Syriza membes are not fascists, and Tsipras is not Farage. But Syriza is a populist party, and in that respect, it has much more in common with the likes of the Front National and even Golden Dawn than it is comfortable having its sympathizers admit.
ReadThe fact that Merkel does not come across as the kind of person you’d want to share your problems with over Kaffee und Kuchen does not make her any less fit to be the leader of the most powerful country in Europe. In fact, it might make her more so.
ReadThe experience of speaking at food festivals made me wonder whether we should shake up our assumptions about the way book festivals do and should work. Book lovers could learn a few lessons from the foodies.
ReadGenuinely free markets are not the enemies of a sound food economy. The problem is with under-regulated markets. To some ‘regulated market’ is an oxymoron, but this is a historical and factual mistake. Free does mean unfettered but free from distortion by manipulation or misinformation. That is why Adam Smith, for example, favoured breaking up monopolies and cartels. Markets need to be regulated in order to be free, fair and sustainable.
ReadSome have concluded that governments should focus less on raising GDP and more on increasing general happiness. But not so fast. Happiness promotion is not the only alternative to wealth creation. Human wellbeing is surely greater than being in a good mood more of the time.
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