Economy | PerMondo

US Healthcare: Not Quite a Free Market

13/11/2015 By adrian Leave a Comment

Original article published in Spanish by Juan Ramón Rallo

When we consider how privatized healthcare would work in a free market setting, the United States quickly come to mind. In effect, the US lacks a public healthcare system similar to Europe (whether it be the Beveridge Model in the UK or Spain, where the state is the one in charge of providing health services in exchange for taxes, or the Bismarck Model in Germany or Austria, where citizens are bound by the state to take out heavily monitored and regulated health insurance), making it, in principle, a good testing ground for the effects of the privatization and liberalization of healthcare.Continue Reading

Can everyone win in the stock market?

29/10/2015 By adrian Leave a Comment

Original article published on the 28th January 2011 by Juan Ramón Rallo

Following on from our recent discussion about the viability of the stock market as an instrument of long-term investment, another one of the objections that usually comes up is: “Not everyone can win in the stock market”, “If somebody wins it is because he bought cheap from somebody or sold high to somebody else, and therefore that other person is losing”. This fear is a reflection of the widespread mercantilist view that the economy is a zero-sum game. But over three centuries it should be obvious that, thanks to economic growth, all members of a society can win. So why then do they not understand that every investor can win in the stock market?Continue Reading

Is it risky to invest in the stock market?

21/10/2015 By adrian Leave a Comment

Original article published on the 4th February 2011 by Juan Ramón Rallo

The stock market is considered by the majority of the population to be one of the riskiest investments possible. People who do not give a second thought to playing football pools or the lottery every week are horrified at the thought of somebody being so suicidal as to invest their savings in the stock market, the casino of all casinos.

The fear is understandable. But is it true that the stock market is really that risky? Continue Reading

Why university should be completely private

13/10/2015 By adrian Leave a Comment

Original article published on the 2nd September 2011 by Juan Ramón Rallo

Almost the entire population agrees that education is one of the pillars of the welfare state. In Spain, talking about a privatisation of education which extends beyond school vouchers seems to be taboo, even among liberals. However, economic theory allows us to understand why completely private education, especially higher/university education, is not only recommendable but essential for the development of education.Continue Reading

The Spanish education: Expensive and Inadequate

08/10/2015 By adrian Leave a Comment

Original article published on the 12th September 2014 by Juan Ramón Rallo

It is widely recognised and accepted that education is one of the best investments, if not the best, that the average person can make over the course of their life. Education enriches people’s lives both socially and as human beings, and facilitates their access to high-quality and highly-paid jobs. The provision of education, therefore, constitutes a core element within our social structure; a good education system is crucial to society’s ability to prosper and progress.

It is precisely because of this capital relevance thatContinue Reading

Four principles for the open world – Don Tapscott

20/01/2015 By Sabrina Leave a Comment

The technology revolution is opening the world.

Yesterday’s Internet was a platform for the presentation of content while the Internet of today is a platform for computation.

The Internet is a big global computer that we all share.

Humanity is building a machine, and this enables us to collaborate in new ways. Collaboration can occur on an astronomical basis. Now a new generation is opening up the world as well, a new generation that is the first generation to come of age in the digital age, to be bathed in bits. I call them the Net Generation.

The global economic crisis is opening up the world as wellContinue Reading