Unintended Consequences in History

Almost two thousand years ago, Julius Caesar appointed himself as dictator for life and was subsequently assassinated by the Roman Senate whose intention was to save the Roman Republic and its system of democracy. The unintended outcome was the end of the Roman Republic and the establishment of the Roman Empire, ruled by an Emperor… Continue reading Unintended Consequences in History

Degrowth and the Swiss Climate Referendum

There is a national referendum coming up in Switzerland about climate change. Basically the proposal is to become climate neutral by 2050 and one of the main arguments by the federal government in favour of the proposal is to become more energy independent, less dependent on other countries for energy, particularly fossil fuels which all… Continue reading Degrowth and the Swiss Climate Referendum

Unintended Consequences

China became more liberal during the years after Mao, rapidly developing economically, transferring control away from the state in some areas and transitioning towards a market economy. Then there were the Tiananmen Square protests, the protests famously ending violently. In the years since those events, and maybe as a direct consequence, China has reversed some… Continue reading Unintended Consequences