Film Clips, Chapter 9
Politics in Developed States
Several parts of the text have referenced the important 1944 Bretton Woods conference, held in New Hampshire that summer. Often described as a watershed moment in world economic history, the 1944 meetings still affect us today. Paddy Ashdown was a soldier in the British forces, an intelligence officer, a member of the British Parliament, and a foreign diplomat. He argues that, like that moment in 1944, we are now witnessing a drastic shift in power, which will affect global governance.
In 1957, Canada and the United States joined forces to create the North American Air Defence Command (later North American Aerospace Defence Command). This was the height of the Cold War, and suspicions about possible Soviet attacks were high on both sides of the border. George Pearkes, Canada’s national defence minister, comments on the establishment of NORAD, and how command would be shared between Canada and the United States.
The US Electoral College Explained: Why We Don’t Vote Directly for a President
One of the oddest parts of the US electoral system is the Electoral College. Americans do not elect their president directly; rather, they elect voters in the College, who then cast the vote directly for president on behalf of their home state. Harry Eten, US polling expert for British based guardian.com news, explains how the system works, its history, and political implications.
The Hollowing out of Japan's Economy: Myths, Facts, adn Countermeasures
Once dominant in the global economy, Japan has struggled to maintain its production base in the face of the 2008 international downturn, and the Fukushima nuclear disaster. This podcast, recorded at the Brooking Institution’s discussion on the future of the Japanese economy, systematically examines the various aspects of Japan’s finances, trade, and commercial relations.
European Economic Crisis Explained in Three Minutes
In this irreverent video hosted by AbleEconomics on youtube.com, “experts” on finance sort through the massive economic crisis in Europe, only to stumble on some of the most important questions. Don’t expect deep analysis and background here, but some of the simple ideas are bandied about in a humourous, but nonetheless deeply concerning (!) way too.