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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThomas Piketty quit as a Labour adviser. "Brexit is 'political suicide'".
Thomas Piketty, the superstar leftwing economist and author of Capital in the Twenty-First Century, has quit as a Labour party adviser.
He was one of several heavyweight and renowned economists on the economic advisory committee set up by John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor. It seems that his decision was largely prompted by lack of time, but he has criticised Labours performance in the EU referendum.
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2016/jun/29/brexit-live-sad-cameron-eu-immigration-corbyn-leadership?page=with:block-5773954ce4b03b1c80766537#liveblog-navigation
EU referendum: Star economist Thomas Piketty says Brexit would be 'political suicide'
French author and economist Thomas Piketty has urged the British public to vote to remain in the European Union, saying that a Brexit would be "political suicide" for the country. Speaking at the Cannes Film Festival, Piketty stated that voting to leave Europe in the 23 June referendum would be disastrous for Britain's economy and would lead to further fracturing of the United Kingdom.
"I think it will be very sad for Europe. I think it will be, you know, even worse for Britain. I think for Britain it would be like a political suicide because after this happens, very likely, the next step will be Scotland will get out of Britain, which will then become a very small country basically.
Piketty is in Cannes to announce that his book, Capital in the 21st Century, is to be turned into a film. The book reached number one on the New York Times bestseller list and has sold nearly three million copies worldwide. It explores how capitalism affects the world.
"I would never before have thought that I would come to Cannes because my book was to become a film, so this is an incredible adventure," Piketty said.
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/eu-referendum-star-economist-thomas-piketty-says-brexit-would-be-political-suicide-1560057
Pretty cool that his book will be made into a movie.
Response to pampango (Original post)
rjsquirrel This message was self-deleted by its author.
Wounded Bear
(58,654 posts)Globalization of trade can have a massive net positive effect on national wealth and rising incomes.
The devil is in the details. Blanket statements like yours serve no one. Countries need to ensure that the benefits are shared by those at all income levels, and not just those at the top.
Response to Wounded Bear (Reply #2)
rjsquirrel This message was self-deleted by its author.
Albertoo
(2,016 posts)At best, customs are inefficient bureaucracies producing nothing.
At worst, customs are cocooning inefficient industries for a while, until things burst.
(see India 1950-1990, France 1870-1910)
The question of wealth distribution is largely independent of that of tariffs and customs.
Response to Albertoo (Reply #4)
rjsquirrel This message was self-deleted by its author.
Albertoo
(2,016 posts)Trump, Farage, Corbyn, Le Pen, Podemos, Left or RW populists, selling snake oil.
The absurd GW tax cuts increasing income disparity haven't helped rational discourse,
including within the Democratic Party. Marxism is not something that ever worked.
Response to Albertoo (Reply #6)
rjsquirrel This message was self-deleted by its author.
Albertoo
(2,016 posts)Erase it, even if I wouldn't entirely disagree: calling for a revolution seemed a bit extreme in a country where the great majority lives a decent life.
Response to Albertoo (Reply #8)
rjsquirrel This message was self-deleted by its author.
Surya Gayatri
(15,445 posts)Trump, Farage, Corbyn, Le Pen, Podemos, Left or RW populists, selling snake oil.
Surya Gayatri
(15,445 posts)"PIKETTY IS DEAD TO ME NOW".
"HE WAS ALWAYS A NEO-LIBERAL CORPORATIST AT HEART".
Albertoo
(2,016 posts)Piketty, always a neo-liberal corporatist at heart.
In other news, Karl Marx was a comprador.