Notebook

Essays and notes on political economy, books, history, and the forces that shape how people live.

Energy Werner Mouton Energy Werner Mouton

A Quota Cannot Open a Strait

OPEC+ can raise oil quotas, but it cannot reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Trump, Iran, war and shipping routes determine whether oil reaches households—and at what price across the world.

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AI Werner Mouton AI Werner Mouton

AI Does Not Belong to America

Bernie Sanders wants Americans to own half of major AI companies, but global knowledge complicates national claims and raises deeper questions about ownership, public wealth, borders, and power in technology.

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War & Geopolitics Werner Mouton War & Geopolitics Werner Mouton

Hormuz Has Changed

Drone strikes and U.S. retaliation expose how the Strait of Hormuz’s reopening did not restore normal shipping; it created contested passage, reshaping shipping risks, geopolitical power, and global oil security.

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State Power Werner Mouton State Power Werner Mouton

The Court Looks Away

The Supreme Court’s immigration rulings show how protection can remain formally legal while being narrowed through discretion, procedure, deference, and the state’s refusal to see racial power.

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