IEA Podcast

School of Thought’ is the IEA discussion series based on ‘101 Great Liberal Thinkers’ by Dr Eamonn Butler.

Each week, Professor Syed Kamall, Academic and Research Director at the Institute of Economic Affairs, discusses classical liberalism’s role in bringing the modern world into existence, profiling the lives and ideas of some of the leading thinkers on individual liberty and examining their relevance today.

In this week’s episode, Syed sits down with Dr Stephen Davies, Head of Education at the Institute of Economic Affairs. 

In recent weeks we have seen the resurgence of a debate around the appropriateness of statues in public places. Edward Colston was thrown in a river, a campaign is afoot to remove Cecil Rhodes. In Germany, a far-left party has unveiled a public statue of Lenin, to furious protest.

What is the proper way to judge historical figures? Is toppling statues an effective tool to eliminate prejudices? Should we have a Public Memorials (Abolition) Act? Is this the thin end of the wedge: what about blue plaques, or street names? Could it trickle into attitudes towards culture?

Joining IEA Academic and Research Director Professor Syed Kamall are Alex Deane and Dr Stephen Davies.

‘School of Thought’ is the IEA discussion series based on ‘101 Great Liberal Thinkers’ by Dr Eamonn Butler.

Each week, Professor Syed Kamall, Academic and Research Director at the Institute of Economic Affairs, discusses classical liberalism’s role in bringing the modern world into existence, profiling the lives and ideas of some of the leading thinkers on individual liberty and examining their relevance today.

In this week’s episode, Syed sits down with Dr Kristian Niemietz, Head of Political Economy at the Institute of Economic Affairs. 

‘School of Thought’ is the IEA discussion series based on ‘101 Great Liberal Thinkers’ by Dr Eamonn Butler.

Each week, Professor Syed Kamall, Academic and Research Director at the Institute of Economic Affairs, discusses classical liberalism’s role in bringing the modern world into existence, profiling the lives and ideas of some of the leading thinkers on individual liberty and examining their relevance today.

In this week’s episode, Syed sits down with Christopher Snowdon, Head of Lifestyle Economics at the Institute of Economic Affairs. Christopher is the author is numerous works including 'Killjoys: A critique of paternalism'.

*First shown on YouTube 8th June.

‘School of Thought’ is the IEA discussion series based on ‘101 Great Liberal Thinkers’ by Dr Eamonn Butler.

Each week, Syed will discuss classical liberalism’s role in bringing the modern world into existence, profiling the lives and ideas of some of the leading thinkers on individual liberty and examining their relevance today.

In this week’s episode, Syed sits down with Madeline Grant to discuss Frédéric Bastiat. Madeline is Assistant Comment Editor at The Telegraph and a Sunday Telegraph columnist.

'101 Great Liberal Thinkers' is available to download for free on the IEA website.

CORONAVIRUS AND THE JOB MARKET

The coronavirus crisis has dealt a massive blow to the UK labour market. UK jobless claims soared by nearly 70% in April – and the rise in unemployment would have been far greater if it weren’t for the government’s Job Retention Scheme.

The Treasury has said that 8m workers are now receiving wage subsidies through the furlough programme, with a further two million receiving income support through the new scheme for the self-employed.

There is a concern that once the scheme is lifted, many more will lose their jobs. Recessions can fundamentally reshape labour markets – for instance they have frequently led to a surge in entrepreneurship. What conclusions can we draw from the data thus far? What might the future of work look like post-coronavirus?

To discuss this, Emily Carver, Media Manager at the IEA was joined by Professor Len Shackleton, IEA Editorial and Research Fellow.

To support the work of the IEA you can donate at https://iea.org.uk/donate-now/

Who was Immanuel Kant?

‘School of Thought’ is the IEA discussion series based on ‘101 Great Liberal Thinkers’ by Dr Eamonn Butler. Each week, Professor Syed Kamall, Academic and Research Director at the Institute of Economic Affairs, discusses classical liberalism’s role in bringing the modern world into existence, profiling the lives and ideas of some of the leading thinkers on individual liberty and examining their relevance today.

In this week’s episode, Syed sits down with Adam Bartha to discuss philosopher Immanuel Kant. Adam is the Director of the European Policy Information Center (EPICENTER), an independent initiative of nine leading think tanks from across the European Union.

Brief Bio:

Immanuel Kant (1724–1804). German philosopher.

Key ideas: Universal right to freedom; individuals as ends, not means; state limited to defending rights and freedom; moral action demands free choice; moral and political principles must be universal; rights are conventional, not natural; government as contractual and limited, not democratic; rule of law.

Key works: Critique of Pure Reason (1781); The Metaphysics of Morals (1797).

When we think about the impact of coronavirus on businesses and the economy, the immediate focus is on the negatives – the damage to businesses viability and fall in consumer confidence, as well as the astonishing growth in public sector borrowing that the taxpayer will somehow have to repay.

But are we missing the bright spots in the gloom? Many businesses have moved rapidly to adapt their business models to the new normal, with some innovative responses to ensure they can keep operating during lockdown.

Emma Revell, Head of Communications at the Institute of Economic Affairs speaks to Dr Kristian Niemietz, Head of Political Economy, about the entrepreneurial flourishing happening during the coronavirus outbreak.

Kristian has written about the subject for Reaction which prompted this discussion, you can read the full piece here.

To help the IEA keep our content going during these difficult times a contribution, no matter how modest, would be a huge help. You can donate online via our website.

As we begin the transition out of lockdown, environmentalists have argued that Covid-19 is the catalyst we need to seriously challenge the dominance of cars and transform the way we travel in Britain’s cities. 

London is currently advancing plans to pedestrianise large parts of the city centre - to encourage a ‘safe return to work’, but more importantly to maintain the city’s air quality since the lockdown began. 

The London mayor has also hiked the congestion charge to an eye-watering £15 a day – up from £12.50 – to help fill Transport for London’s financial blackhole, in part due to lost income during lockdown.

But will rushing to extend the environmental benefits of lockdown end up extending the economic harm? Or is this a well overdue shift to greener modes of transport?

Andy Mayer, IEA Chief Operating Officer, joins Emily Carver, Media Manager, to elaborate on his latest blog post and dig deeper into the consequences of inner city pedestrianisation. 

Poet. Polemicist. Statesman.

Who was John Milton?

‘School of Thought’ is the IEA discussion series based on ‘101 Great Liberal Thinkers’ by Dr Eamonn Butler. Each week, Syed Kamall - IEA Research Director - discusses classical liberalism’s role in bringing the modern world into existence, profiling the lives and ideas of some of the leading thinkers on individual liberty and examining their relevance today.

In this week’s episode, Syed sits down with Dan Hannan, author, columnist, and President of the Initiative for Free Trade, to discuss John Milton.

Best known for his religious epic Paradise Lost (1667), Milton also argued for the legality and morality of divorce, religious toleration and setting the church free from the political authorities. He stressed the political equality of individuals and saw government as an implied contract between rulers and the people. Milton advocated free speech and freedom of conscience (at least among Protestants), believing that people can distinguish right from wrong if they can hear the competing arguments in open debate. ‘Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely’, he wrote, ‘according to conscience above all liberties’. After the execution of Charles I in 1649, Milton became a polemicist for the incoming republican government of Oliver Cromwell. But he soon became an open critic of the autocratic Cromwell, urging him to respect his regime’s implied contract with the people. Though no democrat, he dreamt of creating a more liberal republic (a ‘free commonwealth’); but in fact the monarchy was restored.