Economy

Light blue circle graphic with images inside of a piggy bank, a wallet with notes, and some charts showing growth
Pixabay | Megan_Rexazin

Guide to GLOBAL ECONOMICS & Sustainable Alternatives

This unique guide to all thing's economy explores the top issues with today's profit hungry financial systems, and exposes the dangers of our capitalist society. We offer viable solutions and alternatives which shift the focus from corporate profits to societal benefit and a greener world.

Our ➡️ platform for economics and business contains over 14,000 resources to key themes in finance, trade, development, as well as exploring issues with overconsumption, globalisation, and inequality. Better World Info envisions a just and sustainable future, one without corporate dominance, greed, and exploitation.

Inequality has become rigged into our economies and the coronavirus pandemic further widen the gap. Since 1995, the top 1% have captured almost 20 times more global wealth than the bottom 50%. Inequality is deadly. Hunger and poor access to healthcare and education leads to the deaths of thousands every day as they are denied their basic rights.

The capitalistic system feeds gender inequality, racism, and the further marginalisation of vulnerable groups. 252 men have more wealth than all 1 billion women and girls in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean combined!

 

A young black man wearing a red hat and black coat is at a march in Washington. He holds a white banner which reads ' Protect people over corporate profit'
Rob87438 | CC BY-SA 4.0

This extreme concentration of wealth and power is bad for our planet too. Rich countries are failing to address their part in the creation of the climate crisis, and this is disproportionately affecting the global South. 20 of the world's richest billionaires on average emit 8,000 times more emissions than one billion of the world's poorest people.

 “A nation will not survive morally or economically when so few have so much, and so many have so little,” Bernie Sanders.

Search through our handpicked news resources covering economic developments on local and global economy. Explore studies, books, organisations, and initiatives uncovering where things went wrong, and the progressive economic reforms offering change. You can also follow our excellent Twitter lists on Economy, Alternative EconomyCircular Economy, Globalisation and for critical analysis and updates from key financial and business experts, economists, social entrepreneurs, activists, and NGOs.

If you want to learn more, check out our selection of social business & entrepreneurship skills MOOCs for free online courses in economics.

For related topics we recommend checking out our guides to politics, globalisationsustainability, and environment. We invite German speakers to visit our partner site Bessere Welt Info and the category Wirtschaft for 5,700 links to the world of economics from a European perspective.

 

Protesters carry bright yellow posters at an Occupy Wall Street March in 2012. The signs read 'Foreclose on banks not people'
Flickr | Michael Fleshman

Key Issues in Global Economics

Here you can find a wealth of information on how economics effects our everyday lives, and the issues that are created when it is poorly managed. Learn how free trade agreements such as TTIPMercosur, and RCEP fuel economic growth but also result in job losses, lack of regulations and workers' rights, a heavy environmental toll, and act as a driver of consumption.

Poor economic management can also lead to recessions, financial crises, and bank crashes. Learn more about the financial and debt crises in the UK, the USA, and Europe, as well as the various Occupy movements where protesters sought to advance social and economic justice, and for bankers and politicians to act in a more moral and ethical way.

Explore other issues such as increasing automation, the use of robots, and the implications for employment. We also delve deep into the impact of rising military spending at the social expense of citizens, and the campaigns such as GCOMS fighting against this siphoning of taxpayer's money.

Developing countries are particularly vulnerable to the effects of corruption, greed, and lack of economic stability. Struggling with high levels of inflation, debt, poverty, and the impact of climate change, poorer countries can fall into further crises, and need assistance in the form of local economic development, microfinance, investment, and foreign aid.

 

Banner at the 2012 Republican National Convention depicts Martin Luther King, Jr., and the quotation: "Today Capitalism has outlived its usefulness."
Liz Mc | CC BY 2.0

Capitalism and Its Impact - Pathway to Wealth or Disparity?

Capitalism is the economic system whereby societies means of production are owned by private organisations and individuals. Since its early roots, capitalism hurt local economies and led to the spread of colonialism, slavery, and imperialism. Originally praised for driving innovation, wealth, and prosperity, it soon became clear that the benefits of capitalism are rarely equitably distributed. As such, citizens and in particular younger generations are growing increasingly disillusioned with capitalism.

In this section we provide over 3,000 links to essential resources on key issues that are faced by capitalist economies. As a driver of consumption, economists have understood the detrimental environmental effects for decades. This profit-based system is also a huge creator of waste and emissions, and it relies heavily on fossil fuels.

Capitalism also fuels war. The weapons industry and arms trade is a key driver of armed conflict as private weapons contractors and stockholders seek only to line their own pockets. War means profit. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has allowed weapons prices to soar as private brokers who secure arms deals for Ukraine earn 2-4 times more than usual. BAE Systems share prices have risen by 80% since the start of the war and they have seen a 9.5% rise in annual earnings.

We feature past financial crises, banking scandals, and expose soaring financial inequality, now common place across the planet. Of all the G7 nations, the U.S. has the highest level of income inequality, with the wealth gap more than doubling between 1989 – 2016 alone. The U.S. is home to the largest number of the 1% club, and also has the world's largest military budget.

Learn how tax avoidance and tax havens costs developing countries $100 billion a year. It is estimated that the world's elite hold up to $32 trillion in offshore havens. In fact, these unprecedented levels of tax evasion are the leading cause of austerity policies. Find further information on tax dodging in the UK and the U.S. as well as information on tax cuts for the rich, and governmental failures to apply a windfall tax on enormous oil and gas profits. 

Austerity measures such as those witnessed in the UK, punish ordinary citizens by raising taxes, and cutting public spending where the poorest are always the first to lose. Luckily, journalists, whistleblowers, and financial crime experts work hard to expose tax leaks such as the Pandora Papers, the Panama Papers, and the 2020 FinCEN files. World leaders, officials, and banking institutions have all been implicated.

Human rights defenders have long claimed capitalism to be inherently exploitative and the cause of numerous rights issues. Due to the profit driven nature of this economy, countries experience periods of stagnant wage growth while company profits soar. The reality of low pay Britain is a classic example of this, and unions in the UK are fighting back with a host of national strikes and industrial action from NHS staff, rail workers, and teachers.

In developing nations, capitalism promotes the use of dangerous and exploitative sweatshops and child labour. Concepts such as fast fashion are driven by materialism, high volume, and low prices. Corporate greenwashing techniques are then used to gloss over the high environmental and human costs of such systems and label them as sustainable.

Find guides to many other top issues such as national debt, anonymous companies, multinationals avoiding regulation, the gig economy, and the new monopolists – Better World Info covers it all.

 

Vault at former Poughkeepsie Savings Bank building, Poughkeepsie, NY, USA, decorated with a quote from Bernie Sanders: "If a bank is too big to fail. it is too big to exist."
Daniel Case | CC BY-SA 3.0

How Broken is the Global Financial System?

The global financial system is made up of banks, insurance companies, stock exchanges, the International Monetary Fund, government treasuries, and the World Bank. It follows a set of rules and practices for borrowers and lenders to use.

Since the invention of banking, control has become massively centralised creating huge amounts of wealth for those connected to the financial system. It has also contributed to massive inequality, and many of the global challenges and risks that we face today.

We explore just how broken the system is, and solutions and reforms for fixing it such as improved regulation, Robin Hood tax, cooperative banking, and curbing the gigantic banking bonus culture.

Use our guide to further understand the global financial system with our handpicked reports, books, videos, expert blogs, and critical news sources. Learn about the main players such as Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, the Federal Reserve and other central banks, hedge funds, and the regulators and ‘experts’ calling the shots.

We investigate banks as enablers of corruption and fraud including key issues such as privatising profits, the finance lobby, the shadow banking system, commodity market manipulation, the privatisation of public assets, insider trading, and the debate on whether these bankers are simply too big to jail.

Find an extensive guide to various examples of banking scandals and financial crime, including information on the devastating 2008 financial crisis, the recent Credit Suisse crisis, the Silicon Valley Bank collapse, and the next financial crisis in the making.

 

A G7 working lunch in France see's leaders sitting around a white table with each of the countries flags in the background
Flickr | Trump White House Archived

Key Actors in the Global Economy - Who Runs the World?

Ever wondered who pulls the strings in shaping the global economy? Our must-have guide to key global players features in-depth analysis of the G7 and G20 – made up of the planet's wealthiest countries, and responsible for controlling international financial stability, trade, securing growth, and their own prosperity.

You can follow the actions of the World Bank whose goals are to reduce poverty and improve living standards, but are widely criticized for promoting deregulation, inflation, dependency, and harming development instead.

We also feature critical analysis of the IMF, WTO, and OECD, who all play big roles in controlling and regulating the economy and our social wellbeing. Find extensive information on the World Economic Forum, the elitist gathering for the rich and powerful, and the OPEC who influence not only the global oil market, but also hold great weight regarding international relations, geopolitics, and national economics.

 

An illustration of the circular economy concept which shows minimal waste and maximum sustainability
Mc4zero | CC BY-SA 4.0

How the Alternative Economy is Redefining Prosperity

Better world Info advocates for a world where an alternative economy thrives, fuels sustainability, inclusivity, and greater equality. Get informed on the latest developments regarding the circular economy, the doughnut economy and the shift towards green economy and degrowth. Find information on ethical investing and banking, green careers, cooperatives, and the role of women in economy.

Proposals such as the global minimum corporate tax rate have been implemented to reign in multinationals and tackle corporate tax avoidance, and concepts such as Universal Basic Income are gaining much needed attention.

We feature a special category on cryptocurrency, the decentralized digital currency currently shaking up traditional monetary systems. An exciting new way to purchase goods, and invest, but heavily criticised for its speculative nature, environmental impact, and links to fraud and organised crime. 

Alternative lifestyles go hand in hand with the principles of a greener economy. Find out how you can become an ethical consumer, begin on the road to a simpler life, learn about anti-consumerism and minimalism, and see how many people are already living their lives in this way.

Living more sustainably has been linked to increased happiness and more free time to do the things you really enjoy. The movement against corruption, greed, inequality, and power is growing every day - see how you can get involved by checking out our blog ‘Less is More’.

 

Image on Nobel prize winner economist Joseph E. Stiglitz. An older gentleman with grey hair, wearing a grey suit smiles warmly at the camera
Jérémy Barande | Ecole polytechnique Université Paris-Saclay | CC BY-SA 2.0

Inspiring Economists Redefining Economic Thinking

Here is our top selection of exemplary economists and economic thinkers whose contributions to finance have created positive social change. Learn about Nobel Prize winner Joseph Stiglitz who fights against corporate tax avoidance and inequality by calling for reforms and a global minimum corporate tax.

Find an excellent guide to the work of Bangladesh social entrepreneur Muhammad Yunus whose belief that credit is a fundament human right and concept of microcredit has helped thousands of low-income people start their own businesses.

Standing up for labour rights and the reduction of economic inequality in the U.S. Robert Reich the former US secretary of labour pushed for higher wages, greater investment in workers, and job creation.

Discover more on the work of Austrian Right Livelihood Award winner Leopold Kohr, who challenged centralised financial structures and advocated for the localisation of power and problem solving through his concept of 'Small is Beautiful'.

By highlighting and celebrating the work of these progressive thinkers, reform pioneers, social entrepreneurs, and financial experts thinking outside the box, we aim to inspire hope for a more just economic system where social uplift, not profit for the few, is the primary motivation.

 

A green circular image displays an environmental doughnut infographic where a regenerative economy promotes a safe space for humanity. On the outside of the ring are all the negative effects of poor economic management such as waste, biodiversity loss, air pollution, and on the inside of the ring it shows all the positives.
DoughnutEconomics | CC BY-SA 4.0

Economics for a Better World

Current financial systems promote greed and materialism. They are unsustainable and are driving inequality and marginalisation. Global financial literacy remains low, with just one in three people demonstrating an understanding of basic financial concepts. This lack of knowledge makes it difficult for people to make informed choices, build wealth, and control their own finances. Financial literacy education is an important tool for empowering citizens and enabling greater social mobility.

Financial services are the least trusted sector in the world. Riddled with scandals, corruption, failures, and risky decision making, it comes as no surprise that this lack of trust is a major barrier to economic growth and stability. Such concentrated levels of power breeds mistrust, high unemployment, political unrest, and recessions.

Current systems mean that one banking failure can decimate the entire system. Why are we operating on a system with such huge levels of risk and fragility? Why are banks seemingly immune to punishment and reprobation?

There is a great need to decentralise the financial system, level the balance of power, and enforce stricter regulations. We must demand the end of impunity, support local cooperatives, and embrace a more circular, sustainable, and just economy.

“Anyone who believes in indefinite growth on a physically finite planet is either mad, or an economist,” Sir David Attenborough.

Author: Rachael Mellor, 24.07.23 licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0

For further reading on Economics see below  ⬇️

Hot Topics

WEF Davos - January 15-19 2024

The World Economic Forum in Davos takes place this year from January 15 - 19. The WEF is "committed to improving the state of the world by engaging business, political, academic, and other leaders of society to shape global, regional, and industry agendas". - Entrepreneurs, economic experts, politicians and members of society come together to discuss global economic and social policy issues. Every year, the WEF is accompanied by protests, as critics accuse the forum of promoting neoliberal policies that cause poverty in developing countries and drive the climate crisis. Under the motto "Rebuilding Trust", this year's focus is on the wars in Ukraine and Israel, global inflation, and the ongoing climate crisis.

WEF Davos - January 15-19 2024

Tax Dodging & Tax Justice

It is estimated that the world’s global elite holds up to $32 trillion in offshore tax havens, and 500 companies were reported to hold a record $2.4 trillion offshore. This unprecedented level of international tax dodging costs developing countries over $100 billion a year, and is a leading cause of austerity policies.

Tax Dodging & Tax Justice
Cartoon-like figurine of a greedy smiling white man in a suit standing on top of Euro notes and piles of coins
Pixabay | Ralphs_Fotos

Global Minimum Corporate Tax Rate – G7

As the G7 leaders have agreed a 15% minimum tax rate on multi-nationals, many ask how far this will go to reform the tax system? Will Tech giants pay up, will it stop tax-havens, will it help developing countries improve their economies? The agreement has been labelled historic - we follow the implications and developments here.

Global Minimum Corporate Tax Rate – G7

Inequality in the U.S.

Economic inequality is a growing problem that prevails in every country around the world. In the US it has reached a level similar to the one seen in the Great Depression. In 1965 a CEO earned 24 times the average worker income, it went up to 185 times in recent years. Disproportional economic growth and tax evasion creates a gap that increases steadily day by day.

Inequality in the U.S.
Picture of the flags of G7 member nations
Herman Van Rompuy via Flickr | CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

G7 Summit 2023 in Hiroshima

The annual gathering hosts seven of the wealthiest democracies in the world, those being: the US, the UK, France, Germany, Canada and Italy and this year host Japan. PM Fumio Kishida also extended the invitation to Australia, India, Brazil South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, Comoros and Cook Islands in order to make the summit more global. It’s expected that the war in Ukraine and the Chinese – Taiwan emerging conflict will dominate the discussions, but Japan also aims to include the discussion on the ban on the use of Nuclear Weapons as the leaders meet in Hiroshima, the first place on Earth targeted by an atomic bomb.

G7 Summit 2023 in Hiroshima
An image depicting Silicon Valley Bank. There is a wooden desk and a chair blurred out in the background along with a blurred out side profile of a man and a whiteboard. SVB is written in large blue letters in the middle
Flickr | Alpha Photo

Silicon Valley Bank Collapse 2023

Worth $212 billion, Silicon Valley Bank was famed for lending to tech startups. Its sudden collapse sent ramifications across the globe and given rise to serious concerns of a 2008 global banking crisis repeat. A combination of rollbacks, mismanagement, and interest rate hikes sent the bank into turmoil as investors panicked. In just 36 hours, we witnessed the second biggest bank failure in U.S. history. Now under Federal investigation, we expect many lawsuits and new issues to arise.

Silicon Valley Bank Collapse 2023
The Crédit Suisse headquarters in Zürich built between 1873-1876. The four storey building is sand coloured, has many flags outside, and has 2 statues above the main entrance.
Flickr | Wally Gobetz

Credit Suisse Crisis 2023

After struggling for many months, funding caps on shareholders, and plummeting share prices, Credit Suisse had to be rescued with a $24.7 billion package to hopefully prevent a repeat of the 2008 global banking crisis. Banking rival UBS have agreed to a takeover, and while the stock market remains unstable, economists and the world wait to see if this financial crisis has been contained. This is the second banking collapse of the month as US Silicon Valley Bank suffered a similar fate in the second biggest bank failure in US history.

Credit Suisse Crisis 2023
Two countries joined together by pins and string to represent Offshore Tax Havens
Flickr | Patrick Cannon

Pandora Papers

The ICIJ has just published a new investigative report on tax avoidance, in which the work of more than 600 journalists in 117 countries has resulted in more than 2.6 terabytes of data, gathering diverse evidence of how wealthy individuals use tax havens to hide their wealth and avoid paying tax on it. The list of those implicated includes 35 current and former national leaders and 400 officials from around the world.

Pandora Papers
Phil Gibbs

Circular Economy

It is crucial to understand that the way we choose to design, produce and consume products, has a major impact on the environment. Circular Economy is a movement that seeks to change the "make-take-waste" linear economy in which we are living today, to a "make-keep-reuse" more sustainable concept.

Circular Economy
Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay

The latest in the FinCEN files leak (2020)

Transactions worth roughly $2tn have been discovered in leaked documents from the US Financial Crimes Enforcement Network revealing shocking secrets. Closely guarded for years, banks such as HSBC, JP Morgan, Barclays, Deutsche Bank and others, have been exposed allowing criminals to move their illegally gained money all over the world. Follow the story as journalists search through the thousands of suspicious activity reports that government agencies tried to keep out of the public eye.

The latest in the FinCEN files leak (2020)
Different kinds of money hangs from a washing line with pegs symbolising money laundering
Pixabay | Stevepb

#29 Leaks

In the N°29 of the upper-class Harley Street in central London, is the headquarters of the now infamous Formations House, known for its long career hiding money for the super-rich. Earlier this year, the anti-secret group Distributed Denial of Secrets leaked a wealth of documents, data and recorded phone calls to journalists, unmasking a worldwide network for money laundering.

#29 Leaks

Formations House

Formations house, a family-run corporate service provider based in London has been linked to organized crime and fraud. Allegedly, frauds linked to the shell companies they register is totalling 315 million pounds. See why here. 

Formations House
Max Pixel

Automation & Robots

As we approach a new industrial revolution, we will get familiarized with the term Technological Unemployment, which refers to the substitution of manpower for robotic labour. The unpredictable consequences, whether positive or negative, that automation will have in individual jobs is a controversial issue.

Automation & Robots
Black chalkboard with the words think outside the box written in white chalk spilling out of a square box
Pixabay | Kaboompics

Rethinking Economics

Pluralism in economics is a ground-breaking movement that aims to shift the teaching and research in economics towards a more inclusive and open minded practice. Pluralism seeks to reinforce the economies studies through rich intellectual debate and the contrast of different ideas including other disciplines.

Rethinking Economics
Bitcoin

Bitcoin and Digital Currency

Since its anonymous creation in 2008, Bitcoin has been consistently in the headlines. With its well-documented high carbon footprint, associations with cybercrime, and illegal activity surrounding transactions, economists are finding it hard to define as a success or otherwise. Despite it being so difficult to regulate, some countries have recognised it as legal tender. As cryptocurrency becomes more broadly accepted, we follow Bitcoin and its competitors, the dark side, and all the highs and lows.

Bitcoin and Digital Currency

Recommended content

Gobierno de Chile

Hero of the Month

Thomas Piketty

French economist that dedicates his work to the study of income inequality. He’s the author of the best-selling book "Capital in the Twenty-First Century", which is an innovative view on how capitalism and the current wealth distribution contribute to economic inequality.

Featured Organisation of the Month

The New Economics Foundation

The New Economics Foundation is a people-powered think tank in the UK. They offer an agenda for people to take more control over the decisions and resources that affect their lives today and a plan for how we can all begin to change the whole system tomorrow. 

Featured Online-Resourse

Exploring Economics

An open-source e-learning platform, gives you the opportunity to discover & study a variety of economic theories, topics, and methods for free. It aims to enrich economic teaching as well as to promote self-criticism, reflection, pluralism and openness within economics. 

Privacy
The controller (Dr. Norbert Stute, Austria) would like to use the following services in order to process your personal data. Technologies such as cookies, localStorage, etc. can be used for personalization. This is not necessary for the use of the website, but allows us to interact with you more closely. Please select, if appropriate, the following options: