Posts Tagged ‘consumption’
The fair allocation of pain
In: Uncategorized
13 Dec 2011“The key question hanging over the West now is ‘how do you allocate pain?’”. These were the words of Gillian Tett, the US managing editor of the Financial Times and ubiquitous media presence, in last night’s BBC2 Newsnight programme (six days left to view). As a description of the current mindset of the western elites [...]
- Tags: consumption, Europe, inequality, television
Consumer capitalism article on RCM
13 Dec 2011My article on “consumer capitalism” for Fund Strategy magazine is on the Real Clear Markets portal today.
- Tags: consumption, economics, growth, media appearances
The consumer capitalism myth
In: Uncategorized
12 Dec 2011This is my latest Perspective column for Fund Strategy. Perhaps the most pervasive, peculiar and damaging preconception about the economy is that this is an age of consumer capitalism. From this perspective it is consumption, mainly by individual consumers, that drives economic activity. Although it is acknowledged that production played an important role in the [...]
- Tags: consumption, economics, Fund Strategy, growth
Fixation with inequality distorts truth
9 Dec 2011This is my latest book review for spiked. I have a mildly embarrassing confession to make. I love statistics. Whenever I start to examine a social or economic question, I gather all the available data to see what it tells me. Such statistics provide a valuable means to go beyond personal impressions. People I happen [...]
- Tags: book, consumption, environment, inequality, review, spiked
Demand prosperity before equality
In: Uncategorized
1 Dec 2011Rather than make a general comment on yesterday’s public sector strike in Britain I just want to draw attention to one aspect of the debate. It is hard to think of a better example of how the demand for equality, historically associated with the left, can take on a conservative character. When the premise of [...]
- Tags: consumption, growth, inequality, protests
Me vs “Small is beautiful”
16 Nov 2011I have an article in the Guardian’s “big ideas” series on EF Schumacher’s notion of “small is beautiful”.
Debating Assange and #Occupy
In: Uncategorized
3 Nov 2011Last night I debated Julian Assange and other supporters of the #Occupy movement at the Frontline Club in London. You can read a report of the event by Patrick Hayes on spiked here and watch a video recording here (5 November update: I have added a new link as the old one was disconnected). I [...]
- Tags: consumption, inequality, protests, speeches, spiked
European rich play sacrifice trap
In: Uncategorized
2 Sep 2011The campaign to promote shared sacrifice by calling for higher taxes on the wealthy seems to have taken off across Europe. In many cases rich individuals seem to be following the example of Warren Buffett (see 21 August post), one of America’s richest investors, who was in turn heeding Barack Obama’s call. France. Some 16 [...]
- Tags: Austerity Watch, consumption, Europe, Germany
Resist the shared sacrifice trap
In: Uncategorized
21 Aug 2011A common theme runs through the discussion of America’s troubled economy and the debate about the causes of Britain’s riots. The populations of both countries are being urged to make sacrifices rather than be so “greedy”. Austerity can only be resisted effectively if such arguments are defeated. Often they have popular appeal because the targets [...]
- Tags: America, consumption, Europe, inequality, living standards
The mathematics of rioting
In: Uncategorized
14 Aug 2011BBC Radio 4’s More or Less programme, presented by Tim Harford, is often good at investigating statistical claims. I was therefore particularly interested in what it had to say about Britain recent rioting. According to the most recent episode: It confirmed that, even adjusting for (CPI) inflation, average monthly public spending has risen slightly over [...]
- Tags: consumption, living standards
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