Tag: "Free Market"

A Parable for Europe: The Tower of Babel1st April 2013

And behold, a united humanity of the generations of six nations, following two terrible wars, resolved to build a continent of trade and common market that they named the European Coal & Steel Community.  And men were elected by their nations to the High Authority. And the High Authority did command that the Community should prosper as the wrongs of the past were put right, and they raised a tax that was proclaimed to be for the common benefit of the multitude. But through the frailty

Corporations: No Taxation without Representation4th March 2013

You'll know about the 1773 Boston Tea Party. I had the pleasure of visiting Boston a few weeks after the shocking events of 9/11, at a time when Americans were only too pleased to see travelling Brits, so my welcome was a great deal fonder than it might have been back in those heady days leading up to the American Revolution. 240 years ago, 342 chests of tea were dumped from three ships after colonists objected that taxes were imposed on their tea by a British parliament, a parliament on

Lemmings and the Cliff: The false obsession with GDP8th January 2013

What a start to 2013! In the United States days were extended to fit political need, so that those looking to “sustain growth” could rejoice in the half-baked fiscal fudge that’ll last for a couple of months at best. In the UK doomsters have proclaimed that weakness in the service sector will undoubtedly lead to a “triple-dip” recession. Just think how many months of joy the media will have speculating and almost celebrating if that comes to pass! Governments and established media

The Hobbit: Tolkien the Economic Libertarian?31st December 2012

As thousands of us headed to the big screen this season, the top film has surely been The Hobbit – An Unexpected Journey. Critics tell us much about the filming in 48 frames per second, but surely we are better focusing on the story and the real thinking behind it. Over an excellent lunch before Christmas[1], it was suggested to me that JRR Tolkien, writer of The Hobbit and it’s masterly sequel Lord of the Rings, is considered by many to be a Libertarian. For one committed to the free

A message of hope, strategy and economics21st December 2012

Has it ended? ... The World? ... Would we even know if it happened? The fun over the Mayan Calendar, which actually just ran out of space rather than predicting the end of the world, shows how we love bad news. Bad news sells, yet the progress of our species is down to the individual pursuit of progress and positivity. Even when times are bad most people are moving forward, as the competitive free market which best reflects our humanity enables us firstly to survive and then for our