21 Comments
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Helen Heenan's avatar

Another excellent infographic. You have explained this subject many times, in many different ways, over many years. Each explanation adds detail and examples to the previous ones, and this graphic depiction is another step forward in getting this message across to as many people as possible, in as many different ways.

Ljhuk's avatar

It isn't just the government who are ignorant of alternatives, on last night's Newsnight, an entrepreneur insisted that the government needed to cut regulation on business, cut taxes and stop legislation for workers rights. They are all brainwashed, and tragically, the public believe them.

BayTampaBay's avatar

The infographics keep getting better and better!

FIGHTBACK WITH JOHN McPHIE's avatar

These are absolutely brilliant. Thank you, Richard.

Estelle Burton's avatar

Nice infographic. Very useful for teachers.

Richard Murphy's avatar

I hope teachers use them

Grahame Broadbelt's avatar

Why is Keynesian demand side intervention reserved for emergencies (covid pandemic etc.) but entirely absent from government policy otherwise? It’s maddening.

Rick Jones's avatar

I recently read a post by Russ Jones, on the so-called research that has been used to justify austerity. I had no idea that something so mind-bogglingly stupid has had such a devastating effect. Worth a read - please tell me if you think he's wrong!

https://substack.com/@russincheshire/note/p-209852609?r=1w1c61

Grahame Broadbelt's avatar

Russ Jones has the receipts and well worth reading (although it isn’t good for the blood pressure!)

Rick Jones's avatar

I recently read a post by Russ Jones, on the so-called research that has been used to justify austerity. I had no idea that something so mind-bogglingly stupid has had such a devastating effect. Worth a read - please tell me if you think he's wrong!

https://substack.com/@russincheshire/note/p-209852609?r=1w1c61

Paul Arvidson's avatar

Can you do one explaining Bond Markets next? I feel like they're the reason modern govt is less keynsean

mike hodson's avatar

why doesn't the government know this!

Richard Murphy's avatar

They do. But they are brainwashed into acting in other ways.

Stuart Currie's avatar

Anyone else think that this is blindingly obvious? It’s not that politicians and big business don’t understand it, but that they are only acting in self interest in the short term

Martin's avatar

I wonder how Keynes would have responded to AI and robot technology on the one hand and globalised production on the other both of which have major implications for employment and local manufacture?

Richard Murphy's avatar

He would have talked about a new leisure age.

Sam H's avatar

I still don't understand how some of the best educated people in the country managed to go along with the nonsense that actively taking money out of the pockets of ordinary people and their communities would spur economic growth.

All of the major parties just followed on, 'Nothing we could do'

Then we had the household finance analogy that you have done to death. Well what does a household do if they need to make improvements? The get a loan or find the means to improve knowing in the long term it will increase the value.

Andrew Kitching's avatar

What politicians get wrong is managing the top of the economic cycle, when tax rises and a budget surplus might be needed. For electoral reasons, it's often put off, or made worse with tax cuts.

Richard Murphy's avatar

Why is a budget surplus ever needed? You are subscribing to the household analogy from the gold standard era.