Business and Government

Democrats should ditch commit-to-vote (CTV) pledges for vote tripling pledges.  Instead of asking Democrats to commit to vote, campaigns should ask them to pledge to get three friends to vote. Relative to commit-to-vote (CTV) pledges, new evidence suggests voters like ‘vote tripling’ pledges more and that these pledges more effectively increase voter turnout. Last year, […]

Despite the hype around Ethiopia’s recent leadership change and political reforms, foreign investment in Ethiopia is still low relative to its potential. Foreign exchange shortages and capital controls are partly to blame. But what can be done to remedy this? Ethiopia’s economy has boomed but foreign investment is in decline The glow around Abiy Ahmed, […]

BY ALEXANDRA SCHMITT It’s a familiar photo in foreign affairs: a table in an ornate room, placards lined up, and a long row of men facing off on each side. One could be forgiven for thinking this was a throwback to the 1970s, when women were barred from serving as foreign service officers after marriage. […]

BY ALEXANDRA SCHMITT The summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, scheduled for this week in Vietnam, promises to be a dramatic reunion. Trump, for his part, bragged that he and Kim “fell in love” during their last meeting in Singapore and that he “developed a very special bond” with the […]

BY BRETT J. BANKER Imagine there were a bipartisan agreement in Congress for a package of critical reforms to a politically important government agency. Say that the chief sponsors of the legislation enacting those reforms included both the chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus[1] and a prominent member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.[2] Let’s […]

BY NICK BUFFIE As you may have heard, in the United States the rich pay more federal income taxes than the poor – both in dollar terms and as a share of income. This point is acknowledged by commentators on both the Right and Left, serving as a rare example of nonpartisan objectivity in an […]

Technology and innovation have the potential to ameliorate an impending regional energy crisis while creating space for young people to flourish.

BY HANNAH MASUGA Data-driven policymaking is widely touted as the best way to improve government, but it also poses a threat to our fundamental freedoms. It’s true that research intended to drive more efficient and effective programming provides important insights into how society functions. The danger comes from leveraging technology to implement our findings. This […]

A final resolution to the conflict in Yemen must be locally led and locally driven. Oxfam CEO Abby Maxman comments on prospects for peace in Yemen.

Financial hubs in Middle Eastern urban centers such as Dubai foster technological innovation, but the existing political framework in the Gulf and across the region remains in urgent need of reform to solidify recent economic successes and ensure that future generations of entrepreneurs can follow in their footsteps.

BY BRYAN CORTES States with booming economies have the opportunity to set up tax revenue funds with interest that will provide for future generations. This summer in North Dakota, I learned this firsthand. As a Dukakis Fellow in office of the Governor of North Dakota, I was charged with conducting a balance sheet assessment for […]

A startup boom is contributing to economic growth in India. But the government doesn’t have a full picture of the impact of entrepreneurship on job creation. More detailed data collection would enable the government to better understand and support startups, writes Aditi Banerjee.