The patron saint of the internet is St Isidore of Seville – not that he ever got to use it, having died in the year 636. Regarded as one of the greatest scholars of his time, he attempted a compilation of all human knowledge, in the process preserving ancient texts that would otherwise have been […]
Most of the attention surrounding Theresa May last week had little to do with her responsibilities as Home Secretary. Indeed, when a report was published detailing a series of horrendous crimes, she wasn’t in the story at all. The report, It happens here, was published by the Centre for Social Justice, and the criminal activity […]
Russell Brand is not someone you’d expect to find writing for the Spectator, but here he is on the subject of drug abuse: “I cannot accurately convey the efficiency of heroin in neutralising pain. It transforms a tight white fist into a gentle brown wave, and from my first inhalation 15 years ago it fumigated […]
Every year US taxpayers shell out $2 billion in subsidies to cotton growers. This might be preferable to the old way in which plantation owners got people to work for them, but it's hard to see how the subsidy regime benefits anyone other than the recipients. Thanks to the efforts of the National Cotton Council, […]
Last week, in a speech on the economy, David Cameron warned the nation that there is no “magic money tree”. But, as various commentators swiftly pointed out, this botanical wonder does exist – and its name is quantitative easing. Indeed, some would regard QE as George Osborne's number one economic policy. In his column for […]
Despite the economy, house prices are rising – and with wages so flat, the dream of home ownership for many people, especially the young, is further away than ever. Every day brings new calls to build more houses. It is an issue that splits the Conservative Party right down the middle – and not on […]
In 1966, when France withdrew from NATO’s military command, Charles de Gaulle issued a demand that all American forces leave French soil. It is said that Lyndon Johnson’s reply was to ask whether this included the dead American soldiers buried in military cemeteries. This was not, of course, a genuine question, but rather a way […]
OK, here’s a question for you: On a per capita basis, what was the richest country on the world in the late 18th century? The answer, believe or not, is Haiti – thanks to its exports of sugar, which at the time was a highly valuable commodity. There are many more fascinating facts and ideas […]
Anti-Semitism has been called the oldest hatred. In its long and dark history, it has taken many forms – tribal hatred, religious hatred, racial hatred and national hatred. In a book review for Tablet, Adam Kirsch looks at a new historical account, which suggests that an age-old intellectual hatred had its part to play too: […]
Of the biggest employers in Houston, Texas, which industry would you expect to dominate the rankings? The obvious answer, one might think, is the oil industry. But in fact, five of the top ten are hospitals while only three are energy companies. Now what about New York, New York? Surely, you’d expect Wall Street to […]
You’re out in the open. You think you’re alone. But then, looking up, you see it and then hear it. The low buzzing sound of an unmanned aerial vehicle, more popularly known as a drone. As it swoops in closer, you look around, but there’s no cover. And thus, unimpeded, the UAV comes within range […]
Of the many inconsistencies associated with the Tory ‘modernisers’, one of the most glaring is the moderniser label itself. As all the cool kids know, modernism is terribly 20th century. We’re very much into the post-modern era now. (In case you're not up to speed with the philosophical niceties, the basic distinction between modernism and […]
In North Korea, you can be sure that the state is keeping a close eye on you. In South Korea, the authorities are also watchful – but for a very different reason: “The South Korean capital has installed anti-suicide monitoring devices on bridges over the city after 196 people jumped to their deaths on 2012 […]
Here’s a challenge: Looking over the last twenty years or so, can you name an issue on which the Conservative Party got it wrong, while the Labour Party turned out to be right? This isn’t an improper question to be asking ourselves. After all, we all make mistakes – and learning from them is the […]
When Dani Rodrik wrote an article about “rational-choice political economy” for Project Syndicate, not even he expected it to become the most read item on the site. But in discussing this less than obviously thrilling topic, he challenged the conventional wisdom on a much more compelling issue – the truly disastrous decisions taken by our […]