There has been a lot of concern about free speech and open discussion lately – and a growing fear that these are threatened by the rise of an aggressive and intolerant ideology (usually called ‘wokeness’), which has its epicentre in universities. This week, the IEA published my paper that explores this issue.
In 'Grounds for Debate' I argue that there is a problem of lack of pluralism, but that this is wider and more general than specific arguments about things like gender identity. This is also not specific to universities, where the scale of the problem is overstated. Aggressive ‘cancelling’ is not as common as you might imagine – and is also not very effective in many cases.
What we in fact face is two wider phenomena. The first is an increasing uniformity of public opinion on certain questions among the intelligentsia. With universities the problem is not so much uniformity within any one institution, but rather a lack of diversity between institutions. More serious is the second – the decay of a wider ecology of media and fora through which ideas are disseminated and debated, and the domination of what we have by people from an increasingly narrow social background and experience.
New legal measures as proposed in the Queen's Speech are a very dangerous and unwarranted intrusion into private self-governance and are likely to backfire in unpredictable ways. We should instead look to the hard task of building institutions and networks where public discussion can thrive.
For universities to take part they will need to lose their dependence on state funding, and reduce or shed their now dominant role of certifying employment candidates. This has corrupted them – and plays a central part in the broader problem we face.
Dr Steve Davies
Head of Education, Institute of Economic Affairs
|
|
|
GROUNDS FOR DEBATE
As Steve mentioned, this week the IEA published his new research on the challenges to free speech in universities. Steve discussed the paper on this week's episode of Live with Littlewood, where he was joined by Emma Webb, Deputy Research Director at the Free Speech Union, and Joanna Williams, Founder of CIEO. The guests debated whether the scale of the free speech crisis in universities is overblown – and what can be done to encourage intellectual diversity in the sector.
Freddy Gray, The Spectator USA's Editor, and Matt Kilcoyne, Deputy Director at the Adam Smith Institute, also appeared on the panel to discuss the case for a global corporation tax. Could a cartel of governments destroy tax competition? And with Dominic Cummings giving evidence to MPs on Wednesday, the panel also explored whether the former Chief Adviser really has the answers to our political woes. You can catch up on the IEA YouTube channel here.
Daniel Hannan, Lord Hannan of Kingsclere, featured Steve's research in an article for Conservative Home. The author and columnist agreed that legislation aimed at punishing universities which have de-platformed speakers is "an intrusion of political power into the internal affairs of a private body and would be rightly resisted if it were attempted elsewhere".
And in a piece for the IEA Blog, our Head of Cultural Affairs Marc Glendening warned that the government appears to be suffering from "a combination of advanced doublethink and early onset of magical thinking". On the one hand, Ministers are seeking to fight back against the "illiberal onslaught within higher education". On the other, they want to ban gay conversion therapy and give regulators the power to censor online content.
|
|
|
iN THE MEDIA
Tax Pact.. It was reported this week that the G7 are close to agreeing a global minimum corporate tax rate.
Commenting on the proposals, IEA Economics Fellow Julian Jessop told The Telegraph that any increase in corporation tax would likely be passed on to consumers and employees in the form of higher prices or lower wages.
Julian questioned the practicalities of the proposals, warning that it could become a "bureaucratic nightmare". If the global minimum tax rate is set too high, it would "undermine healthy tax competition between countries"; if it is set too low, "it would not have any significant impact anyway". You can read Julian's full comments here, or read his debate column for 1828 here.
India deal... International Trade Secretary Liz Truss has launched a public consultation for a trade deal with India. Quoted in The Express, IEA Fellow Shanker Singham explained that there are "real opportunities for both the UK and India" from a Free Trade Agreement, both commercial and geopolitical. Click here for the article, or read Shanker's recent briefing paper for the IEA, 'Eastern Promise: Assessing the Future of UK-India Trade', here.
Aussie rules... IEA Acting Academic and Research Director Professor Syed Kamall took part in a debate column for 1828 on prospects for a UK-Australia free trade deal. Syed outlined the pitfalls of prioritising British farmers at the expense of consumers.
He noted that at a time when politicians are talking about levelling up and helping the ‘just about managing,’ preventing shoppers from buying cheaper food to make ends meet would be economic madness – and morally wrong.
Proceed with caution... The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics revealed that the government borrowed £7bn less than expected in April. Quoted in The Telegraph, Julian Jessop warned that the positive data is "not a green light" for the Treasury to continue to spend even more.
Instead of casting around for more ways to increase the tax burden, we should be looking for ways to reduce it. He noted that the government could start by "abandoning planned hikes in corporation tax" and "making some of the time-limited Covid tax cuts permanent". You can read the full article here.
Julian also spoke to Nick Ferrari on LBC about the potential economic cost of a delay to the next stage of the government's roadmap out of lockdown.
Scoot away... Less than a year into e-scooter trials, ministers are coming under pressure to ban the new transport technology, with critics, including Kent's Police and Crime Commissioner, calling for a clampdown on their usage. But as IEA Director of Communications Annabel Denham wrote in an article for The Spectator, we should be allowing businesses to experiment with new technologies, rather than slamming on the breaks for fear of risk.
IEA Chief Operating Officer Andy Mayer wrote for 1828 on the importance of allowing new technology to be tested in the marketplace. He argued that we simply don't know whether e-scooters will stand the test of time, and the government should not seek to centrally plan whether new technologies will or will not benefit our lives.
|
|
|
IEA PATREON
Thank you to all of our supporters who have already signed up to become an IEA Online Patron. Becoming a Patron grants you VIP access to our latest videos, priority invites to our virtual events, and the opportunity to engage directly with IEA Director General Mark Littlewood and the IEA team. For just a small donation you can get all these benefits and more.
To visit the page and find out more about the IEA’s Patreon, follow the link here or watch our trailer here.
|
|
|
THINK 2021
This year's THINK conference is less than two weeks' away, and we are delighted to be able to announce our panel of the day, with four fantastic speakers: IEA Head of Education Dr Steve Davies, Kate Andrews, Economics Correspondent at The Spectator, David Goodhart of Policy Exchange, and Lisi Christofferson of CT Group. They'll explore whether we're undergoing a political realignment and, if so, in what direction.
THINK 2021 will take place on Saturday, 12th June and is free to attend on Zoom – you can register here.
For more information, please visit THINKIEA.com or email the IEA's Education, Outreach, and Programmes Manager Brittany Davis at [email protected]. We hope you can join us!
|
|
|
CALLING ALL STUDENTS
*Dorian Fisher Memorial Prize
The deadline to enter this year's Dorian Fisher Essay Memorial Prize is Friday 30th July. The competition is open to all A-Level and IB students, with the chance of winning a first prize of £500, and £250 each for three runners-up. The top 20 entries will also all be invited to a special one-day event at the IEA in the autumn term.
The prize for this competition is named after Dorian Fisher, the wife of Sir Antony Fisher, founder of the IEA, who was a long-time supporter of the Institute and its work. You can find out more details on the IEA website here. If you would like to enter, please send you entry to [email protected], clearly stating your name and school.
*Freedom Week
Applications for this year's Freedom Week have been extended to June 13th 2021. Freedom Week is an annual, one-week seminar which teaches students about classical liberal, free market, neoliberal and liberal perspectives on economics, politics, history and society. It is open to over-18s who are currently attending or about to start university. The week is entirely free to attend: there is no charge whatsoever for accommodation, food, tuition or materials.
This year's Freedom Week will be held in Cambridge the week beginning 23rd August 2021. If you would like more information and how to apply, please see: www.freedom-week.org.
|
|
|
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
*In Conversation with Dr Liam Fox MP
On Monday evening, the IEA hosted the Rt Hon Dr Liam Fox MP for the latest in our In Conversation series with senior figures in public life. The interview, hosted by IEA Director General Mark Littlewood, focused primarily on the government's economic strategy.
Over the course of the 60-minute discussion, the former Secretary of State for International Trade voiced concern over inflation, arguing that it is time to think about "restricting and winding up the QE programme," and told viewers that the government should "stop apologising for the private sector" and "celebrate our wealth creators". Catch up on on the IEA YouTube channel here.
*The Swift Half with Snowdon
In this week's episode of 'The Swift Half with Snowdon', host and IEA Head of Lifestyle Economics Christopher Snowdon spoke to Tom Chivers, Science Editor at Unherd and author of 'How To Read Numbers'. The discussion focused on the importance of understanding statistics, particularly in terms of public health policy. You can catch up here.
|
|
|
YOU'RE INVITED
*MA in Political Economy by Research
The IEA is working with the Vinson Centre for the Public Understanding of Economics and Entrepreneurship at the University of Buckingham on the delivery of an MA in Political Economy by Research.
The programme can be completed by distance learning and is aimed at graduates with a strong interest in the history of economic ideas and the application of economics to questions of public policy.
Online seminars will cover topics on Adam Smith; David Ricardo; John Stuart Mill; Alfred Marshall; the marginalists and neoclassical economics; Karl Marx; Friedrich Hayek and the Austrians; J.M. Keynes; James Buchanan, Gordon Tullock and public choice theory; the Frankfurt School; and behavioural economics.
For further information, please follow the link here.
|
|
|
|
|
