Nations as Living Systems Nations are not machines but living complex systems. When functioning well, they contain a mix of order and chaos. Neither extreme is desirable: rigid order, as under Saddam’s Iraq, is no better than uncontrolled chaos, as seen after 2003. Few countries in the broader Middle East are functioning well. Others oscillate…
Category: Public Policy
The One State Option for Palestinians
The one-state option for Palestinians has been discussed for decades as an alternative to stalled negotiations and recurring conflict. Israel came into being over six decades ago, yet the grievances of displaced Palestinians remain unresolved. Historical Background Israel was established in 1948. Since then, efforts to address the grievances of displaced Palestinians have made little…
Meandering Reforms of the English National Health Service
Introduction The English National Health Service (NHS), founded in 1948, is one of the most significant social innovations of post-war Britain. Built on the principle that healthcare is a human right and a strategic national asset, it aimed to provide universal care. Over time, governments repeatedly attempted reforms. These efforts, driven by political pressures, financial…
Manufactured Enemies
The Military Industrial Complex In his farewell speech in 1961, President Eisenhower cautioned the United States about the growing power of the Military-Industrial Complex. As a distinguished military leader turned president, he was in a position to know. By 2014, the significance of his warning was evident. William Blum, in Killing Hope, described more than…