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Derivatives ·

The Character of Our Technology

“We can’t influence the direction of technology, but we can influence its character,” says Kevin Kelly, founder of WIRED, in a recent interview with Krista Tippett. A quarter-century ago, financial derivatives technology, enabled by the emergent technology of distributed computing, was about to transform finance and global capital markets forever. The rise of derivatives technology made profound contributions to the…

John Fullerton·
January 31, 2018 6:48 pm·
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Estate Tax ·

Tax Reform: A Real Cohn Job

It seems that Gary Cohn, a trader and former heir apparent at Goldman Sachs—a life-long Democrat, let’s recall—and Trump’s current chief economic advisor, is heading for an early exit. After whiffing on his near-decision to resign on principle when Trump equated the neo-Nazis in Charlottesville with the demonstrators resisting the torch march, he naturally fell out of favor with Trump…

John Fullerton·
December 13, 2017 7:03 pm·
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Estate Tax ·

Fix (Don’t Flush) the Estate Tax

“The external glitter of wealth conceals a corrupt political core that reflects the growing gap between the very few rich and the very many poor.” – Mark Twain, The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today (1873) The Estate Tax, or a tax on wealth passed onto heirs, is not unique to America, but many OECD countries have no such tax.…

John Fullerton·
October 31, 2017 5:29 pm·
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Future of Finance ·

From Paris to Drawdown

Yes, it was a shameful poke in the world’s eye by the dangerously narcissistic, temporary occupant of the White House. Like other unconscionable and unfathomable acts of the early 21st century—a period of historic great change already—Trump’s pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement has sent me searching for the deeper meaning of it all, while the pundits flail away.…

John Fullerton·
June 7, 2017 8:37 pm·
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Encyclical ·

March for Science — Really?

How is it possible that in America, on the 47th anniversary of Earth Day, it was concluded that our situation was so dire that what was needed was not just a march for aggressive climate policies, but rather a “March for Science” itself? Small-minded, corrupt, and power hungry state governors banning the mere use of the phrase “climate change” in…

John Fullerton·
May 2, 2017 11:07 pm·
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Complexity ·

Shifting From Parts to Patterns

“All our knowledge has its origins in our perceptions.” – Leonardo Da Vinci I had the pleasure of hearing my friend Nora Bateson speak last week at The Players Club in New York City where she held a reading and conversation around her recently published book, Small Arcs of Larger Circles: Framing Through Other Patterns. If that title slows you…

John Fullerton·
April 4, 2017 4:12 pm·
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Evergreen Direct Investing ·

Hell No!

Sustainability icon and Unilever CEO Paul Polman made his feelings crystal clear on the unsolicited merger offer last week by Kraft Heinz, backed by the Brazilian cost-cutters at 3G Capital and their partner Warren Buffett: the proposed deal, Unilever said, “had no merit, either financial or strategic.” Ouch. I recall early in Polman’s CEO tenure hearing him say there were…

John Fullerton·
February 28, 2017 9:00 pm·
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Capitalism ·

Broken Trust

At this year’s World Economic Forum gathering in Davos, Switzerland, PR firm Edelman shared its comprehensive annual Trust Barometer, confirming what we all know: global trust in institutions and leaders is at an all-time low. Fully two-thirds of countries are now considered “distrusters” (under 50% trust in the mainstream institutions of business, government, media and NGOs to do what is right),…

John Fullerton·
January 27, 2017 1:25 pm·
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City States ·

City States Rising!

Globalism’s associated and accelerating complexity of interconnected crises from migration to terrorism, from pandemics to climate change, define the new context of our 21st-century reality. Unmanaged technological change and an outdated economic ideology compound the already unfair burden these crises impose on global citizens. One need only consider the 18 percent approval rating of the United States Congress, the recent…

John Fullerton·
December 29, 2016 3:39 am·
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Amazon ·

Dear Cities: Resist Amazon’s HQ2

There is something untoward about the feeding frenzy we are witnessing as cities across the country vie to be the site of Amazon’s second headquarters (“HQ2”). Amazon, after all, is the poster child for driving, first, independent booksellers and then retailers out of business, hollowing out communities across America. It is considered a meat grinder for white-collar workers who churn…

John Fullerton·
September 30, 2017 6:07 pm·
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Climate Change ·

President-Elect Trump: A Gift?

Imagine if you can, Donald Trump has arrived as a gift, to illuminate for us the American “shadow” at this pivotal moment in history. The Swiss Psychiatrist C.G. Jung refers to “the shadow” as the dark side of one’s self. The shadow, Jung wrote in 1963, “is that hidden, repressed, for the most part inferior and guilt-laden” aspect of our…

John Fullerton·
November 10, 2016 10:37 pm·
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Future of Finance ·

Sail On, Sail On, Sailor

The following blog post originally appeared on EcoWatch.com. “Our vision is millions of people living and working in space, and New Glenn is a very important step,” said Jeff Bezos, unveiling this week his space travel company Blue Origin’s giant rocket named after Astronaut John Glenn. Of course there is also billionaire entrepreneur extraordinaire Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Richard Branson’s Virgin…

John Fullerton·
September 16, 2016 1:08 pm·
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Financial Transactions Tax ·

Brexit: Ignorance Calls Out Ignorance

“It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you in trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.” – Mark Twain Former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair discussed the momentous June 23 Brexit Referendum on a still “Too Big to Fail” bank conference call last week. Revealing how he really felt near the end of the interview,…

John Fullerton·
July 12, 2016 12:17 pm·
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Future of Finance ·

What’s the Matter with America? The Breakdown of Love, Strength & Intelligence

The following guest blog post is by Dr. Sally Goerner, Capital Institute’s Science Advisor. Why have millions of American voters selected Donald Trump, a narcissistic, neo-fascist salesman whose policies run from irrational to dangerous? There are, of course, many facets to this conundrum. Here, I explore its deeper psychological underpinnings in hopes that our leaders might better understand its causes and…

John Fullerton·
June 21, 2016 8:32 pm·
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Future of Finance ·

To Break ‘Em Up, or Not to Break ‘Em Up, That Is the (Wrong) Question

Over the coming months, I will be finalizing a white paper whose working title is “Fixing Finance: System Design in Service of the Regenerative Economy.” I will be drawing on the eight principles of Regenerative Economics[1] to explore an aspirational framework for the redesign of global finance. This is the first in a series of articles, previewing ideas…

John Fullerton·
May 23, 2016 2:33 pm·
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