
  5. hamada67_KIM KYUNG-HOONPOOLAFP via Getty Images_ishiba Kim Kyung-Hoon/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

    Japan Needs Tighter Monetary Policy

    Koichi Hamada hopes that Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba recognizes the risks raised by an undervalued yen in today's economy.
  6. mahajan1_MONEYSHARMAGettyImages_female_train_driver MONEY SHARMA/Getty Images

    To Prosper, India Must Close Its Gender Employment Gap

    Kanika Mahajan urges policymakers to create an inclusive labor market by implementing business-friendly measures.
  7. bleicher1_Getty Images_digital dollar Getty Images

    Stablecoins Can Defend the Dollar’s Global Status

    Paul Ryan prefers a payments system built by private industry in the US to one built by the People’s Bank of China.
  8. jlin1_Song WeixingVCG via Getty Images_solar panels china Song Weixing/VCG via Getty Images

    Unleashing Solar Power’s Bright Future

    Fatih Birol & Ajay Mathur see the rapid growth of solar power as a promising sign of what is possible in the fight against climate change.
  9. GettyImages-2166683180

    Anders Åslund on the Trump threat, Ukrainian security, Putin's survival, and more

    Anders Åslund considers what the US presidential election will mean for Ukraine, says that only a humiliating loss in the war could threaten Vladimir Putin’s position, urges the EU to take additional steps to ensure a rapid and successful Ukrainian accession, and more.

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