Economy

Muzzling the Dragon

Muzzling the Dragon

A declining Chinese economy should be more a cause for celebration than despair

How reliable are China’s GDP numbers? In a country where delivery drivers with fake licenses can fill up their fake-brand motorbikes with fake petrol before delivering fake products to their customers, one would be forgiven for questioning the government’s official data. In most countries GDP is the sum of all produced final goods relative to their price, China ostensibly adopted this approach in line with UN guidelines in 1994 but when scrutinised the data appears somewhat suspect.

The Two Empires

The Two Empires

A comparison of EU economic policy with the late-Roman economy

Religious scholars traditionally agree on 33AD as the official date that the historical Jesus of Nazareth was crucified under the order of Roman prefect Pontius Pilate. What is less well known is that this was also the date of the first ever recorded economic crisis, which almost brought the entire Roman economy to its knees.

It all started when trading firm Seuthes & Son, an important Alexandria spice trader, lost three well-laden shipments in a hurricane half-way through crossing the Red Sea. Soon afterwards, another wealthy firm at Tyre, Malchus & Co., suddenly became bankrupt after its Phoenician workforce went on strike and the embezzlements of a freedman manager caught up with the company.