New York’s KGB Spy Museum: Commemorating Crimes or Celebrating Spies?

NEW YORK—Manhattan’s K.G.B. Espionage Museum opened in January, showcasing equipment belonging to the Soviet secret security agency. During my visit to New York, I uncovered an important story the museum doesn’t tell. When I went inside, a kind guide with a strong Russian accent introduced me to the largest collection of Soviet K.G.B. equipment in the world. He enthusiastically spoke about secret cameras, audio recorders, and hidden microphones. The museum houses a total of 3,700 artifacts. Coming from Central Europe, as a citizen of the former Czechoslovakia, I am fully aware of how many lives were lost in the communist era, and how many people were murdered in times of peace in the name of the Soviet communist revolution. Visiting the museum, I was surprised by people’s attitude toward communism in the United States.

Inside the museum, I met an enthusiastic young student, Wayatt Kent, from Colorado. “I took a couple courses through my school about it [communism], but still just don’t have the expanded knowledge that I was going for. So, I’m excited to be here and learn a lot more,” he said. I could not figure out what captivated him about communism. “Do you know how many people died unnatural deaths during the communist era in the Soviet Union?” I asked. “Oh my goodness, no, I, I don’t…”

Clearly, I thought, his teachers instilled a positive impression of communism in him. “I think communism has really great appeal, and it makes a lot of sense, but in the world that we live in with such natural human greed, and such a natural human strive [sic] for power, there’s a lot of issues that need to be worked out before, before it will, you know, effectively work, um, work great.” he said. I began to feel a little uneasy. Hundreds of thousands of people were thrown into concentration camps called Gulags under Soviet rule. They were beaten, frozen, and tortured in the name of communism. According to “The Black Book of Communism: Crimes, Terror, Repression,” communism has killed between 85 million and 100 million people, worldwide.

I told Kent about Central and Eastern Europe’s experiences of communism. I was curious to know, within that context, about his impression of this exhibition. He responded, “I think that this gallery exhibition is, ah, is an incredible reminder, and it is very important for us to remember the history. But also, it’s a great way to look at the positive aspects of what could be, while also remembering the lives that were lost as well.” This kind of response astounded me. I asked a colleague, Joshua Philipp, senior editor at The Epoch Times, to explain how Americans see communism.

https://www.theepochtimes.com/new-yorks-kgb-spy-museum-commemorating-crimes-or-celebrating-spies_2868477.html

Lagarde: World May Face a ‘Monopoly Problem’ in the Future

WASHINGTON—The rising power of a few corporate giants could weaken investment, deter innovation, and reduce the share of income paid to workers in advanced economies, according to a new report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). While the overall macroeconomic effects of the rising “monopoly problem” have been modest so far, further increases in the market power of big companies could become increasingly negative if they were left unchecked. The problem could take a bigger toll on economic growth and people’s incomes in the future, warned the IMF, which urged policymakers to keep the market competition strong. Speaking at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde talked about the increasing concentration of market power in advanced economies. She said a small number of highly successful companies accounted for the “highest price markups.”

According to the IMF, the price markup—how much a company charges for its products compared with how much it costs to produce—is a good measurement of market power. When a company’s market power increases, it can maximize its profits by charging a higher price and reducing its output. “In other words, there is a “winner-takes-most” dynamic at play—especially pronounced in the digital economy,” Lagarde said. “I am not saying that we currently have a ‘monopoly problem.’ But I am saying that we should take appropriate measures—so that it does not become a problem.”

Increase in market power would lead a company to reduce its demand for capital and, therefore, its investment, according to the IMF study. It also stifles innovation, as the firm would have less incentive to innovate to stay competitive. The study also found that increased market power since 2000 has accounted for at least 10 percent of the drop in the share of labor income in advanced economies. Lagarde urged policymakers in countries like the United States to take necessary measures to prevent the escalation of the problem in the future. “That means reducing barriers to entry for new firms and reforming competition frameworks to ensure a level playing field in all sectors, whether traditional or high-tech,” she said.

https://www.theepochtimes.com/lagarde-world-may-face-a-monopoly-problem-in-the-future_2870411.html