France hasn’t seen demonstrations like this for 40 years. President Nicolas Sarkozy’s character, his arrogance and determination to crush the “enemy” have aroused wide opposition. But one man’s whims do not account for all the sound and fury. This is a response to a fundamental and unjust change of social direction chosen by European governments with allegiances ranging from confident right to compliant left, on the pretext of dealing with the financial crisis. Berlusconi has done no more good (...)

Ireland’s neo-liberal economic policies were greatly admired around the world, just as long as they seemed to be delivering high growth rates. Even now, Ireland’s ferocious austerity measures are being emulated

Politicians are gaining ground with Texas voters by blaming the federal government for all national ills. For Tea Partiers here, Washington appears a distant, almost foreign ruler