Author Archives: william
First impressions of ‘Nudge’ by Thaler & Sunstein
It’s funny and goes out of its way to stress it libertarian credentials – many of the policy examples they give have been implemented by the private sector. The Government interventions they advocate aim to modify the role of the … Continue reading
Is it OK to limit parents’ drinks if their children are with them?
The pub chain JD Weatherspoon is to allow parents only two alcoholic drinks if their children are with them, citing a lack of play facilities. Sounds like a socially responsible thing to do right? Children don’t have to experience the … Continue reading
Creative destruction is not what the market does
Some people fear competition because they have an abhorrent hatred of the word ‘privatisation or ‘market”. Others, more prosaically, believe that the education of our children is far too important to leave to mere mortals and in a perfect world, … Continue reading
I think I want a Wii
Well after being away for the whole summer and autumn did you expect a witty title? Apologies for the absence, but I have a job that isn’t complementary to blogging. Anyway… Tim Harford points out that there is a shortage of Wii consoles … Continue reading
The Myth of the Rational Voter – part II
A while back I posted in response to Bryan Caplan’s essay (and now book) on voter irrationality. He views human misconceptions, about economics in particular, (he quotes how people are wrong in orders of magnitude about the extent of foreign … Continue reading
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French healthcare vs the NHS
From the Sunday Times: British people have been infected with the welcome American attitude to competition and customer service. If something isn’t good enough, they complain. In Europe and especially France, people still meekly put up with being sold bad … Continue reading
Paternalism on a slippery slope?
One of the common complaints against the idea of ‘libertarian paternalism’ – the idea that the state, or indeed the market should help us overcome our biases – is that it’s a slippery slope. Mandate that fruit be served before … Continue reading
Kate Moss – development economist
Personally I can’t understand the excitement of cut price ladies’ clothes range, ghost-designed and modelled by a truculent Croydon superstar whose wealth appears predicated on the ability to look OK and walk, and turn. I’m even more confused by the … Continue reading
Barack Obama feels like Morrissey
Remember when you were in school and really liked the Smiths and everybody else said how rubbish they were, and that made you feel even more privilged to like them. And then they did ‘Panic’ and it was played at … Continue reading