Konstantin Sonin
@ksonin.bsky.social
Political economist, John Dewey Distinguished Service Professor at University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy.
The NATO summit had one big positive thing going. In the countries' commitment to raise their military spending to 5% of GDP, a 1-1.5% is, explicitly, military aid to Ukraine. No Article 5 protection in the near future, but the commitment institutionalizes NATO cooperation with Ukraine.
June 26, 2025 at 7:04 PM
The NATO summit had one big positive thing going. In the countries' commitment to raise their military spending to 5% of GDP, a 1-1.5% is, explicitly, military aid to Ukraine. No Article 5 protection in the near future, but the commitment institutionalizes NATO cooperation with Ukraine.
Policy-wise, I disagree with Zohran Mamdani about almost everything. He offers the opposite of free-market, personal choice/personal responsibility approach to economic problems that I'd like to see. But it is SO great to see new faces in politics, finally.
June 25, 2025 at 9:42 AM
Policy-wise, I disagree with Zohran Mamdani about almost everything. He offers the opposite of free-market, personal choice/personal responsibility approach to economic problems that I'd like to see. But it is SO great to see new faces in politics, finally.
In the 17th century, when unhappy soldiers rebelled and marched on the palace, the tsar would emerge, plead for their forgiveness, and offer up a few top ministers to be executed on the spot. If Putin feels like a Russian tsar, he might feed the Medvedev's head to Trump tonight.
June 23, 2025 at 4:44 PM
In the 17th century, when unhappy soldiers rebelled and marched on the palace, the tsar would emerge, plead for their forgiveness, and offer up a few top ministers to be executed on the spot. If Putin feels like a Russian tsar, he might feed the Medvedev's head to Trump tonight.
The final exam in my Game Theory class at KSE is rescheduled - students had a sleepless night. Again and again the Russian army attacks Kyiv, one of the largest cities in Europe, with missiles and drones. Each of these strikes is a war crime. Help Ukraine to stop this madness!
June 23, 2025 at 11:14 AM
The final exam in my Game Theory class at KSE is rescheduled - students had a sleepless night. Again and again the Russian army attacks Kyiv, one of the largest cities in Europe, with missiles and drones. Each of these strikes is a war crime. Help Ukraine to stop this madness!
The new statement by the Russian Ministry of Foreig Affairs is breathtakingly hypocritical. A sane mind would want to interpret this as either a hidden swipe at Putin, or post-post-irony. But the Reverse Cargo Cult theory explains this pretty well: bfi.uchicago.edu/insights/the....
June 22, 2025 at 11:45 AM
The new statement by the Russian Ministry of Foreig Affairs is breathtakingly hypocritical. A sane mind would want to interpret this as either a hidden swipe at Putin, or post-post-irony. But the Reverse Cargo Cult theory explains this pretty well: bfi.uchicago.edu/insights/the....
180 degree turn in real time. More seriously, it is probably "framing". War on the Israel side? MAGA is a resounding "no". Bombing someone who cannot respond? Yes!
June 22, 2025 at 9:12 AM
180 degree turn in real time. More seriously, it is probably "framing". War on the Israel side? MAGA is a resounding "no". Bombing someone who cannot respond? Yes!
For economic theorists, this should be familiar. It's a bubbling equilibrium in a sender-receiver game. There is no harm in appointing an incompetent person as an advisor, if you are not listening to their advice.
June 21, 2025 at 12:59 PM
For economic theorists, this should be familiar. It's a bubbling equilibrium in a sender-receiver game. There is no harm in appointing an incompetent person as an advisor, if you are not listening to their advice.
Saratov, not Samara!
Many thanks :)
Many thanks :)
June 17, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Saratov, not Samara!
Many thanks :)
Many thanks :)
Another terrible night in Kyiv. 15 people are killed and dozens wounded as a result of the Russian attack on civilian areas.
June 17, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Another terrible night in Kyiv. 15 people are killed and dozens wounded as a result of the Russian attack on civilian areas.
As a Russian-born American, someone at the US Department of Defense works hard to make me feel home everywhere all the time all at once.
June 14, 2025 at 9:42 PM
As a Russian-born American, someone at the US Department of Defense works hard to make me feel home everywhere all the time all at once.
Друзья, близкие и далёкие, коллеги и соавторы в Тель-Авиве и других городах. В эти минуты я думаю только о вас - и молюсь, как может атеист, за каждого и каждую.
June 13, 2025 at 9:52 PM
Друзья, близкие и далёкие, коллеги и соавторы в Тель-Авиве и других городах. В эти минуты я думаю только о вас - и молюсь, как может атеист, за каждого и каждую.
Помните - защищать тех, кто подвергается преследованиям, и помогать тем, кого дискриминируют - это хорошо и правильно независимо от политических взглядов и общественной позиции. Гомофобия - это и разновидность фашизма и его коренной признак. 2/3
June 11, 2025 at 7:47 PM
Помните - защищать тех, кто подвергается преследованиям, и помогать тем, кого дискриминируют - это хорошо и правильно независимо от политических взглядов и общественной позиции. Гомофобия - это и разновидность фашизма и его коренной признак. 2/3
LEFT: The attack on Kyiv, May 24, before the Opetation Spider's Web. RIGHT: The attack on Kharkiv, June 6, after the Operation Spider's Web. Those who call the Kharkiv "retaliation" are lying.
June 7, 2025 at 7:43 AM
LEFT: The attack on Kyiv, May 24, before the Opetation Spider's Web. RIGHT: The attack on Kharkiv, June 6, after the Operation Spider's Web. Those who call the Kharkiv "retaliation" are lying.
Another night - new attacks on residential quarters in Kyiv (was loud), Chernihiv, Lutsk. No military targets. Civilians and first responders killed. Putin still believes he can terrorize Ukraine into submission. A good article in @politico on what to understand: www.politico.com/news/magazin....
June 6, 2025 at 9:03 AM
Another night - new attacks on residential quarters in Kyiv (was loud), Chernihiv, Lutsk. No military targets. Civilians and first responders killed. Putin still believes he can terrorize Ukraine into submission. A good article in @politico on what to understand: www.politico.com/news/magazin....
As an academic working on the political economy, this is moving too fast to analyze. Feeling as fascinated as any spectator.
June 5, 2025 at 7:11 PM
As an academic working on the political economy, this is moving too fast to analyze. Feeling as fascinated as any spectator.
ЧИКАГО ИЮНЬ
Помните, что если вас раздражает прайд-символика, то вы - причина того, что её нужно вывешивать.
Помните, что если вас раздражает прайд-символика, то вы - причина того, что её нужно вывешивать.
June 5, 2025 at 1:22 PM
ЧИКАГО ИЮНЬ
Помните, что если вас раздражает прайд-символика, то вы - причина того, что её нужно вывешивать.
Помните, что если вас раздражает прайд-символика, то вы - причина того, что её нужно вывешивать.
Ukraine destroyed its nuclear arsenal in 1994-97 because the US, among others, guaranteed its territorial integrity. How does not fulfilling this obligation helps to persuade Iran to abandon their nuclear program?
June 4, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Ukraine destroyed its nuclear arsenal in 1994-97 because the US, among others, guaranteed its territorial integrity. How does not fulfilling this obligation helps to persuade Iran to abandon their nuclear program?
Congratulations, President Lee Jae-myung! Just remember, Korea's presidency is a dangerous job.
June 4, 2025 at 9:13 AM
Congratulations, President Lee Jae-myung! Just remember, Korea's presidency is a dangerous job.
Except for political economists, no one would appreciate this observation, and still. In 2024, President Trump brought in an incredibly ideologically diverse political coalition. It's his "magic" (plus polarization) that keeps it together.
June 3, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Except for political economists, no one would appreciate this observation, and still. In 2024, President Trump brought in an incredibly ideologically diverse political coalition. It's his "magic" (plus polarization) that keeps it together.
Here is the Putin's response to Ukraine's attack on Russia's military airfields, which resulted in 10+ bombers destroyed with zero civilian casualties. Putin's response is a missile strike on a residential area in Sumy - civilians are killed, including kids. Putin is a monster. He must be stopped.
June 3, 2025 at 9:29 AM
Here is the Putin's response to Ukraine's attack on Russia's military airfields, which resulted in 10+ bombers destroyed with zero civilian casualties. Putin's response is a missile strike on a residential area in Sumy - civilians are killed, including kids. Putin is a monster. He must be stopped.
Back in 1937, famous Czech writer Karel Capek wrote in a parody piece of news: "The enemy treacherously attempted to shoot down our airplanes while we were peacefully dropping bombs on their city." Today, the Russian state news agency RIA
repeated the Capek's line in all seriousness.
repeated the Capek's line in all seriousness.
June 1, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Back in 1937, famous Czech writer Karel Capek wrote in a parody piece of news: "The enemy treacherously attempted to shoot down our airplanes while we were peacefully dropping bombs on their city." Today, the Russian state news agency RIA
repeated the Capek's line in all seriousness.
repeated the Capek's line in all seriousness.
The propaganda machine immediately dubbed the Ukrainian attack on the Russian strategic bomber fleet a Russian Pearl Harbor. This is a misnomer as the Japan attack on the US base on 12/7/41 was a surprise attack without a declaration of war. The result was that the US entered WWII. (1/2)
June 1, 2025 at 7:12 PM
The propaganda machine immediately dubbed the Ukrainian attack on the Russian strategic bomber fleet a Russian Pearl Harbor. This is a misnomer as the Japan attack on the US base on 12/7/41 was a surprise attack without a declaration of war. The result was that the US entered WWII. (1/2)
This is called "whataboutism" and was famously used by the Soviet propaganda in old times. Merriam-Webster article on "whatboutism" refers to the USSR practice for the origin of the term. In my new paper, I do a formal model of this: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.....
May 30, 2025 at 5:06 PM
This is called "whataboutism" and was famously used by the Soviet propaganda in old times. Merriam-Webster article on "whatboutism" refers to the USSR practice for the origin of the term. In my new paper, I do a formal model of this: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.....
A small new theory paper on how propaganda works: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers..... Contains a personal anecdote, a formal model, and a mathematical definition of a lie. Explains the propaganda effect of Soviet elections, in which there were no option to vote against the sole candidate.
May 28, 2025 at 10:48 PM
A small new theory paper on how propaganda works: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers..... Contains a personal anecdote, a formal model, and a mathematical definition of a lie. Explains the propaganda effect of Soviet elections, in which there were no option to vote against the sole candidate.
Foreign students pay for themselves and American. Many state schools charge low in-state tuition because foreign students pay much. US universities is an excellent export, the source of soft power, and a scouting mechanism for getting talent from around the world. It's madness.
May 28, 2025 at 8:29 AM
Foreign students pay for themselves and American. Many state schools charge low in-state tuition because foreign students pay much. US universities is an excellent export, the source of soft power, and a scouting mechanism for getting talent from around the world. It's madness.