On October 7, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered a speech at the Pnyx in Athens, one of the most historically significant locations associated with ancient Greek democracy. Standing near the Acropolis, he reflected on the foundations of Western civilization, the achievements of the ancient Greeks, and the historical responsibilities of nations that have inherited their intellectual and political traditions. He emphasized the importance of national sovereignty, cultural confidence, and the willingness of free societies to defend their institutions and historical inheritance.
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Zhao Ziyang, Zhu Rongji, and the Limits of the Chinese Market Reform under the Communist Party Rule
The death of former mainland Chinese premier Zhu Rongji on August 12 has renewed discussion of his economic legacy. Zhu, who served as premier from 1998 to 2003 after previously overseeing much of mainland China’s economic policy as vice premier, was one of the principal architects of the market-oriented reforms of the 1990s. He restructured state-owned enterprises, strengthened the central government’s fiscal capacity, promoted housing reform, and used mainland China’s accession to the World Trade Organization as a means of exposing domestic firms to greater competition.
Continue readingExtremism, Interventionism, and Political Polarization
One of the least productive habits in contemporary politics is the assumption that criticizing one political party automatically means supporting its principal opponent. In Spain, criticism of the PSOE is frequently interpreted as evidence that one must therefore support the Partido Popular or Vox. The same binary reasoning increasingly appears elsewhere: if one criticizes the progressive left, one must be “far right”; if one criticizes Donald Trump, one must belong to the left.
Continue readingFrom Marxist Materialism to a Material Measure of Progress
It would nevertheless be too easy to say that mainland China’s consumer materialism has nothing to do with Marxism simply because Marx himself criticized commodity fetishism. Marxist historical materialism and consumer materialism are conceptually different, but ideas also matter through the political institutions and policy priorities constructed from them.
Continue readingFrom the Alps to the Mediterranean: Cities, Institutions, and the Long Course of European History
Travel becomes much more interesting to me when a city is not treated simply as a collection of landmarks. A cathedral is also evidence of religious institutions, accumulated capital, technology, and political authority. A medieval city gate tells us something about security and collective organization. A stock exchange reveals another stage in the development of commerce. Even the location of a city may help explain why it became wealthy, politically important, or repeatedly contested. Seen this way, traveling through Europe can become a form of reading history in physical space.
Continue readingPolitical Correctness: Voluntary Respect or Politically Enforced Conformity?
Political correctness has become one of the most controversial concepts in contemporary Western societies. Ironically, much of the debate begins before any substantive discussion even starts, because people rarely agree on what the term actually means.
Continue readingPolicy Should Come Before Party
Recently, someone asked me why I’m willing to discuss politicians, public policy, and even my informal opinions about political figures in the classroom, yet I rarely post those views on Facebook or X.
Continue readingAn Economist’s Reflections on the Recent Eviction Case Involving an 82-Year-Old Woman in Madrid
In recent days, the temporary suspension of the eviction of an 82-year-old woman in Madrid has attracted considerable media attention. As an economist, I believe cases like this deserve careful analysis based on the facts, rather than solely on the emotions they inevitably provoke.
Continue readingEconomic Freedom, LGBTI Rights, and the Price of Pride
One week from today, I will be in Amsterdam to take part in The Price of Pride: Economic Freedom & Digital Rights, an event organized by the European Liberal Forum in cooperation with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Europe and Rainbow Platform, on the fringes of EuroPride and WorldPride Amsterdam. The event will bring together researchers, activists, policymakers, and content creators to discuss a question that is often fragmented across different academic and political debates: how do economic freedom, digital rights, personal liberty, and human dignity interact in the lives of LGBTI people?
Continue readingMy American Dream: Why the United States Still Matters to Me 250 Years After Independence
Today, July 4, 2026, the United States of America celebrates 250 years since the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. For me, this anniversary is more than an important date in American history. It is also deeply personal.
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