About
The mission of the Resilient World Systems program at Open Markets is to develop and advocate for policies that ensure the security, independence, and prosperity of the people of the United States and of all peoples around the world. It is based on the belief that the stability of the world’s industrial, financial, communications, and political systems requires careful coordinated management by national governments.
Over the last generation, the United States and its allies allowed super-large corporations and mercantilist nations to concentrate power and control within these systems in ways that have created many grave economic and political dangers. One result is that many of these systems are now subject to cascading and potentially catastrophic crashes and severe shortages even of vital goods such as foods and medical supplies. A second result is a breakdown of international cooperation and a growing number of cross-border industrial conflicts. Other results include the manipulation of vital news and information, the disruption of democratic debate, and the choking off of climate-friendly technological innovations.
Open Markets is recognized around the world as a pioneer in the study and design of resilient and open international systems. Over the years, our work has deeply shaped thinking among officials in the United States, Europe, Japan, and China, as well as in the IMF and World Bank. Our new partnership with the OECD resulted in the important transatlantic conference Shock Proof to discuss the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Publications
The Washington Monthly published a timely cover story by Phillip Longman, which challenges the dominant political narratives about how to rebuild America's industrial strength, arguing that both Republican and Democratic strategies miss a crucial, historically-proven ingredient: market-shaping regulation.
Senior legal analyst Daniel Hanley and industrial policy program manager Audrey Stienon provide insight that to achieve democratic and resilient economies during periods of transition, governments must integrate competition policy into industrial strategy to prevent monopolies, curb corporate resistance to change, and ensure broad, equitable market outcomes.
A report by transportation policy analyst Arnav Rao and corresponding feature article in The Atlantic, exposes alarming decline in U.S. Maritime power and how to build it back.
Transportation analyst Arnav Rao warns that decades of deregulation and offshoring have left the U.S. dangerously dependent on foreign-controlled ocean shipping, calling for urgent policy reforms to rebuild domestic maritime strength, protect national security, and stabilize the economy.
Transportation analyst Arnav Rao discusses findings from his recent report on ocean shipping, arguing that decades of deregulation and foreign dependence have crippled U.S. maritime capacity—and calls for restoring regulated competition and public investment to revive it.
Transportation analyst Arnav Rao argues that while Elon Musk's push to privatize Amtrak grabs headlines, the real threat to U.S. passenger rail is the unchecked power of freight rail monopolies.
Transportation analyst Arnav Rao touches on Amtrak’s failures are less about government inefficiency and more the result of corporate monopolies, financialization, and political sabotage.
In this issue, we look at the new antimonopoly caucus in the House, and examine how monopoly and Wall Street power keeps Amtrak off track, denying better train service to Americans across the country.
The independent regulator is moving forward with one most comprehensive inquiry to date in the Global South taking on Big Tech and AI's impacts on journalism.
Open Markets Institute signed onto a letter expressing concerns that trade negotiations could undermine UK parliamentary sovereignty and democracy, particularly in relation to regulations like the Online Safety Act and the Digital Markets, Competition, and Consumers Act.