Features

This article examines the rise of the “imperial executive” in modern democracies, arguing that the expansion of executive authority is less a deliberate erosion of democratic governance than an institutional adaptation to an increasingly volatile international system. As geopolitical competition, hybrid warfare, and technological acceleration compress decision-making timelines, executives have gained greater discretion in foreign policy, security, and crisis management. Through examples from the United States, Europe, India, and Israel, the article explores how strong executive leadership can enhance responsiveness and strategic coherence while also posing long-term risks to democratic accountability. Ultimately, it contends that the central challenge for modern democracies is not preventing the growth of executive power—an almost inevitable development—but ensuring that effective oversight and institutional safeguards evolve alongside it.

Traditional salaried jobs no longer automatically feel like the safest option for many Gen Z workers. With layoffs, inflation and AI reshaping early-career opportunities, alternative paths such as freelancing, real estate, influencer work, small business and gigs can appear more attractive because they offer greater autonomy and a stronger sense of control, even if income is less predictable.
Stability is increasingly being understood not just as a steady paycheck, but as having multiple income streams, transferable skills, personal networks and the ability to adapt. In that sense, treating a career like a startup reflects a broader shift in how security, risk and success are being defined in a more uncertain labour market.

The article examines the shift from industry-specific strikes to a model of radical interdependence in the 21st-century labour movement. It explores the mechanics of Global Union Federations (GUFs) and the predicament of workers across a far-reaching conveyor belt. From the Dhaka textile factory to the office cubicle in Seattle, workers are transcending borders to battle a new flavour of feudalism.

While chocolate is marketed as a quintessential symbol of affection and celebration, the US$123 billion industry hides a systemic human rights crisis. Concentrated in West Africa, production relies on a “poverty trap” where farmers receive less than 6% of the final product’s value. Until farmer income increases fourfold, child exploitation will remain an inherent ingredient in the global cocoa supply chain.