P.P.E.?

The only combination of P.P.E. (Philosophy, Politics and Economics) that I really believe in is using philosophy to demonstrate that economics is politics. As well as Personal Protective Equipment of course.
Glad to see that Cambridge won the boat race this year.
More seriously, I think that combing these three subjects can make it seem that they are all equally intellectually valid - which I don't think is necessarily the case, especially in the case of Economics.
The nature of politics and economics is a question for philosophy.
Similarly, the idea that they are are all intrinsically linked intellectually is perhaps questionable.
I know that they are all separate subjects at Oxford in spite of their combination in the P.P.E. degree.
But I think it is perhaps best to keep them totally separate as subjects.
Personally, I think my ideal degree would be philosophy and politics. I am not so keen on economics.
In its favour, I think that a broad education is preferable to a highly specialized one.

The "Household Manager" Magazine.

The version on the left was actually an "Economist" headline!

It CLAIMS to be named after a SOCIAL SCIENCE - and aimed at its practitioners.

(HouseholdManagement and HouseholdManagers)..

How very impartial and scientific!

The "Economist" is one of the most biased pro-capitalist publications in history.

Even my anarchist friends praise the "Economist" for its raw data and scientific facts.
They have a point. Country profiles are often full of information and the reporting is of an excellent quality.
Another publication - "The New Internationalist" also has "country profiles", possibly based on the version of these from "The Economist." Compare the two!
The "Economist" way of doing a "country profile" one is as biased as the "New Internationalist" one, I would argue!

My anarchist friends claimed that even if this version of the magazine from America was biased then another more impartial magazine with this title would be possible!

My contention is that it is all about the way you look at "Economics".
And I would say that this is always ultimately about Politics!

Why can't I go into a newsagent and buy a mainstream magazine called "THE SOCIOLOGIST"?

I certainly would prefer to. It would make a change.

Usually - I would probably have to go to a University Library to dig out a copy of such a magazine. Also about a social science.

.............

IT TAKES DEAD AIM......!!!

".....democracy requires that people feel a connection to their fellow citizens,
 and that this connection manifests itself though a variety of nonmarket organizations and institutions. 
A vibrant political culture needs community groups, libraries, public schools, neighborhood organizations, cooperatives, public meeting places, voluntary associations, and trade unions to provide ways for citizens to meet, communicate, and interact with their fellow citizens.

[CAPITALISM.....]
..... with its notion of the market über alles, takes dead aim at this sector. 
Instead of citizens, it produces consumers. 
nstead of communities, it produces shopping malls. 
The net result is an atomized society of disengaged individuals who feel demoralized and socially powerless.”

Noam Chomsky 

in

"PROFIT OVER PEOPLE" (1999).

Anything that wants to help you rather than make money out of you - is a threat and a target!

Economics Is Robbery!

"RAUBSWIRTSCHAFT"!

The USAmerican owner Malcolm Glazer (|R.I.P.) of Man United was from New York City!

This man symbolized an attempt to Americanize English football!

He saw a club as a business - in other words - amongst other things - potentially something to be FLEECED - as we say in London!

An English accountant coming in is portrayed as a "knight in shining armour" to come and tidy up this (perceived) mess!

A justified act of exaggeration or a truth?....

The capitalist teaching is that he and people like him are doing nothing wrong....

What I mean is .....

CAPITALISM IS ROBBERY anyway!.....

Which is IMMORAL!

=========================================

A FAR WORSE EXAMPLE of course is Bernard Madeoff with 80 million dollars.

He received 150 years in prison!

People who are in prison for murder serve less time!

ASTOUNDING!

"the love of money/goods is the root of all kinds of evil..."

A point to make is that what he did was perhaps legal technically speaking at the time!

...................................

Anita Roddick

Anita Roddick's business life is a GOOD EXAMPLE of the truth that Economics is Politics.

A CYNIC would say that it simply is not possible to FOUND AND MAINTAIN a LARGE SCALE, ETHICALLY and ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND AND SUSTAINABLE COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISE / BUSINESS.

[A CYNIC is not now exactly what it was in Ancient times, by the way!]

The reasons for this not now being even vaguely possible are not "economic reasons" BUT Politics.
There is no such thing as an "ECONOMIC REASON" - is basically my view!.....

LEGAL REGULATION of economic activity make the feat that she achieved at least for a little while a few decades ago nearly impossible today as well as then!

The 1980s and its technological advances were MERELY used to entrench and maintain EXTREME NEOLIBERAL CAPITALISM!

Capitalism is written into the Law of the land.
Such that every part of the system HAS NO CHOICE but to maximize so-called "profits"!....
It has been for a long time!
.....................

This is one reason why I am a Libertarian Socialist!.......
...........

Updated Proverb!

"The BELIEF in MONEY is the root of all kinds of STUPIDITY" !

Employees are an enemy of profit!

Employees are an enemy of profit!
The biggest drain on the finances of a company in capitalism is always EMPLOYEES.
Therefore in a capitalist system - a company is always trying to reduce employees!
And a company with less employees will always make more money!
John Lewis - for example - has many, many employees who become members of its co-operative.
This is not good for maximizing profits.

Hence this company for example is threatened by capitalism, both deliberately and also as a function of capitalism (by rising rents for example).
Since it has more employees it will make less money and life will be made harder for it.
In this way, high ideals that try to moderate capitalism have often been thwarted!
More profit is constantly demanded!

I went to the John Lewis in Stratford the other day. There were three people at the Returns Desk in John Lewis who told me to go elsewhere to pay for my items! Now that's what I call concern for customer satisfaction!
I went back soon after and the branch there seems to be soon to close!
The reason could appear to be - they are not making enuff money;
because they are making too many customers happy rather than penniless!
A Refund Desk is not a part of a Profit Hungry system!
I mean in seriousness that more ethical outfits like John Lewis are threatened because they are more ethical.
Simple!

The Economy is not a Thing!....

The Economy is NOT a Thing.

Morph is!.......

At the moment I feel a great deal of sympathy for "The Economy" and I am taking it easy.

With tolerable economy!......

When George Bryan Brummell, commonly known as "Beau" Brummell -
(Eton, Oriel Oxford, 10th Light Dragoons)
was asked how much it would cost to keep a single man in clothes, he was supposed to have replied:

"Why, with tolerable economy, I think it might be done with £800."

NOTA BENE:

"Economy" here is an ABSTRACT noun, refering to an ABSTRACT quality.

As opposed to a CONCRETE noun, which is what it sounds like in contemporary discourse.
It CANNOT ever be one I.M.O.

NOTA BENE ii:

800 quid was a lot of wonga in those days!

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By le way mes amis, one must not forget that in French (as in English still a little) a possible and very common sense of the word "Une économie" or "an economy" is simply "A SAVING" - with an actual price tag/figure.

As in

"I made an economy of exactly 5 pounds 3 shillings and tuppence."

:)

Probably the best sure fire way to make money ever conceived of!

Probably the best sure fire way to make money ever conceived of! -

*DRUMROLL*

Do not spend it! ....

:D

 "The best way to save money is not to spend it."

Scholars believe that one originator of this "fount of all wisdom" quote is the Right Honorary Cockney entrepreneur David Sullivan.