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Maurice Obstfeld

Maurice Obstfeld

8 commentaries

Maurice Obstfeld, a former chief economist of the International Monetary Fund, is Senior Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and Professor of Economics Emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley.

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  1. Trump’s Inflationary Triple Threat
    op_disparte1_SadikDemirozGetty Images_digitaldollar FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images

    Trump’s Inflationary Triple Threat

    Nov 22, 2024 Maurice Obstfeld warns that the incoming administration’s agenda would weaken the Fed and destabilize the financial system.

  2. Donald Trump’s Tariffs Would Hurt US Workers and Businesses
    obstfeld6_Anthony KwanGetty Images_tariffs Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

    Donald Trump’s Tariffs Would Hurt US Workers and Businesses

    Oct 22, 2024 Maurice Obstfeld shows why targeting an overall reduction in imports would reduce America’s real wages and national income.

  3. America’s Deficit Attention Disorder
    obstfeld5_ Justin SullivanGetty Images_trade Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

    America’s Deficit Attention Disorder

    Aug 5, 2024 Maurice Obstfeld thinks the accumulation of public debt is a far more urgent problem than the trade balance.

  4. The Dangers of a US Capital Inflow Tax
    obstfeld4_Jabin BotsfordThe Washington Post via Getty Images_trumplighthizer Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images

    The Dangers of a US Capital Inflow Tax

    Jun 14, 2024 Maurice Obstfeld worries that a little-known, highly costly method of deficit reduction is gaining political traction.

  5. Trump’s Plans for the Fed Would Revive 1970s-Style Inflation
    Project Syndicate

    Trump’s Plans for the Fed Would Revive 1970s-Style Inflation

    May 8, 2024 Maurice Obstfeld thinks the presumptive GOP nominee’s policies reflect an outdated understanding of the economy.

  1. op_anheier15_HANNIBAL HANSCHKEPOOLAFP via Getty Images_merkel Hannibal Hanschke/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

    Angela Merkel’s World of Yesterday

    Helmut K. Anheier

    Readers seeking a self-critical analysis of the former German chancellor’s 16-year tenure will be disappointed by her long-awaited memoir, as she offers neither a mea culpa nor even an acknowledgment of her missteps. Still, the book provides a rare glimpse into the mind of a remarkable politician.

    highlights how and why the former German chancellor’s legacy has soured in the three years since she left power.
  2. nixonsaintil4_Anya BerkutGettyImages_ai_learning Anya Berkut/Getty Images

    Closing the AI Skills Gap in 2025

    Justina Nixon-Saintil explains what can be done to equip the workforce for an era of rapid technological change.
  3. ochieng2_Li YahuiXinhua via Getty Images_chinaafricahealth Li Yahui/Xinhua via Getty Images

    Investing in Global Health Enhances US National Security

    Walter O. Ochieng & Tom Achoki urge the incoming Trump administration to build on the success of Operation Warp Speed.
  4. norrlof8_DELIL SOULEIMANAFP via Getty Images_USsyria Delil Souleiman/AFP via Getty Images

    The Scramble for Syria

    Carla Norrlöf

    The United States and its allies have a unique opportunity to help Syria finally move away from foreign-sponsored proxy wars and toward a more balanced regional alignment. Engagement with Syria's new leadership offers leverage, whereas confrontation will merely perpetuate the old cycle of bloodshed.

    explains how America and its allies should respond to the demise of the country's longstanding dictatorship.
  5. slee1_ANTHONY WALLACEAFP via Getty Images_seoulapartments Anthony Wallace/AFP via Getty Images

    The Bank of Korea Moves Beyond Monetary Policy

    Soohyung Lee highlights the efforts of central bankers to address structural challenges such as skyrocketing housing costs.
  6. Blackdovfx/Getty Images

    The AI Revolution Is at Home in Africa

    Cina Lawson explains how developing economies can use emerging technologies to improve a wide range of public services.
  7. sirleaf10_ SIMON MAINAAFP via Getty Images_Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah Simon Maina/AFP via Getty Images

    Three Cheers for Namibia’s First Female President

    Ellen Johnson Sirleaf explains why Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s electoral victory is a defining moment for women’s leadership in Africa.
  8. ito42_Jeff GritchenMediaNews GroupOrange County Register via Getty Image_USshipping Jeff Gritchen/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Image

    Trump’s Tariffs Will Backfire

    Takatoshi Ito warns that the US president-elect's plans will increase America's trade deficit and alienate its allies.
  9. haldar40_PoolGettyImages_trump_ny_trial Pool/Getty Images

    Trump’s Victory Over the Rule of Law

    Antara Haldar considers whether a defining component of American democracy has been lost for good.

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