Leaders
America at 250: Why Its Restlessness Is Still Its Strength
On its semiquincentennial, America's divisions fuel anxiety about decline. Yet the republic's restlessness and capacity for reinvention remain its greatest strength.
GlobeBriefly
Nadia Rahimi
Commentary editor writing on global governance, markets, and ideas.
Leaders
Europe’s Industrial Decline Is Home-Grown, Not China’s Fault
European leaders blame China and global imbalances for deindustrialisation, but the EU itself ran a 1.9% current-account surplus in 2025. The manufacturing slide is largely home-grown — and…
Leaders
Andy Burnham promises hope. Britain needs more than that
Andy Burnham looks set to become Britain’s seventh prime minister in a decade. His charm is real, but Britain needs an economic plan, not just hope.
Leaders
America’s 250th: The road trip cure for national pessimism
As America marks its 250th birthday, prosperity and pessimism collide. A six-part podcast retraces Tocqueville's journey to find why the mood is dark — and why talking to…
Leaders
Ten Wild Ideas to Make the World Cup Thrilling Again
Football's greatest show expands to 48 teams and 104 matches, yet games for neutrals often disappoint. Here are ten deliberately wild ideas to make every World Cup match…
Leaders
America’s Treasury market is fraying. Here’s how to save it
The world's safe asset is under threat from high debt, disjointed markets and pugnacious trade policy. A new Fed chair, a treasury secretary and Congress must act to…
Leaders
Acemoglu to The Economist: Your critique is ‘oddly unconvincing
MIT professor Daron Acemoglu calls The Economist's verdict 'oddly unconvincing' and disputes its timing and sources; economist David Albouy replies on mortality data, with further letters on Europe's…
Leaders
Readers say animal testing is unethical and scientifically obsolete
In response to our August 8 leader, readers argue animal testing is ethically indefensible and scientifically unreliable — citing high clinical failure rates and urging non-animal alternatives.
Leaders
Letters: Social Housing, Weather Forecasts, AI Law and a Falling Cow
This week's letters defend social-housing residents, explain how forecasters convey uncertainty, trace AI hallucinations in the courts, and remember the day a cow fell on a Kolkata commuter.
Leaders
Readers React to Elon Musk Interview on AI and Abundance
Our conversation with Elon Musk drew a flood of reader mail. Here is a selection, edited for brevity, spanning praise, skepticism and debate about AI, abundance and human…