tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35137734.post116285905467116321..comments2023-10-10T10:50:56.735+02:00Comments on Inanities: Me no understandSarah Carrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02146943046266549277noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35137734.post-88913758777191784012007-03-17T14:57:00.000+02:002007-03-17T14:57:00.000+02:00Grain:I'll take your word for it! I didn't mean to...Grain:I'll take your word for it! I didn't mean to slander the entire economics profession...it's just that for a layman economics is so inaccessible, and slightly scary.Scarrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08000921519899599070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35137734.post-65330392670894246962007-03-16T17:53:00.000+02:002007-03-16T17:53:00.000+02:00well be careful with your generalizations. I'm an ...well be careful with your generalizations. I'm an economics major, so i can't be entirely objective on this, but that's not what Economics - "or most other disciplines"- are there for. Just because we find it hard to be objective or that everybody has a subconscious agenda that he seems to propagate, doesn't mean that we can reach pretty good results every now and then.Butterflyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17086535423633980335noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35137734.post-61078036949040877392006-11-26T12:36:00.000+02:002006-11-26T12:36:00.000+02:00Yes thanks Memz...I had understood that as well as...Yes thanks Memz...I had understood that as well as having to contend with baffling theories and mathematical formulas, I also have to bear in mind that (as in most other disciplines) economists manipulate reasoning to fit the conclusion already made, rather than the other way round. Sigh. <br /><br />Yes nice to see you as well at the Greek Club.Scarrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08000921519899599070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35137734.post-18483044521980440182006-11-26T07:23:00.000+02:002006-11-26T07:23:00.000+02:00as a former student of economics and a lover of ma...as a former student of economics and a lover of maths I can give u one advice, take whatever economists say with a grain of salt. Economist never have and probably will never reach consensus on what is good or bad for the economy. <br /><br />Numbers can easily be manipulated to describe very different stories. <br /><br />For example Galal Amin, writes with a socialist agenda in mind, he want an economichttp:/ policy like nasser's. Sawiras on the other had, wants the government to privatize more and interfere less. Both of them will describe a very different picture of Egypt's economy.<br /><br />As for the Gazzette it is published by Al-Tahrir publishing house, which publishes many government mouth pieces like Al Gomhuria and Al Messa.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35137734.post-1162895548319113842006-11-07T12:32:00.000+02:002006-11-07T12:32:00.000+02:00Thank you for that very comprehensive answer mate....Thank you for that very comprehensive answer mate. I fortuitously brought Stiglitz with me from the UK, and shall read it. <BR/><BR/>I have a basic understanding of how the World Bank and private multinationals basically pimp out developing countries from a business and HRs course I did. Incredibly depressing.<BR/><BR/>I love Golia, her Cairo City of Sand I started reading, and enjoyed a lot.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the links, just what I was after.Scarrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08000921519899599070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35137734.post-1162871489628715002006-11-07T05:51:00.000+02:002006-11-07T05:51:00.000+02:00The Gazette is indeed part of the official press; ...The Gazette is indeed part of the official press; I've yet to meet anyone who takes it seriously! I'm no economist and although these statistics might be valid, that's what they are, mere statistics. These markers of so called growth are heavily disputed by many economists today as they generally offer skewed conclusions that as you suspect are used by politicians to expound their own success.<BR/><BR/>Any discussion about economics today can't be had without references to globalization, privatization, IMF, the World Bank and trade agreements.<BR/><BR/>Blind adherehence to IMF and World Bank policies such as decentralization and the suspension of tariffs to ostensibly enable free trade between nations has been proven to harm developing countries rather than help them by perpetuating dependency rather than inspire self sufficiency. <BR/><BR/>Globalization and its Discontents by Joseph Stiglitz is the best book to read to understand the ravaging impact of these policies on the Third World. Check out this link for a summary of its main ideas: http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article4799.htm<BR/><BR/>Also these are articles offering lucid perspectives on the NDP's current brand of economic reform, something of an opposing opinion to Sawiris's comments.<BR/><BR/>Galal Amin, in Arabic sorry!: (http://harakamasria.org/node/7949)<BR/><BR/>The wonderful Maria Golia: (http://www.dailystaregypt.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=3503)<BR/><BR/>And when it gets too much and the world looks bleak visit here for the happy pill : (http://www.amcham.org.eg/)<BR/><BR/>Enjoy!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com