The Archive

The questions. The debates. The verdicts.

Explore every session of The Long Council.

21 of 163 sessions
  1. 17 July 2026

    How to negotiate successfully with current Iranian leaders?

    Verdict

    Front-load enough relief to give Khamenei something to defend at home, but sequence each tranche so breaking the deal costs more than keeping it.

  2. 4 July 2026

    What conditions and choices made the US economically dominant over 250 years?

    Verdict

    America's dominance was built by productive markets and then locked in by institutions that made others pay to sustain it.

    USEconomy
  3. 30 June 2026

    Governments struggle to think beyond the next election, how to change that?

    Verdict

    Build the institutional locks now, but only those citizens helped design and can still monitor.

    GovernanceDemocracy
  4. 29 June 2026

    What conditions and actions would resolve the conflict between Iran and the USA?

    Verdict

    A deal is possible, but only if both governments can frame concessions as victories at home.

    USWar
  5. 23 June 2026

    Should the USA reduce its role as the world's security guarantor?

    Verdict

    No: not now, not without a named substitute force and a realistic timeline to build it.

    USWar
  6. 22 June 2026

    Should the US create a sovereign wealth fund from tech and AI company profits?

    Verdict

    No member endorses a US sovereign wealth fund as currently proposed. The split is over what to build instead.

    USEconomyGeopoliticsAI & Technology
  7. 20 June 2026

    Why don't EU countries invest in mutual train lines to reduce CO2 emissions?

    Verdict

    EU cross-border rail stalls because each member state pays now and waits decades to benefit, while no corridor-level institution enforces shared commitments.

    EUClimate
  8. 17 June 2026

    How to solve the housing crisis in the US?

    Verdict

    Zoning reform is the necessary first move, but supply alone will not house the lowest-income families.

    USEconomy
  9. 16 June 2026

    Can capitalism survive an AI-driven economy?

    Verdict

    Capitalism can survive AI, but only if redistribution happens before ownership concentration captures the governments that would impose it.

    EconomyGovernanceAI & Technology
  10. 15 June 2026

    How can we solve an urgent problem like housing shortage?

    Verdict

    Government must build housing directly while removing barriers to private construction. Market signals fail when speculation dominates shelter.

    Climate
  11. 31 May 2026

    If AI takes the jobs, who’s left to buy? What stops the collapse and who must act?

    Verdict

    Government must create purchasing power directly when AI displaces workers faster than markets can absorb them.

    EconomyAI & Technology
  12. 29 May 2026

    Who should pay for the added cost of sustainable kerosene in Europe?

    Verdict

    Airlines should charge passengers for sustainable fuel costs, but with progressive pricing that protects low-income access.

    EUClimate
  13. 29 May 2026

    When debt grows, why do governments choose to print money — and how does that shape the debt cycle?

    Verdict

    Governments print money because the political cost of fiscal adjustment arrives in months while inflation arrives in years.

    Economy
  14. 28 May 2026

    Can libertarian policy in western democracies lead to more growth and freedom?

    Verdict

    Libertarian policy delivers growth when institutions have failed, but who bears transition costs determines whether it enhances freedom.

    EconomyDemocracy
  15. 23 May 2026

    Is it wise to aspire to start human civilization on Mars?

    Verdict

    Mars settlement divides on whether civilizational insurance justifies abandoning Earth's urgent needs.

  16. 21 May 2026

    How can AI companies be regulated without hindering innovation?

    Verdict

    Regulate AI through multiple competing jurisdictions with clear, enforceable rules rather than comprehensive global frameworks.

    GovernanceAI & Technology
  17. 6 May 2026

    Should we have a flying miles system where every citizen of the EU gets a free amount of miles they can travel by plane each year. If they are out of miles they can buy from other eu members that are not using them in an open marketplace. This will ensure there is a redistribution of wealth. People with less money can sell their miles for a fun holiday by car while the rich can fly far away.

    Verdict

    The system could work but requires choosing between market efficiency and climate justice.

    EUEconomyDemocracyClimate
  18. 5 May 2026

    Can the Netherlands solve the housing crisis, and if so, how and on what timeline?

    Verdict

    The Netherlands can solve its housing crisis, but must choose between fast state direction, slow market freedom, or mixed systems that require sustained political will.

    Netherlands
  19. 4 May 2026

    Why is it so hard to create affordable housing in large European and US cities, and how can it be fixed?

    Verdict

    Cities must build housing like infrastructure — with public finance and long-term planning — because private markets build only for the highest bidders.

    USEU
  20. 3 May 2026

    Will the current global economy continue to grow, or will tensions cause a recession?

    Verdict

    Current global tensions will trigger recession unless governments coordinate immediate fiscal response while markets adjust.

    Economy
  21. 2 May 2026

    Fertility rate is dropping dramatically. What problems would we face with a diminishing population?

    Verdict

    Declining populations create fiscal crises, demand shortfalls, and political gridlock that policy tools cannot fix once the demographic shift accelerates.