Category Archives: Political theory

Citizen-jury appointments?

Posted on June 24, 2021 by Paul Frijters

Dear Troppodillians, lend me your critical eye. I ask you to consider the system of citizen-jury appointments I have in mind, and tell me how the vested interests would try to game it, ie why it would not work and … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Cultural Critique, Democracy, History, Law, Libertarian Musings, Political theory, Politics - national, Social, Society, Sortition and citizens’ juries, Theatre | 49 Comments

Book Launch of the Handbook for Wellbeing Policy-Making July 1st

Posted on June 16, 2021 by Paul Frijters

Wellbeing & Policy Making Book Launch Event on 1st July 5-6.30pm London Time. Attending the Launch is Free, the book is not! [blurb from Nancy Hey, director of the WW Centre for Wellbeing]: The What Works Centre for Wellbeing, and our … Continue reading →

Posted in Death and taxes, Democracy, Economics and public policy, Health, History, Life, Philosophy, Political theory, Politics - international, Politics - national, Public and Private Goods, Science, Social, Social Policy, Society, Theatre | Leave a comment

Confessions of a Traitor to the Cause: Some reflections looking back from John Burnheim

Posted on June 16, 2021 by Nicholas Gruen

As I struggle with my ninety-fifth year, I would like to beg forgiveness from the true believers in sortition. Near forty years ago, in 1985, I published a book Is Democracy Possible? with the subtitle The Alternative to Parliamentary Democracy. … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy, Philosophy, Political theory, Sortition and citizens’ juries | Leave a comment

The greatest music of all time: from Nicholas Gruen (Cultural Icon)

Posted on June 15, 2021 by Nicholas Gruen

A few weeks back I was rather taken aback to receive an email which I took to be a hoax: Hi Nicholas We would like to invite you on the Greatest Music of All Time podcast. The episodes are a good … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy, Music, Political theory, Sortition and citizens’ juries | 2 Comments

Surveillance capitalism is helping the disadvantaged: who knew?

Posted on May 31, 2021 by Nicholas Gruen

Here’s some claims about recent research on fintech and AI. Berg, Burg, Gombovic, and Puri (2018) suggest that digital footprints can help boost financial inclusion, allowing unbanked consumers to have better access to finance. Similarly, Frost et al. (2019) show … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural Critique, Economics and public policy, Gender, Philosophy, Political theory | 7 Comments

Pyramids of lies: Some more from Stefan Zweig

Posted on April 15, 2021 by Nicholas Gruen

I continue listening to Stefan Zweig’s description of the disasters of the twentieth century a passage of which I’ll reproduce below. My big essay on the Productivity Commission’s Draft Indigenous Evaluation Strategy represented a bit of intellectual progress for me. … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy, History, Philosophy, Political theory | 13 Comments

The more things change … Stefan Zweig on the difference in mood attending the outbreak the two World Wars

Posted on April 12, 2021 by Nicholas Gruen

I’ve been listening to The World of Yesterday, the memoirs Stefan Zweig. Zweig was probably the best-known author in 1930s Europe and produced a mountain of material. Essays, fiction, history, poetry, translations, you name it. Today few know of him, … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy, History, Philosophy, Political theory | 3 Comments