Category Archives: economics

Public loss, private gain – but not where you expected

Posted on August 29, 2010 by Jarrah

At the moment, you can’t walk 10 paces down Marrickville Road without seeing one of these: They were paid for by the Marrickville Chamber of Commerce. I hope they didn’t pay too much, because they are just crudely stencilled signs … Continue reading →

Posted in economics, local, politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 14 Comments

That looks familiar…

Posted on August 9, 2010 by Jarrah

I didn’t watch the Liberals’ campaign launch, but according to the Sydney Morning Herald, Tony Abbott commended the review’s plan ”for lower, simpler, fairer personal income taxes and an end to the money-go-round that traps people in poverty”, with the … Continue reading →

Posted in economics, national, politics | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Open thread on capitalism

Posted on July 30, 2010 by Jarrah

By popular demand IRL, this thread is for arguments about capitalism. It can mean many things to many people, so to provide a starting point, here is my definition: capitalism – a socio-economic system based on private property rights, with … Continue reading →

Posted in economics | Tagged , | 29 Comments

What’s that about simplistic neoclassical models again?

Posted on July 13, 2010 by Jarrah

Almost any statistic coming out of China can boggle the mind. In such a huge place, undergoing such rapid change, the sheer numbers in any area of inquiry are almost incredible. Especially to someone from the tiny peripheral nation that … Continue reading →

Posted in economics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Where the Australian Greens go wrong

Posted on June 4, 2010 by Jarrah

I have voted Green more often than I have voted Labor (I’ve never voted for the party I’m a member of, but that’s because there hasn’t been a candidate in my electorate yet). I do so for a number of … Continue reading →

Posted in economics, national | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 47 Comments

Power to the people

Posted on May 27, 2010 by Jarrah

I watched a fascinating program on TV last night, a special episode called ‘The Human Power Station’ of BBC program Bang Goes the Theory . They asked a family of four to participate in an experiment, without telling them what … Continue reading →

Posted in economics, environment | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Save the environment, give it a market price

Posted on May 25, 2010 by Jarrah

An old insult directed against economists is a reprise of Oscar Wilde’s pithy putdown of cynics – they know the price of everything, and the value of nothing. Like so many glib one-liners, it is both manifestly unfair and hinting … Continue reading →

Posted in economics, environment | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Just say no… to the war on drugs

Posted on May 18, 2010 by Jarrah

What would you do with $1 trillion? Don’t answer too quickly, lean back and think about it for a while. Physically, using the highest-value banknote I know of (the €500 bill that will be excluded in Britain due to its … Continue reading →

Posted in economics, international, law | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

I’m no Lord Kelvin, but I try

Posted on February 10, 2010 by Jarrah

A long time ago I read a thoughtful critique on orthodox economics, and while I can’t do justice to the argument presented by the author (I can’t even remember who the author is!), what stuck with me was a line … Continue reading →

Posted in economics | Tagged , , , | 20 Comments

The Stilwell Manifesto

Posted on January 21, 2010 by Jarrah

Those of you who have read my blog for a while might recall I wrote an incomplete critique of Frank Stilwell’s Who Gets What?, a book that analyses income and wealth inequality in Australia. Coincidentally, I’m currently doing a summer … Continue reading →

Posted in economics, reviews | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments