Marx2

Review: “The Crash” Photos by Stephen McLaren

Posted by admin in Activism, Culture, Economics, History, Politics, Reading

Seeing these photos of real life in the City of London puts faces to the complex story of global financial takeover by focusing on England’s financial centre between 2008 and 2012. In the author’s words: “It’s the summer of 2008 and whispers of an impending financial meltdown carry in the wind. Walking from home in Bethnal Green to the City of London with a camera and a newspaper feels like a posting to the front lines. Skirting Paternoster Square I notice the stockmarket’s scrolling LEDs have RBS and Lloyds shares…read more

Mar.25

Review “Thomas Piketty’s Capital in the twenty-first century: An introduction”

Posted by admin in Activism, Development, Economics, History, Politics, Reading

This book, billed as a short introduction to Piketty’s supersized bestseller on rising inequality, is itself an important step forward in the debate to understand rising inequality. The authors start by explaining why Piketty’s book was so popular with mainstream economists (he includes clear evidence of rising inequality but still supports free markets), then provide a balanced summary of the book’s strengths and weaknesses, and outline a fuller explanation of inequality which highlights the key policy options.

Nov.07

Review: “Brexit: How Britain left Europe”

Posted by admin in Activism, Development, Economics, Politics, Reading

Britain’s exit highlights a lot of the really big questions which are unanswered by modern politicians and economists. Are referendums more or less democratic? Do free trade and free financial markets really have net benefits for nations and populations in the long run? Would reinstating national tarrifs and reducing internal labour migrantion create healthier working lives and communities? Is the EU essential to ensure future stability and peace in europe? How could the EU be modified to make it more democratic, participative and popular in Europe?

Nov.07

Female Holocaust survivors stories from Ravensbruck camp

Posted by admin in Economics, Feminism, History, Reading

The horror and scale of Nazism and its determination to eliminate dissent continues to preoccupy us 70 years on. Successive generations of historians have analysed the political structures, the ideological obsessions, the territorial ambitions and the machinery of mass murder of the Third Reich. Documents, diaries, letters and photographs now provide unimpeachable evidence about the regime. Survivors have given corroborating oral testimonies to convict the guilty and refute the denialists. Female prisoners at Ravensbruck concentration camp in Germany, 1945. Sarah Helm’s If This is a Woman is magisterial and forensic…read more

Feb.14

Picketty’s “Capital” reviewed

Posted by admin in Economics, Reading

This dense 577-page analysis sold over 1.5 million copies because Piketty provides data warning today’s economy will return us to levels of inequality last seen in ruthless early-period capitalism. Commentary from the left and right was about detail and Picketty’s conclusions on trends in inequality proved robust (source 1 below) but some critics’ points were worth noting and are reproduced below. Wealth inequality is very different to income inequality, becoming much more extreme over time, so Picketty proposes globally standard wealth taxes to restore balance which Galbraith claims are utopian in…read more

Jan.10

Top 10 Political Songs

Posted by admin in Activism, Culture, Reading

The Animals – We gotta get out of this place (1965) – play & lyrics Buffalo Springfield – For what it’s worth (1966) – play & lyrics Jimi Hendrix Experience – All along the watchtower (1968) – play & lyrics Desmond Dekker & The Aces – Poor mi Israelites (1969) – play & lyrics The Who – Won’t get fooled again (1971) – play & lyrics Clash – Police and thieves (1977) – play & lyrics Iggy Pop – The passenger (1977) – play & lyrics Ramones – It’s not…read more

Dec.26