Amit's Blog

Evolution of Welfare States: A Comparison of Japan, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Singapore (1975–2025) This analysis compares the welfare states of Japan, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Singapore from 1975 to 2025, using a multidimensional framework. It assesses welfare state models, social expenditure, key programs (healthcare, pensions, unemployment, education, housing), labor market inclusion, demographic and economic contexts, political dynamics, outcomes, and global influences. European nations (France, Germany, Italy, Spain) adopt social-democratic or conservative-corporatist models, with high social spending (20–30% of GDP) and universal healthcare, but face aging populations and fiscal pressures. Japan’s hybrid corporatist-developmentalist system, with 20% GDP expenditure, grapples with severe demographic challenges. Singapore’s liberal-residual model, spending 10–15% of GDP, prioritizes economic growth over redistribution. Outcomes show Europe reducing inequality...

Through Fire and Reform: Capitalism’s Tumultuous Journey (1914–1980) Part 3 of 4 From the smoke-filled trenches of 1914 to the neon glow of 1980s malls, capitalism endured a gauntlet of crises that would make even the most stoic economist wince. Two world wars, the Great Depression, and the Cold War’s ideological cage match tested the system’s mettle, forcing it to bend, twist, and occasionally grovel before the altar of state intervention. This was no genteel evolution; it was a bare-knuckled brawl for survival, with capitalism emerging scarred but swaggering, thanks to a mix of government muscle, global handshakes, and a knack for reinvention. Yet, as we’ll see, this era of adaptation sowed seeds of tension, setting the stage for the neoliberal circus that followed. Buckle up—this is capitalism’s mid-20th-century saga, complete with heroic recoveries, ironic missteps, and a few well-deserved eye-rolls at its excesses. A World at War: Capitalism’s Command Performance (1914–1945)...