Category Archives: Economics

David versus Goliath: the Campaign against Barclays Bank 1969-87

Posted on April 20, 2018 by

In the period 1959-69 there were boycotts of South African goods and sport. Boycotts included not buying South African fruit or playing international cricket. Universities boycotted academic jobs and conferences1. The Anti-Apartheid Movement (AAM) failed to galvanise the British public … Continue reading →

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Conservative economics and delusions

Posted on March 20, 2018 by

For the last 30 years, the right has gotten most of what it wanted – lower taxes, weaker unions and less regulation. And yet macroeconomic performance – as measured by GDP growth per head – hasn’t improved. Their response to … Continue reading →

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Book Review : Paul Murray ~ The Mark and the Void

Posted on March 20, 2018 by

Paul Murray has written a beautiful satire on the 2008 financial crash. He sets his book in Dublin, which was a ‘Celtic Tiger’ economy, which seemed to reinvent banking and economics. Another example of millenial insanity was Iceland, which has … Continue reading →

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Competitive Advantage and Drugs in Sport

Posted on January 26, 2018 by

Sporting bodies uniformally prohibit non-medical drug use. Why? Drugs are prohibited because they enhance performance. Drugs, in brief, hold a unique place amongst all the other competitive advantages. Elite athletes have many advantages apart from drug use. Drug use however … Continue reading →

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The economics of human organs as ‘spare parts’

Posted on January 19, 2018 by

“… consider the idea of establishing a market for human organs. For example, the buying and selling of kidneys is currently illegal in the United States and United Kingdom. But demand for kidneys outstrips the supply of kidneys. More people … Continue reading →

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The right to bear arms in the USA 1791-2017

Posted on January 12, 2018 by

A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. The second amendment 15th December 1791 Americans have a constitutional right to bear … Continue reading →

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The Wehrmacht’s use of horses in the Polish and Soviet Union campaigns 1939-44

Posted on January 9, 2018 by

Blitzkreig attacks were a logistical impossibility on the eastern front, which meant the Polish experience couldn’t be repeated. Germany relied on the Soviet Union for oil supplies, which ceased with their invasion. The wehrmacht’s early successes were a ‘winner’s curse’ … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Technology, War | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments