Solutions With David Ansara

Why do some societies prosper, while others stagnate? In this episode of the Solutions With David Ansara podcast, I speak with economic historian, Johan Norberg, about the importance of openness for social and economic advancement. 

Johan and I discuss his book, 'Open: The Story of Human Progress', which draws extensively on historical examples to unpack the origins of economic development. 

Johan's thesis is that open societies are more permeable to new ideas, more competitive, and tend to be better at innovating their way out of problems. Closed societies are inward-looking and parochial, which actually makes them more fragile.

Openness is not exclusive to a particular culture. We discuss many examples of societies throughout the world that have experienced alternating periods of being open and closed. 

What we discover is that open societies tend to promote higher degrees of individual freedom. Freedom to trade, to move about, and to develop new ideas is what allows us as individuals to improve our lives – not the diktats of central planners or politicians. 

Openness is not limited to policies or institutional arrangements, it is a mindset that we can cultivate in ourselves. 

TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) Intro

(00:39) Johan Norberg on open vs. closed societies

(03:53) Johan Norberg on cultural differences

(07:52) Johan Norberg on free trade

(10:49) Johan Norberg on hostility to free trade

(13:24) Johan Norberg on localisation policies

(15:54) Johan Norberg on the short term effects of free trade

(20:28) Johan Norberg on Sweden's economy

(24:07) Johan Norberg on the European Union

(30:26) Johan Norberg on supply chain shortages

(32:29) Johan Norberg on lessons from the Pandemic

(38:40) Johan Norberg on open borders

(43:17) Johan Norberg on individual freedom

(46:02) Johan Norberg on China's growth model

(50:49) Johan Norberg on openness in your daily life

(54:27) Conclusion

RESOURCES

BOOK: 'Open: The Story of Human Progress' by Johan Norberg (2020): https://www.amazon.com/Open-Story-Progress-Johan-Norberg/dp/1786497182

Stephen Davies on the political realignment | Solutions With David Ansara #25: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQ5HvatKSx4

In this episode of the Solutions With David Ansara podcast, I speak with former oil and gas executive, Niall Kramer, about energy security in South Africa.

This conversation was prompted by the recent closure of South Africa's largest fuel refinery, Sapref. While SA can still import fuel into the country, what will the decline of our local refining capability mean for the cost and quality of fuel at the pump?

Niall and I also explore the broader energy regulatory framework in SA, and whether it is fit for purpose.

Recent gas discoveries at Brulpadda and off the coast of the Transkei have the potential to radically transform our energy mix in South Africa, Niall says. However, activism from environmentalists is holding up this exploration activity, and our policy framework is also inhibiting our ability to harness these natural endowments. 

We also discuss whether SA ought to be moving towards renewable energy and what role natural gas could play in alleviating our chronic electricity shortages.

TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) Introduction

(00:44) Niall Kramer on the closure of the Sapref refinery

(04:26) Niall Kramer on the cost and quality of fuel in SA

(08:48) Niall Kramer on harnessing SA's local gas resources

(16:36) Niall Kramer on energy policy in SA

(20:53) Niall Kramer on global energy prices

(23:11) Niall Kramer on fixed vs. flexible fuel pricing

(24:51) Niall Kramer on PetroSA

(26:36) Niall Kramer on the future of energy in SA

(28:53) Niall Kramer on renewable energy

(34:10) Conclusion

In this episode of the Solutions With David Ansara podcast, I speak with broadcaster, journalist and researcher, Martin Plaut, about ending conflict in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Martin is a well-known commentator on African affairs, having served as an Africa correspondent for the BBC for many years. A large chunk of my adolescence and young adulthood was spent watching Martin's dispatches from the frontlines of wars or political upheavals in various far-flung parts of the continent, so I have long admired his journalism. 

Martin and I start the conversation by examining the recent spate of coups d'état (or attempted coups) in Africa, including Burkina Faso, Mali and Guinea-Bissau. Could citizens of these countries be losing faith in democracy or civilian government, I ask?

Martin also has a deep knowledge of the Horn of Africa, and we spend some time examining the unfolding civil war in Ethiopia. We also interrogate why the system of ethnic federalism that was in place since the 1990s failed to resolve the country's many ethnic tensions. 

Throughout the discussion, Martin and I speak about the impact of colonialism on Africa, but he also stresses that any understanding of Africa's contemporary problems also requires coming to terms with the continent's pre-colonial period. 

Martin says that he is never happier than when he has "the dust of Africa between his toes and in his hair." His passion for Africa is unmistakable, and our conversation is as rich and diverse as the continent itself.

TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) Introduction

(01:04) Martin Plaut on recent coups d'état in Africa

(06:20) Martin Plaut on instability in West Africa

(08:42) Martin Plaut on France as a regional power

(12:31) Martin Plaut on the civil war in Ethiopia

(17:23) Martin Plaut on ethnicity and kinship

(20:56) Martin Plaut on pre-colonial Africa

(27:22) Martin Plaut on the origins of conflict in Africa

(31:28) Martin Plaut on democracy in South Africa

(35:48) Martin Plaut on why he loves Africa

(38:37) Martin Plaut on the politics of Kenya

(41:37) Martin Plaut on overcoming Africa's problems

(47:39) Conclusion

RESOURCES

Visit Martin Plaut's website: https://martinplaut.com/

Follow Martin on Twitter: https://twitter.com/martinplaut

In this episode of the Solutions With David Ansara podcast, I speak with futurist, Bronwyn Williams of Flux Trends, about the relationship between technology and freedom. 

Bronwyn and I talk about the growing tendency of people to willingly reduce their individual freedom for the sake of technological convenience. Outsourcing your decision-making to automated algorithms will gradually erode your personal agency, she says. 

We also delve into behavioural economics and discuss the moral problems with 'nudging' people to make decisions they would not have made otherwise. So-called 'Libertarian Paternalism' is an oxymoron, Bronwyn says.

We also explore the potential unintended consequences of environmental engineering, as well as the dangers of Modern Monetary Theory. 

TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) Intro

(03:40) Bronwyn Williams on personal agency

(10:26) Bronwyn Williams on the risks of decentralisation

(14:45) Bronwyn Williams on the limits of technology

(25:12) Bronwyn Williams on nudging 

(35:30) Bronwyn Williams on climate change

(45:42) Bronwyn Williams on Modern Monetary Theory

(52:58) Bronwyn Williams on reclaiming your agency

(54:55) Conclusion

RESOURCES  

About Bronwyn Williams: https://www.fluxtrends.com/about-bronwyn-williams/

In this episode of the Solutions With David Ansara podcast, I speak with Alex Gladstein, Head of Strategy at the Human Rights Foundation, about the relationship between Bitcoin and human rights.

Alex and I discuss why currency stability and asset security have been so absent from international human rights discussions. Until now. 

Alex argues that the emergence of Bitcoin is enabling people in unstable economies to protect their savings from currency debasement and devaluation. In authoritarian regimes, human rights activists are now able to access foreign donor funding, and Bitcoin is also lowering the cost of remittances, he says.

We also talk about the global financial system and the 'special privilege' enjoyed by the United States Dollar as an international reserve currency. This has enabled the US Federal Reserve to vastly increase the money supply, which is now leading to growing inflation in the US and elsewhere. 

Alex and I explore whether Bitcoin could offer a viable long-term alternative to the current dollar-based system.

TIMESTAMPS

(00:00:00) Intro

(00:01:00) Alex Gladstein on the work of the Human Rights Foundation

(00:04:44) Alex Gladstein on Bitcoin and human rights

(00:17:20) Alex Gladstein on Bitcoin as digital property rights

(00:28:19) Alex Gladstein on BTC price volatility

(00:37:34) Alex Gladstein on asset price inflation

(00:39:51) Alex Gladstein on governments banning Bitcoin

(00:43:39) Alex Gladstein on inflation

(00:48:55) Alex Gladstein on shifts in global politics

(00:48:55) Alex Gladstein on how to get started with Bitcoin

(01:03:04) Conclusion

RESOURCES

About Alex Gladstein: https://hrf.org/team/alex-gladstein/

'The Village and the Strongman: The unlikely story of Bitcoin and El Salvador' by Alex Gladstein (Bitcoin Magazine, 16 September 2021):

https://bitcoinmagazine.com/culture/the-polarity-of-bitcoin-in-el-salvador

'Why you shouldn't be worried about a Bitcoin ban' by Rob Price (Bitcoin Magazine, 5 May 2021): https://bitcoinmagazine.com/culture/why-governments-cant-ban-bitcoin

'The Lords of Easy Money: How the Federal Reserve Broke the American Economy' by Christopher Leonard (2022): https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Lords-of-Easy-Money/Christopher-Leonard/9781982166632

In this episode of the 'Solutions With David Ansara' podcast, I speak with Anthony Turton, Professor at the Centre for Environmental Management, University of Free State, about South Africa's water security.

TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) Intro

(00:45) Anthony Turton on the current state of water in SA

(01:47) Anthony Turton on risks to water security in SA

(05:15) Anthony Turton on recapitalising SA's water infrastructure

(14:45) Anthony Turton on the politics of water

(19:02) Anthony Turton on lessons from Australia's water system

(22:46) Anthony Turton on new policies for the water sector

(25:34) Anthony Turton on water regulation in SA

(30:30) Anthony Turton on community driven water initiatives

(34:54) Anthony Turton on Special Purpose Vehicles for water distribution

(37:53) Anthony Turton on desalination

(42:25) Anthony Turton on lessons from the Middle East

(43:33) Conclusion

In this episode of the Solutions With David Ansara podcast, I speak with Bheki Mahlobo, Senior Analyst at the Centre For Risk Analysis, about the economic trends that will shape South Africa in 2022. 

South Africa has a small, open economy, which makes it vulnerable to shocks in the international system, so we spend some time analysing the global risks which may impact SA in the coming year. 

Bheki is especially concerned with the high level of fiscal and monetary stimulus in the global financial system, which is artificially boosting asset prices and increasing the risk of inflation, he says. 

While there are many threats to the SA economy, there are also opportunities that may be hiding in plain sight.

We explore how entrepreneurs can gear themselves to take advantage of SA's volatile environment, and how cryptocurrencies could serve as an alternative store of value and a hedge against inflation.

Bheki has a strong interest in economics as way of understanding human behaviour. We discuss why he fell in love with the discipline, and what advice he would give to young people who may be interested in learning more about economics. 

TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) Intro

(01:15) Bheki Mahlobo on his interest in economics

(04:39) Bheki Mahlobo on the risks in the global economy

(08:22) Bheki Mahlobo on price controls 

(10:05) Bheki Mahlobo on the role of the state in a market economy

(13:44) Bheki Mahlobo on SA's economic problems

(16:56) Bheki Mahlobo on the Eastern Cape economy

(19:40) Bheki Mahlobo on the 2022 Budget Speech

(23:13) Bheki Mahlobo on SA's public finances

(28:57) Bheki Mahlobo on cryptocurrencies

(33:01) Bheki Mahlobo on the influence of ideology on policy

(35:24) Bheki Mahlobo on opportunities in SA

(40:16) Bheki Mahlobo on learning more about economics

(42:31) Conclusion

RESOURCES

Centre For Risk Analysis: https://cra-sa.com/

CRA 30-day free trial: https://cra-sa.com/free-trial

Mises Institute: https://mises.org/

In this episode of the Solutions With David Ansara podcast, I speak to Chris Hattingh, deputy director at the Free Market Foundation, about the economic and social benefits of free trade.  

TIMESTAMPS  

(00:00) Introduction

In this episode of the Solutions With David Ansara podcast, I speak to Professor David Benatar about his new book, 'The Fall of the University of Cape Town: Africa's leading university in decline'.

Prof. Benatar and I discuss the origins of the Rhodes Must Fall movement in 2015, and how it later metastasized into the Fees Must Fall movement, unleashing a wave of violence, arson and intimidation at UCT. These destructive acts were met with acquiescence by the university authorities, who refused to sanction the protestors despite the widespread havoc on campus.   

We also discuss the state of UCT today. Prof Benatar is deeply concerned by the climate of intellectual conformity that currently prevails. 

The costs of going against the grain of orthodox opinion are too great for most academics to resist, he says. Academic freedom is under severe strain.   

Stringent racial preferences in academic appointments and student admissions have also caused great damage to the quality of the university system, he says.    

We conclude the discussion by looking at the future of universities more broadly, and whether young people should study philosophy.

TIMESTAMPS  

(00:00) Introduction

BOOK  

'The Fall of the University of Cape Town: Africa's leading university in decline' by David Benatar (PoliticsWeb Publishing): https://www.amazon.com/Fall-University-Cape-Town-university-ebook/dp/B09L96NJRK

In this episode of the Solutions With David Ansara podcast, I speak with British writer Helen Pluckrose about the pernicious influence of Critical Theory, and how to push back against these dangerous ideas.  

Helen and I discuss the postmodern origins of Critical Theory, and how it escaped the ivory tower of academia to become mainstream. This has dramatically altered the way we talk about race, gender and sexuality, she says. 

Helen argues that what passes for 'Social Justice' is in fact a fundamentally illiberal and intolerant ideology. Its adherents suppress free speech, foster a culture of victimhood, and essentialise people's experience based on their identity and 'positionality'.   

We explore alternative (liberal) approaches to social justice, and also discuss the practical steps that ordinary people can take to counteract 'wokeness' in the workplace or other institutions.

TIMESTAMPS  

(00:00) Intro

RESOURCES  

BOOK: Helen Pluckrose & James Lindsay, 'Cynical Theories: How Activist Scholarship Made Everything about Race, Gender, and Identity—and Why This Harms Everybody' (2020): https://www.amazon.com/Cynical-Theories-Scholarship-Everything-Identity_and/dp/1634312023 

WEB: https://counterweightsupport.com/