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  • As 2019 draws to a close, it is unclear whether we have reached “peak disruption,” or whether a further unraveling of political systems, economic models, and international arrangements is in the offing. Between the poles of populist/authoritarian “destruction” and liberal/reformist reconstruction, what specific forces are most likely to define the next year – and the next decade?

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    1. solana110 Getty Images

      Rediscovering Iran’s Potential

      Javier Solana says prospects for a new diplomatic rapprochement with the Islamic Republic depend heavily on upcoming elections.
    2. guha_year_end_2019_GettyImages470945366 Raj K Raj/Hindustan Times via Getty Images

      The End of Gandhi’s India?

      Ramachandra Guha

      On December 19, Indian historian Ramachandra Guha was arrested while peacefully demonstrating against India’s Citizenship Amendment Act, which openly discriminates against Muslims in its treatment of immigrants from neighboring countries.

      In this commentary for Project Syndicate’s special year-end magazine, Guha reflects on the erosion of India’s democratic institutions under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. Subscribe today to receive The Year Ahead, 2020.

      laments the country's transformation into a Hindu-nationalist state under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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      Can the World Order Catch Up with The World?

      Kishore Mahbubani warns that three global contradictions, if not addressed soon, will almost certainly lead to crisis.
    4. GettyImages-1194052676 Drew Angerer/Getty Images

      Demagogic Stress and Constitutional Growth

      Laurence Tribe thinks Donald Trump has unwittingly created an opportunity to expand the promise of America's founding document.
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      Protecting Competition in a Digital World

      Andreas Mundt offers a glimpse of the platform economy from the perspective of Germany's national antitrust authority.
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      An Agenda for Decent Jobs in Africa

      Célestin Monga proposes three sets of policies to help tackle unemployment and underemployment on the continent.
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      The Other Side of Growth

      Esther Duflo & Abhijit Banerjee urge Chinese and Indian policymakers to avoid focusing only on GDP as a means of improving people's lives.
    9. indrawati9_Dimas ArdianGetty Images_indonesiaworkertechnology Dimas Ardian/Getty Images

      Developing Countries Must Seize the Tech Frontier

      Sri Mulyani Indrawati urges policymakers to start preparing strategies for inclusive economic growth in an age of disruption.
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      Can a Political-Economy Vicious Circle Be Avoided?

      Lawrence H. Summers sees the US presidential election in November as the year's most important decision worldwide.
    11. mcnamee2 Getty Images

      Big Tech’s Will to Power

      Roger McNamee warns that the leading platform firms want to take over public services and replace democracy with algorithms.
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      There’s More to Life than GDP

      Mark Cliffe points out the many holes in the prevailing approach to measuring welfare, and fears they are growing bigger.
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      Central Europe’s Republics of Fans

      Ivan Krastev explains why liberal appeals to democratic principles could intensify political polarization in the region.

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