Authored by John Walter via Substack, I need to be honest with you before we begin. I don't have all the answers. Anyone who claims to understand exactly how economic systems collapse, or precisely when, is either lying or selling something.

Whenever a new international assessment confronts us with poor results in reading comprehension, a familiar ritual begins. We are alarmed, look for those responsible, compare school systems, debate methods, and propose new educational strategies. After a while, the concern fades, until another as...