Pragmatic France Elects a Reformer
There is an old story about the serious French thinker who, when presented with a common-sense solution to a problem, will find fault by retorting that the idea “works in …
G20 – Global Trade Governance in Uncertain Times
The G20 is facing its second big litmus test. Almost ten years ago, only decisive action by the G20 prevented the global economy from spiraling into a deep depression. Not …
Europe and the World Need to Be Strategically Patient with Trump
As international delegates begin arriving in Washington, DC, for the first IMF/World Bank semi-annual meetings of the Trump era, among the biggest question facing leaders from around the world is …
Europe at 60: A German View
In the last sixty years, the institutionalized cooperation between sovereign nation states in Europe has been a major success. Underpinned by a U.S. commitment to the defense of Europe, European integration …
Fixing Trade Rules—Or Fixing Trade Deficits?
In international relations, a distinction is often drawn between the “realist” school that bases decision-making on an objective calculation of national interests, and an “idealist” school that emphasizes principles such …
Recent Authors
AGI provides knowledge, insights, and networks as tools to solve the challenges ahead.
Support Our WorkGE CEO: Germany points the way for a U.S. manufacturing revival
In an April 2 interview with Fareed Zakaria on CNN’s “Global Public Square,” GE CEO Jeff Immelt made the case for looking to Germany for clues to reviving manufacturing in hard-hit …
What the United States Can Learn from Germany: Workforce Training and Public Investment
Political tensions between Germany and the U.S. promptly resurfaced not long after the new administration took possession of the White House. Many will argue at length about who is right …
Merkel’s Twin Mission with Trump: NATO and Trade
When German Chancellor Angela Merkel has her first face-to-face meeting with President Trump in Washington on March 17,* she will have two key tests. Can she take the sting out of …
Global Economic Order: A “Made in America” Idea
The idea of “global economic order” may sound far away from the concerns of the average citizen, but it means something both simple and important: that it is better for trade, investment, and other forms of commercial activity to take place according to agreed-upon rules, and that those rules should reflect the principles of the United States, Germany, and other liberal economies in Europe, Latin America, and Asia. “Liberal” in this case signifying not a position on a right-left political spectrum, but rather a set of ideas that encompasses the rule of law, openness to change, and the primacy of the individual vs. state authority.
Globalization: As Bad as Its Reputation?
There are rough times ahead for the ideas of free trade and globalization. U.S. president Donald Trump (who seems to prefer less rather than more economic openness), the Brexit vote, …
From the AGI Bookshelf: Mittelstand ist eine Haltung
There are some words in German that are hard to translate: Gemütlich, fahrvernügnen, or Gesamtkonzept Mittelstand is another example. Technically it means small and middle-sized firms. But that is an elastic …
A New Geoeconomics Focus for 2017:Peter S. Rashish joins AGI as Senior Fellow and Project Director
As Germany assumes the Presidency of the G20 largest world economies, a new U.S. president takes office, and uncertainties surround the future of the global economic order, the American-German Institute …
