Comments for Freethinking Economist

Comment on While I do hate the Argument from Authority … by dcardno

dcardno — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 17:23:41 +0000

“he’s an economics tutor, therefore he probably knows whether it’s a good book or not”

… but couldn’t tell you straight up.
The audience for a textbook is not the student, but the instructor (or departmnet head, etc), who choses whether it becomes the standard text, whether it is mandatory, or whether it is ignored altogether. It is possible that Mankiw ‘dumbed down’ his text in order to impress that audience – after all, he should know how well-recieved a crummy book would be among academic economists. On the other hand, maybe the publisher was acting rationally in attracting a capable author and the author was acting rationally in accepting a nice cheque in anticipation of writng a good textbook (and establishing his bona fides for his next textbook). About the tutor I am not so sure, although striking a pose may be rational behaviour, especially when the penalties are low

Comment on I’ve been waiting for this: the price index drops. Innumerate right winger shouts ‘Inflation!’ by Nelson Munz

Nelson Munz — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 00:49:49 +0000

Ha Ha!

Comment on I’ve been waiting for this: the price index drops. Innumerate right winger shouts ‘Inflation!’ by Government Official Loses Bet on the Economy - Guy Fawkes' blog

Government Official Loses Bet on the Economy - Guy Fawkes' blog — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 15:58:44 +0000

[...] the Economy This time last year an economist wonk at the liberal-leaning CentreForum took a dislike to Guido’s economic foresight. Deficit denying Liberal Conspiracy made a predictably over [...]

Comment on While I do hate the Argument from Authority … by An open letter to John Christensen

An open letter to John Christensen — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 11:20:09 +0000

[...] we see here, lowering taxes on capital and raising them on consumption will indeed stimulate growth for the [...]

Comment on Elementary errors by The rubbishness of Rawnsley « Though Cowards Flinch

The rubbishness of Rawnsley « Though Cowards Flinch — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 21:05:43 +0000

[...] of economics to sell yourself as a ‘progressive’ commentator. As Johann Hari has also found to his reputational cost, that no longer [...]

Comment on A cute little village anecdote by Want to reduce public debt? Then grow the economy, stupid! | Flip Chart Fairy Tales

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 16:10:42 +0000

[...] deficit was not an increase in public spending but the catastrophic collapse of the UK’s tax revenues. It is therefore reasonable to assume that the most effective way to reduce the deficit would be [...]

Comment on The Robin Hood Tax by Why the Robin Hood Tax won't work..... | Troyters

Why the Robin Hood Tax won't work..... | Troyters — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 11:42:22 +0000

[...] Number two – Less conservative more money sense [...]

Comment on Tuition Fees have NOT put the disadvantaged off higher education by Higher, Ed « Though Cowards Flinch

Higher, Ed « Though Cowards Flinch — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 15:56:25 +0000

[...] notion of the ideological construction of what it is to be a student links us back to another Julian Astle paper (2008). In this paper, Astle sets out the case getting more young people from poorer backgrounds into [...]

Comment on QE in 462 words: the ballad of Mervyn’s shovel by Poetry Corner « My Crippled Eagle

Poetry Corner « My Crippled Eagle — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 08:40:33 +0000

[...] 9 07 2010 Some of you may remember this rather excellent poem by Giles Wilkes, on the subject of quantitative easing. Inspired by some late night tweeting, [...]

Comment on with a bang not a whimper … by Harry D

Harry D — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 10:15:47 +0000

I’ve been following your blog for what mst be its entire time – though i didn’t realise when I started. But thank you – not only did I never pay, but probably neer recorded as I got it from google reader.

But wel done, thank you – you should be given a 6 figure newspaper column and a government job!