Where Does Putin Rank Among Russia’s Greatest Rulers?
Russia’s long history has been defined by decisive leadership. From the princes of medieval Rus to the tsars of empire and the secretaries of the Soviet state, the country has repeatedly been shaped by rulers who responded to external pressure, internal fragmentation and the demands of scale with centralisation, reform and, when necessary, force. Measured against this backdrop, Vladimir Putin’s place in history invites comparison not merely with recent figures, but with the a
3 hours ago5 min read
How The Digital Yuan Could Displace The Dollar
As the dollar's global dominance declines, a new contender is rising like the sun from the East. The digital yuan. An initiative long dismissed as a novelty by many Western analysts, the digital yuan is no longer a quiet experiment confined to China’s domestic fintech landscape. It is now being deployed in cross-border payments facilitating faster and less costly transactions. Meanwhile, the dollar faces a clear structural decline. US Treasuries as a share of central bank res
1 day ago4 min read
Decline of the West May Be More Pronounced Than GDP Figures Suggest
GDP emerged in the 1930s as a tool for policymakers trying to quantify the national economy during the Great Depression. Credited with formalizing GDP was the Russian-born American mathematician and economist Simon Kuznets. But he was explicit about its limitations, stating that “the welfare of a nation can scarcely be inferred from a measurement of national income”. Around the time of World War II, when economies were mostly industrial and debt levels low, GDP was a decent p
2 days ago5 min read
China and India Cement Russia’s Control Over Arctic
The Arctic has long occupied a remote place in the global imagination. Vast, cold and inhospitable, it has been treated as little more than a scientific curiosity and a strategic afterthought. That indulgence is no longer possible. Climate change, energy scarcity and great power rivalry are converging at the top of the world, turning what was once a frozen periphery into a contested geopolitical frontier. Covering more than one sixth of the Earth’s landmass, the Arctic spans
2 days ago4 min read
Assessing The Complexities of Energy Market Disruptions
Global conflicts, the transition to renewables, and sanctions on Russian fossil fuels all affect global energy markets. While Brics energy importers could suffer from higher prices and the revenues of its Middle Eastern exporters decline, the G7 may be facing the deeper crisis. Sanctions on Russian fuel supplies have already driven up energy prices across Europe, leading to a decline in the continent’s economic competitiveness. In contrast, China and India are still importi
Sep 304 min read
BRICS And The Business Of Sport
The West’s economic dominance has always been reflected in sports. Mining, manufacturing, even diplomacy, were contested terrain, but cricket tournaments, football clubs, golf tours, and motorsports were supposed to reflect the dominance of a Western-led global order. This has already changed. The economic rise of the BRICS powers has seen China host Olympic Games, South Africa dominate rugby, and India rule cricket, while the Gulf monarchies compete to purchase football cl
Sep 244 min read
Why Communists Make The Best Capitalists
It is often assumed that the United States is the best exemplar of capitalism and the difference in stock market performance between the US and China in the last two decades has certainly played a role in reinforcing this view. That said, China’s economic model has prioritized broad-based economic benefits for its citizens above corporate profits, better reflecting the classical economic theory of perfect competition. While the S&P 500 has more than tripled since 2009, Shangh
Aug 245 min read
