Open to Debate, in partnership with the Human Rights Foundation and the Oslo Freedom Forum, is examining a strategy employed by many countries to respond to aggressive or authoritarian regimes. In recent years, these have been levied against countries such as Russia, Venezuela, and Iran, which have ranged from freezing assets and trade bans to travel restrictions and full embargoes. But do sanctions work in deterring repression?Those arguing that they’re effective claim that they’re a nonviolent way to force changeand serve as a deterrent for other countries. Those who are skeptical aboutthe efficacy of sanctions say they are leaky, don’t lead to regime change, and can harm civilians and exacerbate humanitarian crises.Now with this background, we debate the question: Are Sanctions an Effective Policy Tool?This debate was produced in partnership with the Human Rights Foundation at the Oslo Freedom Forum in Oslo, Norway, on May 26, 2025.
QE Quarterback: Fed Sees ‘Through Wall Street’s Eyes’
November 28, 2015
Javier E. David
This month marks the seventh anniversary of the Federal Reserve’s first round of quantitative easing the program that more than quadrupled the central bank’s balance sheet, sparking a debate over the limits of monetary policy.