My tale of me - Chris Jenkinson

I’ve just finished reading the book “The Undercover Economist”, by Tim Harford. Definitely an informative book and well worth reading carefully and critically. It rightly makes the point that those of us who are “capitalists” do not defend “big business” (which want limits on competition) but instead defend open and free markets (which ensure competition). It also serves as a reminder that many of the problems countries in sub-Saharan Africa and other lesser economically developed regions face is not “free trade” but instead protectionism inside developed countries (such as the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy) and corruption which stifles entrepreneurial spirit.

The book also contains an interesting section towards the end about how sweat shops (factories run by large multinational corporations in Southeast Asia, with worse working conditions and wages than in Western countries) are actually an improvement in working conditions for people who are employed there, and that Western calls to boycott companies making products in sweat shops are severely misplaced and cause actual harm to workers. I’m not entirely convinced by this argument so some recommended reading on sweat shops would be appreciated!

It’s not a stereotypical “dry” economics textbook, it contains real-world examples of applications of economic theory, and isn’t at all hard to understand for someone without any formal instruction in the field. Harford also has a new book, “The Logic of Life”, which is available now.

The slippery slope of content classification has been avoided for the next few years, at least. It’s not just free speech which has won here, young people with strict parents who would otherwise deny them access to information categorised into the XXX domain by well-meaning “think of the family” and “abstinence only” conservative politicians - information like sexual health and pregnancy.

The comments by the CEO of ICM Registry are shameful. The reason a registry supports extra domain names is blindingly obvious it is a wonder they even bother to hide it - they want to flog hundreds of domains to companies forced to buy alternatives to stop impersonation, and not for any sense of duty towards allegedly protecting children.

Happy Birthday, European Union! Now do the noble thing and scrap the anti-competitive Common Agricultural Policy. It is a giant waste of money (taking up nearly half the EU’s total budget), it means Europeans pay more for their food than they actually need to, it means unsuccessful farm businesses are propped up by the government despite their failings, and it means that farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa find it incredibly difficult to compete with the barriers they face in selling their products over here. The intellectual, moral and economic argument for scrapping the CAP has been won. All that is needed is some courage from the French government to recognise the damage they are doing to not just farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa but to their own economy, despite the loud whining of the French farming lobby. Sadly none of the three presidential candidates have made much noise about CAP reform.

In Manchester on a fine Saturday afternoon was the protest march against the war in Iraq organised by the Stop the War Coalition with somewhere between 20 to 50 thousand people walking around the city centre with Respect/SWP banners and silly whistles shouting things like “Bush and Blair, Go Go Go” and “who’s a terrorist, Blair’s a terrorist”. Naturally I took part walking around, with a LDYS banner we had gotten our hands on for our stall at Fresher’s Week at Man Uni. There were also many of the Lib Dem councillors taking part. It was all very emotional and somewhat self-congratulatory - especially the speeches at the start by the organisers who were giving themselves incredibly large pats on the back (a polite way of putting it) for their role in “winning the public debate” on everything they’ve ever discussed.

A large problem was that it was largely preaching to the converted - who would take part in a march who hasn’t made their minds up already? I suppose the shouting would be heard by staff in nearby shops and office blocks, but if I had not made my mind up and I heard “Bush’s a wanker” I would roll my eyes, sigh and become even more convinced that most anti-war protesters are a bunch of loony communists who are as incapable of rational debate and are as keen on slogans and soundbites as New Labour.

As this was the first march I had been to I was keen to see what actually happens. All the interesting protests you hear on the news are there because there’s been major confrontations with the police with tear gas and riot shields being employed. A slightly infantile part of me was longing for this to occur right before my very eyes, but it was very peaceful and the police were very helpful and friendly, with only one officer I saw actually instructing a protester to do something. Most police officers seemed to be enjoying themselves. That was what I liked. What I did not like were parents bringing their children along, especially young children. Babies and toddlers don’t really know what is going on so are not being indoctrinated but children upwards of 8 years old are hearing repeated slogans and soundbites and these would be ingrained into their minds. How are they to take part in political debate as they grow when they have only very biased bullet point statements to think of? It breeds intolerance for opposing viewpoints which in ages gone by has led to slavery and fascism.

This is not to say I am in support of the war in Iraq, I am not and I think it is a tragedy for the people of Iraq and has done more to ruin the reputation of the United Kingdom as a peaceful arbiter than any other thing in the past. The UK has much to be proud for but even if you give someone 9 fantastic presents but offend them once, you’re an arsehole, not 90% great friend. This has no bearing on the issue that indoctrinating people at an age when they are not emotionally developed enough to recognise the difference between facts and opinions. That the Earth is spherically shaped is a fact. That the Iraq war was morally valid is clearly not a fact, but neither is that the Iraq war was not justified. Many of the arguments for removing Saddam Hussein from power are very valid. Others were not.

Parents who bring their young children to protests - children who have uncritically accepted their parents’ political opinions as fact - are more repugnant than any changes Blair’s government has done to the education system. It is scientifically proven that young minds are not fully developed, and deprogramming entrenched opinions is very difficult. It is easy to teach young children to accept opinion as fact, however this is simple ideological brainwashing and it is intolerable, cult-like behaviour. Doctrinal teachings are unjustifiable whatever the subject, whether they concern the war in Iraq, faith, even human rights. People should know why something is worth supporting. That is the purpose of a liberal democracy.