I think I should draw attention to this Twitter exchange yesterday, which I did not initiate:
The story behind all this is that Steve Keen asked me if I thought a public meeting (or meetings) to explain just what Reeves is doing wrong with the economy might be a good idea.
He asked me if I would be involved.
I said yes.
Then he asked me to invite Danny, which I did - and he said yes, subject to availability.
Then I suggested several more people who might take part.
Not all of them, by any means, know about this as yet, but there are enough names in the hat now, I hope, to make something possible.
There are massive logistical issues to getting this to work (we'd need a big venue and some organisation for a start, and I have not got the time to do either). But the idea is now in the ether.
Of course, the next thing is to turn it into a tour...
Ideas are welcome.
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Labour Party conference? Next year perhaps. If they are still in government.
I am sure The Forum in Bath would be a good venue for the tour
Noted
Meetings and a tour – brilliant ideas. Perhaps, down the line, when the ideas are firmed up, we can all help by publicising events in our local cities, giving out window posters, putting info on our local Facebook Groups etc
You’ll need merch!
Books….
PSR might have been joking but he’s right. Not just the utterly worthy books – but what might work to make the ideas emblematic in a popular way. Mugs for sure – hats, maybe not(?) – desk items – badges/buttons. Why not?
Saying what?
“Funding the Future” ???
Books, the odd pamphlet, a badge or two and some t-shirts is all I was thinking of but some of this might be seen as ‘stuff’.
I apologise – I went to the Monsters of Rock and other gigs too often in my youth.
But the messaging is in the blogs really – it just needs to be pulled out.
Would Mr Pitchfork himself – Nick Hanauer give us a visit? Or another well off bod who sees sense in moving money around to those who need it more?
I am not into marketing, but a catchy phrase is needed that sums up the argument, that states the opposing view.
T-shirt/poster ideas:
‘Tax Wealth Now or Pay Dearly Later’
‘Labour: Can’t Spend means Won’t Spend?’
‘Labour: Who’s In Charge Here?’
‘Starmer: Leader or Led – You Decide?’
‘Public Services – Invest Now or be Divested Later’
‘The Invest to Live Tour’
‘The People’s Investment Tour’
‘Print the Sums’
‘The We Can Afford It Tour’
‘The Labour Party: RIP July 2024’
‘How Labour CAN Keep Its Promises Tour?’
‘Doing the Doable Tour ’24’
‘The Anything We Can Do We Can Afford to Do Tour 2024’
Given that the name ‘Rachel’ (according to a site on baby names I came across) ‘is a Hebrew derived feminine name meaning “ewe” or “female sheep” I had to laugh at her well demonstrated Neo-liberal/BoE herd instinct.
So some t-shirt ideas on that: (with her face super-imposed on a sheep maybe)
‘Labour Austerity! Ewe Wot!’
‘Rachel Reeves: Sheepish About Investment’
‘Chancellor Reeves: Baaaaaaa Humbug’.
Having thoroughly demonstrated how crap I am at this, maybe someone has a better idea? (Yes I do know this is a serious blog folks, but remember that ridicule is what these people are worth as well as that being more acceptable than, well……..I’d better not mention any of THAT).
I think everyoen is running before we’re walking here – and a discussion today shows there will be a lot to do to sort this
Burt, thanks
In reply to Richard’s question below, “Saying What?”.
“There is a Better Way”
“National Savings not National Debt”
“Neoliberalism is a Con”
“The Government is Not a Household”
“The Credit Card isn’t Maxed out, There is No Credit Card”
I’m sure the erudite commenters on this blog can come up with something better.
“The Anything We Can Do We Can Afford to Do Tour 2024”
This one gets my vote!
I also like
“Alternative Economists Coming to a Stage Near You in 2025”
🙂
It would be great to have you flying into places like Dublin and St Helier, taking the arguments deep into neoliberal territory
I was hoping to get to Norwich and Nottingham first…
If it’s Norwich count me in.
Our venue can take 50 but you probably want the Forum or a similar established venue?
Give us time…..
It would be great to have some diversity on the panel. Diversity of the intellectual kind, I mean. Perhaps someone with knowledge of the European health care systems, and someone in favour of less centralisation.
Politely, we will not be doing this to promote neoliberalism
Also springs to mind, Stephanie Kelton and Kate Raworth.
Worth considering Yuan Yang MP and Clive Lewis MP.
I’d also try and get Carol Vorderman to “check the maths”, but I don’t think she is aware of MMT.
You might have hit some on the list…
Go for broke and invite Robert Reich.
Then again he may be too busy advising President Harris but you could try.
I hope he will be
Professor Kevin Anderson of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Manchester has written and presented extensively. He is inspiring an deserves a much wider audience.
Yes! Very very happy to hear this.
It occurs to me that organisations carry more weight than individuals. Perhaps that’s why the BBC uses people from “Think Tanks”?
Perhaps you should form an organisation, together with web site, aims, resources, etc?
An organisation with a good name also promotes its purpose.
Maybe…
A think-tank would be good, but of course you’d have to get used to being introduced as “extreme left-leaning activist radical alternative thinktank”, then sit quietly while some Tufton St. pundit was introduced as “Taxpayer’s Alliance Westminster economic expert *******”. But that’s today’s media climate for you. Hopefully, we will see the “Economic Overton Window” gradually shifting towards MMT. I think you (plural) can do it, because even the MSM economic journalists are getting bored with the constant refrain of “£22bn black hole, misery, misery & more misery” from Reeves.
I am only called ‘left-leaning’ now
Yes indeed – the “institute for Real Economics”, which is shortened to “IRE” – highly fitting considering what people here feel (myself included).
I still like “Funding the Future” best of all!
Quite amazing really that politicians in this country can be shown an historical graph stretching back centuries that reveal the UK government has run a persistent deficit and the economy hasn’t collapsed and then not wondering why this should be so. About the only explanation for this is that they are members of a mindless cult. If a business was constantly teetering on bankruptcy nobody would continue to lend or invest in it. Rachel Reeves and Keir Starmer are classic examples of this cult with their idiotic statements about black-holes. Where are the economists in this country standing up to say such statements are stupid revealing profound monetary system ignorance? Good news that a team will now be formed to oppose this mindless cult!
It would be worth remembering that persuading cult members with facts and logic is nearly impossible. I
Nigel Mace said ‘What might work to make the ideas emblematic in a popular way? PSR has proposed slogans etc
Could we aim to have a series of meaningful proposals that are short and easy to communicate?
I would like to see our politicians – including ministers – validated in their commitment. Who wants to spend five or six weeks canvassing followed having by mountains of correspondence to answer?
‘Hard choices’?? Let’s ask for, or imagine, what that means and present simple arguments that could be emailed to our MPs. Nothing longer than would easily fit on a sheet of A5.
What does the chancellor say that is right? And which are statements are challenged?
What would be better policies and why – with costs and benefits.
I want the changes proposed to be easily understood *by most voters* and unmistakably compelling.
Would short communications be more effective for ordinary people? The Taxing Wealth Report 2024 etc can be referred to by those willing and able to devote the attention that it needs.
How about Ha-Joon Chang?
Not too well when last we spoke, but if he is fit, maybe
It depends on how many people we need
And other issues like age, gender and other balances
That’s very sad.
I can only wish him the very best of luck with his health.
Ha Joon Chang has been a total breath of fresh air in terms of popular economic authorship.
I always refer people to his books first, if they show any interest in economics.
His books are both entertaining and readable, and he actually writes in a style that people can understand (unlike most economists and politicians).
Interestingly, I always found that Joan Robinson, another Cambridge resident, had a comparable ability to write clearly and with wit, also taking no prisoners.
Find a UK version of a semi-socialist billionaire like the Yank Mark Cuban and invite them to explain the symbiotic relationship between a well funded state and growth in the private sector.
Suggestions anyone?
The current Duke of Richmond is a semi-socialist Labour voting aristocratic multi-millionaire with huge private sector business developments including housing. I have heard Richmond (aka Charles Henry Gordon-Lennox) being interviewed on TV about business issues and he is quite good and very interesting.
I will research for the perfect UK billionaire and get back to you.
Thanks
“Find a UK version of a semi-socialist billionaire”
Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard — a self-described socialist who contends that every billionaire represents a policy failure
https://www.nationalreview.com/the-morning-jolt/the-socialist-billionaire-whos-getting-a-sweet-tax-deal/
Millionaires (likely/possible): Gary Stevenson, Michael Moore, Ken Loach, Noam Chomsky, Oliver Stone, Tilda Swinton, Bernie Sanders, Stormzy, Mary Beard
@Ian Tresman
Great suggestions!
I think we really need a Billionaire or Multi-millionaire who is actively engaged in commerce and earned their millions and billions through commerce. (I do not think the entertainment industry fits this parameter of “commerce”).
I found this carpet & flooring dude person: Philip Harris or now Sir Phillip. Might he work?
I really know nothing about him.
He told the Tories to skedaddle and seems now to be aligned with Labour.
He is not a billionaire but he is a so-called “self-made” multi-multi millionaire.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Harris,_Baron_Harris_of_Peckham
I know nothing about him
A think a crowd finder might be better….
Crowd Finder ????
🙂
Brilliant!
Is there a media or PT specialist who could help to make it a big public event – and get BBC ITV or C4 to feature it?
I think that very unlikely
I wonder if Byline Times would be interested in organising and/or promoting this tour?
That is an idea…
Lead by donkeys
very good at hard hitting slogans and getting message across
Andy Verity?
I have thought of him – but who knows who he is?
Good idea.
Zoom-type events would enable nation-wide access.
Encourage the deaf-based hand signals that have been developed by the Occupy movement and XR; When half the audience is waving fingers upwards, everyone knows that a point is well-made, repetition is unnecessary and contradiction rarely has relevance. The speed of such meetings is exhilarating.
Somehow ensure that the science of global overheating is considered for every proposal.
Noted
Good news indeed, the Single Transferable Party thinks game-over, but this could be a game-changer!
How about crowdfunding for a Tour?
Good luck, and thanks for the blog and keeping the flame alight, for a better politics.
Let’s see
All is for discussion
Lots to be said about this, how to do mass communication and get traction on mainstream media and into public consciousness.
Breaking out of heterodox economics academia, but with the robustness of thorough grounding and credibility. And as much as possible changing ‘framing’: eg this morning, Radio 4 Today, once again speaking of the NHS and Amol Rajan (I think) saying government “can’t just throw TAXPAYERS’ MONEY” at it. (My emphasis. Another shouting at the radio moment!)
In related news, I have been emailed an invitation to a screening of the film featuring Stephanie Kelton: (quote)
a special screening of Finding the Money, directed by Maren Poitras, on Thursday, 3rd October 2024 from 6:15 to 8:45 PM (BST) at UCL.
(end quote)
The film is now on release and can be streamed or purchased on Blu-ray (from the US).
The UCL screening is followed by a panel including Zack Polanski, Deputy Leader of the Greens (ref. another post about GP economic policies).
Unfortunately I’m too far from London for a one-off event like this.
Of your coming to Scotland can use Any Church of Scotland building for free. Depending on numbers could be church itself as long as you say other opinions are available at start – our duty and right to hear all opinions as Presbyterian therefore also a universal like voting &education.
Shona
Thanks
We are lookimng for at laest 1,000 seat venues – I think Steve would have us in the O2
Richard
In Kirkcaldy that would have to be St Bryce, could you write something for “National”, loads of people with experience of using the Kirk during Indy Ref – need local really Minister can’t be there as a Minister, can take off his / her dog collar & be part of audience but as part of C of S has to be neutral.
I’m excited by the idea of this. Can I encourage you to progress it?
Maybe it could be started with a showing of the Stepanie Kelton movie “Funding the Furure”? That seems to be being suppressed in the UK – as far as I know it has only been shown by a small MMT group in Cheshire, and you can’t get it on the internet. Our group are going to try to access it by VPN when our “leader” gets back from a trip to Shetland.
Norwich is not a good idea, but Nottingham might well be as a location in mid-country and easily reachable by all methods of transport. Then put it on tour to regional locations.
Financing it might be an issue to start with, but it might be a possible candidate for crowd funding if a good proposal can be put up for possible revenue. I think it could sell well because there are an awful lot of people who are looking for answers as why there is so much inequality in Britain.
Maybe give up the day job???
Crowd funding is Steve’s idea
It will need a lot – just to cover the risk of no one turning up
Prem Sikka?
If you do call it a ‘think tank’ a la Independent Sage etc, BBC will still try to avoid – if it is seen to cut through the established wisdon that everyone knows – ‘there is no money’.
Prem is on my list
I will confirm that
The trouble is, right now the average age is over 70
Younger than the Stomes though….
Get Carla Denya and Molly Scott Cato interested.
We need to not be too clearly political
The time has come for this Murphy/
If Stephanie Kelton, why not Jeffrey Sachs and Michael Hudson ? Both are extremely generous with their time and great communicators with the types of audience (and the medium of zoom) such a venture needs to reach to be impactful.
Not Sachs…
I think party politicians are almost inclusively part of the problem, and would not exclude most Greens from that view. Just look at their current macroeconomic policies.
I would certainly not expect any MMT or other heterodox economist to necessarily pursue the sustainability agenda, it’s hard enough getting neoliberalism in the dock.
Nor do I know of anyone, possibly excluding Kate Raworth, who might be able to clearly present a degrowth perspective in the UK.
Degrowth is inevitably anti-capitalist and MMT ain’t necessarily so.
Yes, some MMT economists like Bill Mitchell do pursue the degrowth standpoint, but
MMT does not represent a single political strategy, so I’d exclude this element of the sustainability agenda.
Great news, and I wish all involved the very best of success.
Some thoughts, probably obvious….
Venue: how about at Universities with an economics course
Can all the sessions be recorded (inc. any Q&A session) and placed on Youtube as well as being live on the web? Written transcripts would also help in providing material that can be read after the event.
Target audience: the people who need to be influenced are the mainstream media and politicians, if they don’t hear what is said first hand there is no hope for any change.
Of the those, I suggest that initially the MSM (BBC and ITV are key, Sky comes a close second, then the newspapers) are actually the most important. They need to change the set of economic questions they ask of politicians so that their audience to see why politicians are getting things so wrong. If the politicians change and the MSM doesn’t, then all that happens is that politicians look bad- they don’t want that to happen and so won’t change, even if they know its wrong.
The general public will have to catch up by then learning about economic reality instead of neoliberal myth.
I don’t know if this is possible but are there any in the MSM who actually secretly do know the truth, but who ask the neoliberal-based questions so they keep their jobs? It would be good to have some/a few who are actually on the same page as you.
I suggest that it is necessary to discuss the neoliberal and compare and contrast that with the ideas you want the audience to accept. Any documentation should be written along those lines.
For many in the audience, I suspect they will not see the light immediately, but I would hope that what you do will make those in the audience realise they need to spend time and learn about how false the neoliberal line actually is. So I can see value in having a planned follow up after the initial public meetings.
I am very aware of what this would mean, particularly to University lecturers. They would, in effect, need to admit to everyone that what they had been teaching so far in their career was, in many respects, wrong – a big step to take! This has made me wonder who, in the UK, the key academics actually are. Equally, who is key in the MSM? I see these as your key individual targets, who need to hear your argument. I can also see value in the general public pressuring MPs for change using carefully reasoned arguments. The information they use, though, needs to be accurate, otherwise it will backfire. (If a number of MPs receive essentially the same letter, it is easier for them to ignore what has been written.) I suggest that whatever venues are used, the local MP needs to be invited.
I hope this hasn’t wasted anyone’s time. Good luck.
Thanks
Noted
It would be great if public meetings happened and they came to Scotland. Perhaps Common Weal would be interested in taking part.
There is a long way to go on this as yet…..
Let’s not jump the gun.
Sorry
Excellent idea. We need more alternative economics to get public attention. If you hold events could they also be on a webinar? Those of us living in the Celtic ‘periphery and who try not travel too much would appreciate it. [I know the feeling re alternatives, those of us who have an alternative narrative on housing issues and who disagree with the ‘its a lack of supply’ is the problem are effectively marginalised. I always find it annoying that Ian Mulheirn is never invited on the BBC to talk about housing, instead its the usual suspects from lobby groups and certain academics who always say ‘its a lack of supply’. Paul Cheshire was the ‘expert’ on a BBC programme the other year about housing, wherever they were, wherever the situation – he had one stock answer – ‘its a lack of supply’. Very annoying. [As someone who did economics as part of my BSc and have an MSc in Rural Development, I find it frustrating that people who have no knowledge seem to think they actually understand economic issues. I must admit there are many areas in economics where I have to read and think about the issue. I have read some of Steve Keens work!
I think there are rally style events and training style ones. They have different purposes
Let’s see
Richard
A suggestion for an ecological economist, perhaps Robert Costanza who teaches out of UCL. I find ecological economics, which seems to inform Kate’s work, very important in locating the economy/market within the biosphere and therefore dependent and subject to it.
Sorry – but we have to stick to big issues and relatively big names
This is a public event, not an academic gig
This is a great idea. Might I suggest that you contact Professor Michael Hudson and Professor Richard Wolff who are both left wing economists totally opposed to privatisation and neo-liberal economics. I’m sure they maybe interested to speak at such events. They both have a great track record of speaking out/campaigning in favour of workerr rights and against the worst excesses of late stage capitalism.
I very much doubt Michael would travel, although I have met him in London in the past
Richard is not well enough known in the UK, I think
Maybe ask the Gower Institute to send a representative? Or with more populist appeal what about getting Gary Lineker on the stand?
We are not explicitly promoting MMT or Bill Mitchell aligned organisations
Both Steve and I have problems with some in MMT – their issue, not ours
Answering your challenge re slogans, Richard.
Basically you and Blanchflower et al know that there are always resources that can be made available – and should be available for funding future policy. That the economic language of positive action is also the language of priority and choice – and optimism. So….
Fund The Future
The NHS – Not the Banks
or
FUND the FUTURE
MMT works for PEOPLE
I know you will probably think it all a bit crass – but should we at least try not to let the devil have all the best mugs or desk slogans?
In Reply to ‘Saying what’- how about ‘There IS an alternative’ ?
I still vote for “Funding the Future” as the STP does not want to fund anything.
🙂
I have for some time been thinking about how to disseminate your ideas about what is possible economically, and had thought of suggesting compiling a list of as many organisations as possible which have social justice at their heart and sending them a basic and easy to grasp explanation with a view to encouraging them to put pressure on the government and media. Could this be a time to do something like this and include invites to a public event?
It seems to me that the difficult thing is to reach a new audience who ordinarily don’t have the time or inclination to follow economic thinking and would also not realise that there is an alternative to the current orthodoxy.
Some of us blog readers could maybe help with this?
The YouTubes are working – 15,000 views a day oin average and little overlap iot seems with the blog
The one on Tuesday had more than 60,000 views
There’s a UCL showing of the film Finding the Money (mostly featuring Stephanie Skelton) on 3 October.
Unfortunately, I’m a bit far from London to go there just for a one-off evening event like this; but it will include a panel afterwards (including Zack Polanski, deputy leader of the Greens – ref. other remarks about their economic policies, on a different thread).
The film is now on ‘general release’ and can be streamed online or purchased (on Blu-ray) from the US.
Perhaps the film could also be included in some sort of ‘road-show’? I understand the point about not including explicit party-political people in such an event; although one or two politicians as participants in a panel, might raise the profile and bring more mainstream media.
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/public-purpose/events/2024/oct/screening-finding-money-maren-poitras
Thanks for that, Colin, I’ve booked a ticket.
As far as I could work out the movie was available on general release but you had to buy it from Amazon US or it could be accessed via Netflix, but not on a UK internet browser. Which is why we were thinking of using VPN. The UCL screening will be better because I see there is a prior panel dicussion including Particia Pino and JRC. It’s a reasonable time too which will allow me to catch a train back.
Kathleen Tyson?
Jason Hickel?
I hear the, all
But can we get the basics right?
I’m slightly wishing Steve had not jumped the gun on this….
There’s no jumping the gun on this as far as I can see.
There is just the enthusiasm for it you are seeing – there’s lot of unmet need for this sort of thing – that’s all.
I think we all realise that it will need sorting out properly and also about putting the ‘Alt-economy’s’ best foot forward to lend it credibility.
There are risks as well and putting whatever resources into the right areas. And slow-cooking it to realisation will only make it better. And if it does not happen, I’m sure there will be a good reason.
But if you do come to Nottingham, I’d be happy to come along and help if it were needed.
Quote me on that – with enough notice as well please – that’s all I ask.
Thanks…
It does sound like a lot of work (don’t spread yourself too thinly) but you have to admit it has people excited and engaged already (myself included). That can only be a good thing.
Unless others organise this I can’t do it
It is as simple as that
Bath Box Office seems to arrange/promote events in Bath.
But there must be ‘people’ who organise book signing tours – its not like doing the Eras tour!
Steve is looking at that
One thing the “Alternative Economists” need to focus on is telling people why they must stop using the word “debt” to describe government creation of money and its infusion into the economy. It is imperative they do this because of the mindless connotations associated with this word in connection with actually offering a very safe saving scheme :-
https://billmitchell.org/blog/?p=61999#view_comments
looks like it is possible for a piggy backing on Stephanie Kelton launch of her film at UCL may be a good context, but is a Thursday and most hoped for targets (MP’s and media) will have switched down and gone home for the weekend.
So could UCL cover that for a venue? Or present a one off in Bristol?
So how about Mark Blyth (if he will travel) for an updated context delivery on “The history of a dangerous idea” on the Wednesday am and Steve Keen on Minsky in the pm?
Book signing to follow and video available from Friday?
Just a thought…..
Much too complicated
I keep saying – let’s try things first
Thank you for the wonderful news, Richard.
How about Guy Standing and Grace Blakeley.
On my lists
What about the Joseph Stiglitz, he is guaranteed to pull in a big crowd and get a lot of press coverage.
I fund him immensely frustrating
All agonising and few solutions,
Yes, too much critiquing and not enough recreating.
I thought him great when I was first getting into a critique of neoliberalism, but now it’s too often just “The Stiglitz and its Discontents”.
Excellent exchange Richard
Kumhof of the Bank of England and IMF confirms the loanable funds fallacy
https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2016/03/kumhof.htm
Which of course Keynes described in 1939 in “The Process of Capital Formation” :
“Increased investment will always be accompanied by increased saving, but it can never be preceded by it. Dishoarding and credit expansion provides not an alternative to increased saving, but a necessary preparation for it. It is the parent, not the twin, of increased saving.”
Keynes was right
That wouldn’t be such a bad mug to have!
The explosion of ehtusiasm your origonal post has set off here is one of the most encouraging things ever – even by this blog’s standards. Like many others, I would be happy to help should the tour come to Scotland.
Thanks
The problem here is that the argument about banking has taken place purely among economists; and they do not understand the central issue. The giveaway in ‘the Truth about Banking’, is in this explanation (and the pictured illustration following below its appearance): “This process, financing, is of course the key activity of banks. The detailed steps are as follows. Assume that a banker has approved a loan to a borrower. Disbursement consists of a bank entry of a new loan, in the name of the borrower, as an asset on its books and a simultaneous new and equal deposit, also in the name of the borrower, as a liability. This is a pure bookkeeping transaction that acquires its economic significance through the fact that bank deposits are the generally accepted medium of exchange of any modern economy, its money. Clearly such transactions—which one of us has personally witnessed many times as a corporate banker—involve no intermediation whatsoever”.
Kumhof and Jacob gloss over the fact that they are providing an elementary lesson in double-entry. They are doing this because there is nothing in an economist’s education to ensure they know anything about the principles, or theory of double-entry bookkeeping. That is why we have the intermediation model. Bereft of the real knowledge economists required to understand banking and money (notably in a fiat currency world), they have invented ill-devised and thoroughly bad models of the banking process, that go badly wrong when policy makers have been foolish enough to listen to experts in a discipline, deeply ignirant of the subject matter. The economist who has done most to clean this mess up in his teaching, as far as I know; is Perry Mehrling. His ‘Hierarchy of Money’ theory follows; most economists are now too old, or to hopeless to learn.
Can you speak on Crispin Flintoff’s show? It’s a Sunday morning zoom 10.30 to 12.30 attended by aprox 500 lefties. Prem appears on it.
Also interest James O’Brien on L B C
– wide audience every weekday morning 10-1
Local humanist groups might like an online talk on MMT.
‘What if there IS a Magic Money Tree – MMT’. ?
I do seek with Crispin occasionally but try to avoid work on Sundays
I do LBC quite often but with whom is their choice.
Queen Elizabeth Hall would get attention.
And cost a fortune
A lot going on here, this is a platform that has been needed for some time now, I would broaden it out slightly by calling on Sir Michael Marmot, Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health at University College London. He is currently the Director of The UCL Institute of Health Equity. He has long contributed to the debate about the socio economic damage caused by health inequality in the UK.
I like David
But as I keep saying, we have to do one small-ish gig first
No one might come
Last night, watching Joel Hills on ITN melodramatically serving up the Treasury/Reeves official line made me angry and feeling powerless.
This morning I have read this wonderful proposal, and have some hope. This could actually shift public perception a bit. Keep to a few big points that the public can grasp, sprinkle a few recognisable names (don’t suppose we could get Taylor Swift, sadly).
Need to grab media attention – getting a bit cold now for you and Danny to fall off paddle boards, but stunts worked wonders for Ed Davey.
I don’t have the necessary skills, and too long in the tooth to organise but I pray someone will. And I will send a few quid to a crowd-fund, and book travel etc like a shot when the time comes.
Thanks Adrian
Your formulation is right
Friends House has a variety of meeting rooms, the largest being the fabulous Light Auditorium (1,000 delegates).
The 4-storey building (opposite Euston Station) houses 18 alternative-sized conference rooms allowing fringe meetings to take place contiguously. Invite Jeremy Corbyn, MP for nearby Islington North, to speak and you are guaranteed a sell-out.
That would suit me well
But as I have noted, I will not have the time to do the admin on this
And we cannot link too heavily to politicians
You should examine how Dawkins, Hitchins, Harris and Dennett (the four horsemen) were so effective a few decades back at reframing the god narrative. They were revolutionary with a very simple formula and extensive touring.
I think getting Jeremy Corbyn to speak at a London event is a fantastic idea..its’ a bit like reforming the band!
I am studying economics with Steve Keen and his ‘Rebels’, spoke on Wednesday and he seems on the road to recovery.
Looking forward to any potential upcoming event
Be very careful about using the label MMT.
It is a label and so makes it easy for opponents to denigrate it based on misunderstanding.
And there are many renowned economists who would do that, eg Larry Summers.
Instead make them engage with the content, eg “if you have the resources you can afford it”.
Key objective should be not preaching to the converted but getting the material constantly into the 24 hours news cycle and the intrays of economics editors of broadsheets, Economist and think-tanks.
Get some think tanks on board, and note how in James O’Brien’s book How they broke Britain he describes how right wing tanks meet every week to agree on what to feed to the news cycle.
I didn’t mention MMT. I stopped using it years ago because merely suggesting that tax does not fund spending provokes and angry and unthinking response that appears to come straight from some sort of primal instinct.
However, as both Keen and Richard Murphy have said, neither of the what you might call advocates of MMT for good reason, MMT does provide and essentially framework for understanding how the real economy works in the real world.
But we need a real understanding of the real world because the real world is under existential threat from orthodox economics.
Which is why I look forward to a meeting of more heterodox economists (and Blanchflower!)
Douglas Clegg: Absolutely right, downplay MMT. It would only provoke vicious attacks, and distract people.
Think tanks which might support: NIESR (Jagdit Chadha is contemptuous of fiscal rules). https://www.socialguarantee.org/.
https://99-percent.org/ (The excellent and resourceful Mark E. Thomas, and Vince Gomez).
I wondered whether it is worth reaching out to the royal society of arts who do whiteboard animations on challenging and innovative ideas. An RSA Animates video would help show the ideas in an easily consumable and entertaining way. https://www.thersa.org/video/animations
I admit I left many years ago, dismayed at its rigth-wing stance
They have a number of animates based upon Ha-Joon Chang’s ideas
I know
Conway Hall (Where Ethics Matter)?
Central London
Main hall seats 400
https://www.conwayhall.org.uk/about-us/
I like the venue
Merlin Theatre Frome?
Not that big but its just over the road from my house
Let’s see how all this goes…
How much are you (physically) in Sheffield?
Every spring there’s the so-called Festival of Debate, run by the Opus Independents ‘co-op think tank, publisher and network’ (as I suppose one could call it.) https://www.weareopus.org/
This year, a lot of the events were more like presentations or panels of the more-or-less like-minded, each speaker giving a different perspective (eg GND; food and farming; interactive workshops on climate change and lifestyle choices and policies…)
Perhaps they’d support something as a Panel? (and would assist with admin and venue set-up, back-office/ticketing etc).
I am rarely in Sheffield
My contract does not require me to be in the City
It requires me to delover content
Sorry….
Understood, re ‘delivery’ not requiring presence (for regular teaching).
However, please consider it for an event (as part of a tour)… and I and several fellow Murphystas (is that a word?!) would very likely fund your travel 🙂
Noted
More haste, more bloopers, what can I say …?
I wish I would slow down too
No, that was another comment i made, with bloopers, that I now seem to have lost……………
While its great to see such enthusiasm and abundance of suggestions, I’d think an initial one-off, as a trial run, would be the best way to start.
A central location, with good transport links; live-streamed, with an edited package to follow. If it goes well, by all means do it again; but a tour risks repetition and could run out of steam.
I’d be inclined to look at venues that are geared up for events; ones with adequate in-house lights and PA, perhaps video screens. Things that are unlikely to be available in a free, or low cost hall.
Much to agree with
It’s truly uplifting to see the level of interest this post has generated, though I recognise the challenge in making it happen. That said, I completely agree with PSR’s point—there’s a significant unmet need for initiatives like this. Shifting public perception is crucial, and your posts do an excellent job of addressing that need. Looking forward to seeing how this evolves and contributes to meaningful change.
I’d support the crowdfunding effort as part of this event.
Thanks
Oh dear, Richard, you seem to have opened a can of worms. But reading back to the beginning, I recollect that the idea was mooted by Steve Keen, so I assume he will be the one organising it if it happens. So you might as well just go with the flow. I assume you are passing all these comments on to him.
For my part, although I was very enthusiastic at the start I’m not so sure now. I have attended several talks by heterodox economists, including Steve, and I found it didn’t really make much headway and certainly didn’t gain any column inches. Even the GIMMS conference in Leeds failed to make the press (maybe the Yorkshire Post).
I think what you are doing now with social media has far more impact with the public. So just keep plugging on with that. Even then I doubt if even as many a 1% of the population have any idea that the notion that the government funds its expenditure from taxation and borrowing from the rich and China is a complete lie. Nobody I ever speak to does, other than in my inner circle, and if I try to enighten them they just think I’m a demented old fool. Well, maybe they’re right?
I don’t think you’re a demented old fool, but this is only going to happen if it does not impede everything else
I have reached more than 80,000 people on social media, not considering Twitter, some days this week. Nothing I can do with a public meeting can reach that.
Mr Hargreaves,
A well made point. I know I sometimes ruffle feathers, but I feel even here, on this Blog (a rare species open to different viewpoints), that some of the most telling contributions, especially on more arcane. or difficult territory; even by Richard; that the best points are missed for the greater enthusiasm shown for showy, declamatory, emotional polemics. I think a gathering of Steve Keen et. al., may not register quite as people expect.
I may, of course be quite wrong; but it is easy in such a bleak environment to be carried away in a wave of over-optimism of what it can do.
I am not being overwhelmed
I will only do this if it is worthwhile
I am not making that point. I am suggesting the enthusiasm here is genuine, but perhaps expects or wants more than can realistically be delivered, or expected; or likely to be most productive..
I am worried about that