Will Hutton - Economist

[WinstonWolfe]

Has anyone got an opinion him?

Just heard him on Lateline Business and he came across extremely well.

And has anyone read his book, "The State We're In"?

 

[Michael Croft]

Thought I knew the name. He's a bright boy. Below is from the UWA

"From inauspicious beginnings, China has become a $2 trillion economy. But China's transition is fraught with problems. The mix of communist party system and part-capitalist economy is fast approaching crisis point. Will Hutton maintains that western leaders must act now for the future stability of the world.

Will Hutton is Chief Executive of The Work Foundation and a columnist (and former editor in chief) for the Observer. He was also Chief Executive of the Industrial Society. From 1990 to 1996 he had been economics editor of the Guardian. A former stockbroker, Will Hutton spent ten years with the BBC and from 1983 to 1988 was economics correspondent for BBC 2's 'Newsnight'.

He was nominated Political Journalist of the Year by Granada TV's 'What the Papers Say' for his coverage of the 1992 ERM crisis.

His latest book on China is titled The Writing on the Wall. Other books include The Revolution That Never Was, on Keynesian economics (1986), No 1 business best seller The State We're In, (1995) a remarkable insight into national institutions of Britain and questions their suitability to lead Britain into the next millennium.

Mr Hutton is a member of the governing council of the Policy Studies Institute, the Institute for Political Economy and Charter 88. He is on the editorial board of New Economy and is a governor of the London School of Economics.

Will Hutton is an outstanding and lively speaker and is enormously respected for his ideas on current European and global economic issues.

Will Hutton is in Australia as a guest of the Sydney Writers Festival.

074058 Tue 7.30-9pm Jun 5 $29 (web $24) Bookings essential: www.extension.uwa.edu.au or phone 6488 2433 "

Oh and WW, he's here too http://evatt.labor.net.au/news/65.html not that you would set foot in enemy territory

MC

 

[WinstonWolfe]

Thankyou Michael.

Marx was justified to some extent due to his view on history (kings and serfs, dictators and repressed, scarce resources), but I say technology, mass production, access to education, and democracy have made Karl's view anachronistic.

Capitalists and socialists will equally not give a stuff about their neighbour when there is scarcity of resources (even Jesus knew that 2000yrs ago). And there will be more egalitarianism floating around when there are more abundant resources and the freedom for individuals to pursue wealth. Consider the recent history of Viet Nam or Cambodia.

After a bit of late night reading, Hutton seems a strong critic of everything American. I can see Amercia's weaknesses, and their strengths.

My preference is to increase opportunity for real wealth creation...and I don't mean the paper castles being built by Macquarie Bank and co., nor Australia's idle smugness at benefiting from Chinese exploitation of their labour resource.

Consider a capitalist or socialist who chooses to spend liberally on fast food, cigarettes, Bali booze ups, snazzy cars, 100 pairs of shoes, the 'right dress' 6 times a year, a time diet for the kids of inert DVD viewing and computer games..... all in preference to the opportunity to provide the best education possible for their kids, and instill in them self discipline and strong values.........An adrenalin driven, self righteous pig ignorant bully capitalist, and a self absorbed, apathetic, wheel spinning no traction, PC obsessed, enviro hysteric socialist, equally contribute to an untenable future for Australia by the above actions.

 

[Michael Croft]

I guess it's about balance. I'm quite partial to the thought and sentiment of Ralston Saul's book "On Equilibrium", which says it far better than I have time. His book "Voltaire's B@stards" does quite a hatchet job on economic rationalism too.
The extremes of any philosophy, religion, politics, and the simplistic solutions they proffer, have much to answer for in my less than humble opinion.

MC