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Spies isn’t everything: Putin’s global-chaos machine

The EconomistPutin, Jason Palmer, Shashank Joshi, Callum Williams, Maria Vilcek
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  • Russian intelligence activities are perceived by Western governments as escalating to a "really new level" of recklessness, described as "more feral" and part of a "sustained mission to generate mayhem" on British and European streets.
  • Russia is predicted to cross West-defined red lines "in the years to come," with an "intense campaign" expected to begin "in the months ahead."
  • Vladimir Putin characterizes the current decade as "probably the most dangerous, unpredictable and important decade since the end of World War II," while a Kremlin spokesperson is dismissed as a "habitual liar."
  • Active measures by Russia are expected to corrode trust in American institutions, a situation exacerbated because those institutions are described as "not in the healthiest shape anyway."
  • Rich world governments face a "short-termist bias" amplified by social media and 24-hour news, leading politicians to prioritize "short-term wins" over long-term economic management.
  • The current strategy of increasing spending without raising taxes is expected to end, forcing governments to eventually "bite the bullet" by cutting entitlements or raising taxes to fund public services.
  • While US government debt interest remains "pretty low" allowing for current borrowing, it is acknowledged that interest rates will change "at some point," though the timing is "basically impossible to predict."
  • A "sensible conversation about taxation" is predicted as necessary eventually due to rising costs.
  • Local authorities in Britain are pledging to serve more beans in hospitals, government buildings, and prisons, while programs are being implemented to increase bean consumption among school children.
  • Premium baked beans are the only canned food category experiencing growth, with a 1.7% increase in the year to January, compared to 0.2% growth for other bean types.