Charity begins at the office, economists told

Economists are to be urged by Sir Gus O’Donnell, Britain’s top civil servant, to offer free help to charity, in an initiative that might allow practitioners of the “dismal science” to atone for any errors they made during the financial crash.

What an absurd idea. 99% of economists only believe in self interest: that as the form of autism the French have described as afflicting their profession.

I see it time and again.

I can see no way whilst they retain this opinion they can help charities.

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2 Responses

Tim Worstall says:

September 14 2009 at 2:59 pm

Err, the phrase is “enlightened self interest” Richard.

And you’ll find that it’s only the Objectivists, the slightly odd followers of Ayn Rand, who rail against altruism.

Just as an example, some 50% of Adam Smith’s writing (Theory of Moral Sentiments) is about sympathy, what we would nowadays call empathy.
Richard Murphy says:

September 14 2009 at 7:37 pm

Tim

I know Smith too

But I don’t identify that aspect of his work in positive economics – the only form now practiced. That is economics with all ethics removed

So you speak with a forked tongue

Richard