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Michael Spence

Michael Spence

Writing for PS since 2008
176 commentaries

Michael Spence, a Nobel laureate in economics, is Professor of Economics Emeritus and a former dean of the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University. He is Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Senior Adviser to General Atlantic, and Chairman of the firm’s Global Growth Institute. He is Chair of the Advisory Board of the Asia Global Institute and serves on the Academic Committee at Luohan Academy. He is a former chair of the Commission on Growth and Development and a co-author (with Mohamed A. El-Erian, Gordon Brown, and Reid Lidow) of Permacrisis: A Plan to Fix a Fractured World (Simon & Schuster, 2023).

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  1. The High Cost of Excluding Chinese Technology
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    The High Cost of Excluding Chinese Technology

    Oct 2, 2024 Michael Spence warns that both the global economy and the sustainability agenda could be dealt a devastating blow.

  2. Europe Needs a New Economic Vision
    spence175_eu unnivation iStock / Getty Images Plus/greenbutterfly

    Europe Needs a New Economic Vision

    Aug 21, 2024 Michael Spence is confident that the European Union can make up ground lost to the US and China – if it knows what it wants.

  3. The Economics of Philanthropy
    spence174_ David RyderGetty Images_gates foundation David Ryder/Getty Images

    The Economics of Philanthropy

    Jul 4, 2024 Michael Spence proposes mechanisms for inducing the wealthy to support public goods at a time of rising inequality.

  4. Crunch Time for the Power Sector
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    Crunch Time for the Power Sector

    May 17, 2024 Michael Spence argues that developing flexible, stable, and resilient smart grids requires an expanded industrial policy.

  5. The Indian Giant Has Arrived
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    The Indian Giant Has Arrived

    Mar 22, 2024 Mohamed A. El-Erian & Michael Spence consider the risks and challenges associated with the country's rapidly expanding global footprint.

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  1. milani6_MENAHEM KAHANAAFP via Getty Images_israeliranmissiles Menahem Kahana/AFP via Getty Images

    A Dangerous Dance for Israel and Iran

    Abbas Milani sees both countries walking a tightrope to maintain deterrence without provoking a full-blown war.
  2. haldar38_ERNESTO BENAVIDESAFP via Getty Images)_fujimori ERNESTO BENAVIDES/AFP via Getty Images)

    The Bloody Path of Alberto Fujimori’s Neoliberalism

    Antara Haldar assesses the former Peruvian president’s legacy of free-market reform and death-squad dictatorship.
  3. benami218_JALAA MAREYAFP via Getty Images_lebanon israel iran JALAA MAREY/AFP via Getty Images

    The Middle East’s Deadly Dream Palaces

    Shlomo Ben-Ami traces the delusions of Arab, Iranian, and Israeli leaders that have kept the region mired in violence.
  4. op_sonin1_ILYA PITALEVSPUTNIKAFP via Getty Images_russiamilitaryproduction Ilya Pitalev/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images

    Making Sense of Russia’s War Economy

    Konstantin Sonin

    Despite the apparent resilience of Russia's economy, Vladimir Putin’s full-scale war against Ukraine comes at a high economic cost. Not only does it require today’s Russians to live a worse life than they otherwise would have done; it also condemns future generations to the same.

    explains the apparent resilience of growth and employment in the face of increasingly tight sanctions.
  5. krueger79_Omar Martínezpicture alliance via Getty Images_USmexicoshipping Omar Martínez/picture alliance via Getty Images

    America’s Protectionist Policies Are Backfiring

    Anne O. Krueger argue that US leaders' embrace of trade-suppressing measures has done more harm than good.
  6. carvalho2_RAFAEL MARTINSAFP via Getty Images_brazil renewable energy RAFAEL MARTINS/AFP via Getty Images

    Brazil’s Climate Push Must Start at Home

    Savio Carvalho explains why the country must lead by example on decarbonization to become a global green leader.
  7. wei66_PETER PARKSAFP via Getty Images_chinastockmarket Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images

    The Global Implications of China’s Stimulus Package

    Shang-Jin Wei explains why the country’s push to revive economic activity depends on boosting domestic demand.
  8. krauze2_Manuel VelasquezGetty Images_sheinbaum YURI CORTEZ/AFP via Getty Images

    A New President and a Grim Legacy for Mexico

    Enrique Krauze reflects on the harmful tenure of the outgoing president, who weakened the economy and eroded its institutions.
  9. ahzhang16_CostfotoNurPhoto via Getty Images_china stimulus Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images

    Governance Reform Is Key to Reviving China’s Economy

    Angela Huyue Zhang argues that lasting prosperity depends not on boosting demand, but on a return to bottom-up governance.

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