The Expo in Shanghai is more China looking outwards than showing off to the world. Listener: June 26, 2010. Keywords: Political Economy & History; Aside from artists, scholars and the peasants, few – Asians or Europeans – come out well in Chinese history. Perhaps %China’s geography does not allow it. I once wrote a column…
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Spirited Conversations, 23 June, 2010, Nelson. Keywords: Political Economy & History; Being Able to Predict Government Policy The topic initially suggested for tonight’s Spirited Conversations was to talk about the 2010 budget. I knew that this event would be two months later, by which time things would have moved on. So I chose instead ‘Does…
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Note to a foreign policy meeting under Chatham House rules, 21 June, 2010. Keywords: Globalisation & Trade; Political Economy & History; The central thesis of my paper is that the balance of world economic power is changing dramatically. The shift reflects the world economy shifting back to the pattern of the eighteenth century and earlier…
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Plan for the inconceivable, so you don’t get caught up the creek without a Plan B. Listener: 12 June 2010. Keywords: Business & Finance; In November 1967, the inconceivable happened: the UK devalued the pound. The following weekend Leyland Motor Corporation implemented its Plan B, announcing new offshore prices for its cars. Much later, British…
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