Economy
Debt
The global debt crisis has been in New Internationalist’s purview since its inception in 1973, when we covered the newly decolonized African nations’ calls to cancel debt and expedite reparations. Now, we report on how the legacy of predatory lending set out by Bretton Woods institutions is widening inequalities between the Global North and South. Further, policies such as austerity, debt relief, and structural adjustment are covered in this section – as well as the devastating impact of debt on individuals across the world.
Event: Time to pay up (Online)
Join us on Monday 25 September to discuss the growing demands for debt cancellation, and climate reparations alongside special guests.
Housing is a circus
A new aerial cabaret show explores the housing crisis and the debts of home. Amy Hall reports.
Structural adjustment 2.0
Debt crises are back with a vengeance as the dollar goes from strength to strength and interest rates rise. As the International Monetary Fund keeps pushing austerity, Zambian journalist Zanji Valerie Sinkala explores whether that’s really a solution to her country’s economic woes.Payback time
Danny Chivers reports on the movements making links between international debt and the climate crisis in a bold and imaginative way.
It’s official, the global economy is a ‘debtor’s prison’
As the World Bank and IMF sound the alarm on debts driven sky high by Covid-19 in some of the world’s poorest nations, Nick Dearden explains why debt ‘relief’ will not cut it – we need system change.
The way out of Argentina’s debt crisis
Since the early 2000s, Argentina has been forced into a cycle of debt and austerity. Nick Dearden presents solutions to this coercive, financialized system.
Debt, austerity, devastation: it’s Europe’s turn
As the creditors get fatter, the innocent are punished. Susan George laments a leadership subservient to big business.
Debt – The Facts
At any given time countries both owe debts and have them owing to them. Who owes what and what's the bigger crisis – foreign or domestic debt.
IMF whistleblower: 'We make or break human life every day of every year'
'We make or break human life every day of every year as probably no other force on earth has ever done in the past or will ever do again.' Strangely enough these are the words of an economist from the International Monetary Fund. Anthony Swift