Category Archives: Politics – international

Australia should remain in alliance with the bully

Posted on May 27, 2019 by Paul Frijters

There is a widespread consensus in Australian policy circles that Australia should follow the US in almost any foreign adventure, though preferably on the cheap. The shining example of this was John Howard’s decision to publicly support the US in … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural Critique, History, Libertarian Musings, Politics - international, Politics - national | 19 Comments

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

What economic reform thinking might have looked like – if we’d bothered to do it

Posted on February 6, 2019 by Nicholas Gruen

I have posted this talk previously, but can now post the transcript, worked up from a YouTube transcript with thanks to Shruti Sekar for editing it. You can download the slides to which I was speaking from this link.

Posted in Best From Elsewhere, Economics and public policy, Philosophy, Political theory, Politics - international, Public and Private Goods | 1 Comment

Paul Krugman’s incredible invisibility trick

Posted on February 3, 2019 by Nicholas Gruen

It’s impossible to avoid misjudgements in life or to get all one’s predictions right. But should economists get caught out quite so often? Paul Krugman is honest and self-critical. So he’s up for identifying what economists missed about globalisation – … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics and public policy, Political theory, Politics - international, Politics - national | Comments Off on Paul Krugman’s incredible invisibility trick

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

The Tragedy of the Commons versus the Comedy of the Parks: By JOHN BURNHEIM

Posted on January 7, 2019 by Nicholas Gruen

In the context of my writing about public goods, John Burnheim sent me the email below. (Note his use of the word ‘comedy is intended as Dante meant it – as a story where things turn out in the end). … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics - international, Public and Private Goods | 6 Comments

Second Brexit referendum questions.

Posted on November 14, 2018 by Paul Frijters

We seem to have a Brexit deal today, which has two important components: free-movement between the UK and the EU ends (no single market) whilst on all matters of trade, the UK indefinitely follows the EU until a new deal … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural Critique, Geeky Musings, Politics - international, Politics - national | 4 Comments