Kilkenomics 2016

The Kilkenomics festival programme is live here. Speakers include Dan Ariely, Mark Blyth, Diane Coyle, Bill Emmott, Tim Harford, Wolfgang Munchau, Stephanie Kelton, Deirdre McCloskey, Martin Sandbu, Kimberly Scarf, Nassim Taleb and Linda Yueh. Quite a number of this blog’s contributors will be there over the weekend. I know I’m looking forward to it.

By Stephen Kinsella

Senior Lecturer in Economics at the University of Limerick.

3 replies on “Kilkenomics 2016”

Here’s one for the crew to ponder on –

[NYT – Business Day] The European Union must ensure future trade deals do not require the approval of all national and regional parliaments, Finland’s trade minister said on Friday, warning that, if not, Europe will never be able to get a deal with the United States.

Kai Mykkanen said the EU had to avoid a repeat of what had happened to an EU trade deal with Canada. “It is absolutely clear that regarding TTIP (Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the United States) we can’t even think of using the same method and throw the pact for the piranhas.”

If this is what us ‘untermensch’ have to stand up to? An ideological, neo-liberal demagogue asserting that he knows what’s ‘best’ for us? God help us.

David O’D – better get you-know-who to order in a supply of Wexford pikes. Looks like we may need e’m soon.

The above comment cannot be left un-rebutted. If there is one country in Europe that requires no lessons in democracy, it is Finland.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/rob-commentary/ceta-could-put-canada-between-a-rock-and-constitutional-hard-places/article32516430/

The issue is the scope of CETA and, eventually, TTIP i.e. the division of competences between the EU and its member states. The problem is general in federal states, including the EU, a unique form of federalism. Establishing the division is a long-standing problem and needs to be addressed in dispassionate terms, the one point on which the Finnish politician can be faulted.

As to Kilkenomics, economics is the “dismal science”. Nothing much can be done about the fact.

“The above comment cannot be left un-rebutted.”

Right – “On yer bike!” – Premise, argument, conclusion.

” …the scope of CETA and, eventually, TTIP …” Yeaaaaah …. and?

“[The] problem is general in federal states ..” Problem? What problem? Oh, you mean that folk can vote NO! Until, of course they are ‘compelled’, to vote Yes.

” …needs to be addressed in dispassionate terms …” Heh? Dispassionate terms? Have you mislaid your marbles – or what? Politics is never a dispassionate dialogue. Its very argumentative and contentious. Democracy is a most inconvenient concept for neo-liberal crackpots to have to contend with. Ordinary folk are somewhat oddly, quaintly attached to their Democracy.

Kai Mykkanen – and anyone else who asserts similar ultra-undemocratic, ideological claptrap has to be faced down – hard! Though, he would have some difficulty in matching up to The Baroness and her contemporary Tory henchboys. Look where they have managed to steer the UK into …..

Economics (as a subject) cannot even erect itself to the status of a pseudo-science. There is nowt dismal about it. The Classical stuff had a summat going for it; but the current stuff is laudanum for lackeys.

Comments are closed.