Economy

A lot of tax money goes into researching covid vaccines, but the profits are only cashed in by the pharma industry. For the sake of profit, pharmaceutical companies keep their patents under wraps, which prevents the production of enough vaccine. In response to this, international health experts are demanding: In times of crisis, states must … Read more

Spain will become the first country in the world to launch a pilot 4-day workweek at nation-state level, The Guardian reports. The government of Socialist Pedro Sánchez has accepted a proposal from the leftist Más País (meaning “More Land”) party. Preparatory talks will conclude in the following weeks. DETAILS UNDER NEGOTIATION The details of the … Read more

In 1906, Iran was one of the first states in the Middle East to officially to become a democracy. However, in order to secure cheap oil from the country, the US and Britain overthrew progressive Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh in 1953 and turned Iran into a “pro-Western” dictatorship. In doing so, they also destroyed a … Read more

Denmark has been led by Social Democrats since 2019. In 2020, the Danish government has been able to pay their citizens a corona aid of 1570$ each and priorized homless people during the vaccination process. Prime Minister Frederiksen and her party enjoy great popularity among the Danes. What is their key to success? The Danish … Read more

What may seem impossible to employees is common practice for multinationals: they shift their profits around the world until they no longer have to pay taxes on them. A global minimum tax on corporate profits could put an end to tax evasion. The chances of this happening are better than ever. This sounds like a … Read more

Chile votes overwhelmingly in favor of a change of political course in parliamentary elections. Most of the votes went to left-wing and independent forces, giving them a surprisingly clear-cut victory. Centrist parties were voted out alongside the conservatives. Last Sunday’s elections are considered Chile’s most important vote since the country’s return to democracy 30 years … Read more

French economist Thomas Piketty calls for all citizens to receive 120,000 euros for their 25th birthday. This “start-up money” would open up many opportunities for young people, such as buying a home or starting their own business – and people would no longer have to take jobs with miserable working conditions. The measure is intended … Read more

A four-day week is to be trialled in Scotland – with no loss of pay for workers. A report published in early September makes suggestions on how shorter working hours could be implemented for Scots, drawing on experiences in Iceland and New Zealand.   FOLLOWING THE ICELANDIC EXAMPLE In Scotland, labour shortages in some sectors … Read more

Germany’s meat industry pursued a very successful wage dumping strategy. An almost “mafia-like” system of labour procurement was based on cheap labour from Eastern Europe. Contract workers, temporary workers, migrant workers were placed for profit into the meat industry. The corporations and the “labour brokers” earned fortunes through wage dumping at the expense of the … Read more

The world’s largest nationwide attempt to reduce working hours has made international headlines – that’s how positive the results in Iceland were. The study showed: Reducing working hours while maintaining full pay makes workers happier, healthier and more productive – and pays off economically. Kontrast has spoken to one of the co-authors of the investigation … Read more