Category Archives: Democracy

Six tough institutional challenges this century

Posted on April 30, 2019 by Paul Frijters

In 1900, the modern nation states of Europe faced many challenges in terms of how they were run, with poverty and disease still prevalent. The largest problems were more or less successfully addressed by 2000. The road involved world wars … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Change, Democracy, Economics and public policy, Education, Environment, Ethics, History, Libertarian Musings, Politics - international, Politics - national, Religion, Science, Social, Social Policy, Society | 38 Comments

An unpublished column on Brexit: until now!

Posted on April 15, 2019 by Nicholas Gruen

From around January this year I’ve tried to get the column below published – in the Guardian UK where my previous column was published. Unfortunately, and even after endless cajoling via the Guardian at this end, I couldn’t get a reply which … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy, Sortition and citizens’ juries | 4 Comments

Burnheim on Gray on Hayek

Posted on February 18, 2019 by Nicholas Gruen

A few years ago I read some John Gray on Friedrich Hayek. In short, he’s very good on Hayek, though he seems to have moved on rather to larger topics, not always to good effect. Anyway, If you have the best part … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy, Economics and public policy, Philosophy, Political theory | 8 Comments

We’re giving people Australia Day honours for doing their jobs

Posted on January 25, 2019 by Nicholas Gruen

The column below generated more engagement than any column I’ve written before – in Australia at least. Thanks to Peter Martin for chasing me up on writing the piece and suggesting major improvements to it. The research was done months … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural Critique, Democracy, History, Inequality, Society | 4 Comments

The logic of the inevitable (nuclear) apocalypse. Can the Gods save us?

Posted on January 22, 2019 by Paul Frijters

The probability of a massive nuclear war the next 10 years between any of the 8 current nuclear powers (US, UK, France, Russia, India, Pakistan, NK, Israel) seems low. The bluster of the leaders is supposed to make the threat … Continue reading →

Posted in Ask Troppo's Love Gods, Chess, Climate Change, Cultural Critique, Dance, Death and taxes, Democracy, Education, Environment, Ethics, Geeky Musings, Health, History, Humour, IT and Internet, Life, Literature, Philosophy, Politics - international, Politics - national, Religion, Science, Social, Society, Space, Terror | 26 Comments

To overcome commonsense, and at the same time, to be wrong

Posted on January 9, 2019 by Nicholas Gruen

As Orwell put it “there are some ideas so absurd that only an intellectual could believe them.” At least in economics one of the things that sets up intellectuals for this is the way so much of their discipline seeks to get … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural Critique, Democracy, Economics and public policy, Environment, History, Humour | 14 Comments

The Future of Politics: by John Burnheim

Posted on December 11, 2018 by Nicholas Gruen

Politics is about constructing those public goods that are necessary for communities, are a minimum to deal with problems that threaten life itself. In our present situation, the most serious problems are all posed on a global scale, as a … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy, Philosophy, Political theory, Sortition and citizens’ juries | 1 Comment