First of all Happy New Year to all readers of this blog. I’ve been really busy over the last three months so haven’t had much time for blogging, but I hope to find more time in the coming months to blog more regularly. I shun the traditional New Year’s Eve festivities, which is why I have time to blog now 🙂
This blog is about 18 months old now, and when I started I didn’t really think anyone would read it, but thanks largely to Sue Davies at the Think Left blog, I began to rack up (a still modest number of) page views. Sue encouraged me to write and then reposted this blog, and that got the ball rolling.
The purpose of this blog started out being trying to explain the nuts and bolts of the branch of economics called Modern Monetary Theory (MMT), which I strongly believe offers a framework for a more prosperous and fair economy, maintaining the best aspects of capitalist system and neutering the worst. Since then, I’ve explored other areas like the Government’s blunt and uncaring welfare changes, along with occassional posts on our electoral system.
Going forward, I’d like to do more MMT stuff and hopefully a couple more interviews after an (I thought) successful Q and A with Ann Pettifor in October.
Over the coming months it seems the main political themes are almost certain to be:
- Increasing demonisation of those without a job, particularly if those people originate from Eastern Europe. This is already well under way, and I really worry that the hysteria that is being whipped up at the moment could easily end in tragedy. I hope I’m wrong.
- Linked to point one, an increasingly inward-looking Tory Party will ‘bang on about Europe’. I’m pretty ‘Euro-sceptic’ myself and wish more on the left were too, but the way Tories argue against EU membership is unlikely to win round many people in my view.
- As we get closer to May – UKIP: The Movie.
- The economy. The Coalition’s “look, the economy is growing” against Labour’s “yeah but no one’s really benefiting except your mates”.
I might have more to say on these topics in the coming weeks and months, and hopefully some more positive stuff too! Happy New Year.
alittleecon 