John Denton: The Tragedy of the Commons: Self-interest and NZ Politics

One of the more interesting paradoxes in economics is that individuals pursuing their own economic interests can collectively produce an outcome that leaves everyone worse off. This is the tragedy of the commons.

The idea was first clearly formulated in 1833 by William Forster Lloyd, an Oxford professor of political economy, as follows.

John Denton: Think Big 2

“We’ve golden soil and wealth for toil”, is the anthem of Australia, that modern day El Dorado, as it sings its siren song to Kiwi youth and talent.

Built on the wealth from its twin endowments of agricultural and pastoral space dozens of times larger than that of NZ, and a mineral/energy abundance where one year’s exports exceed NZ’s total GDP from all sources, how can New Zealand ever compete?

John Denton: TOP Pensioner Attack

Amid the current MSM hoopla about TOP, momentarily muted as the press pack rushed off to dig the dirt on Paul Henry and Stuart Nash, the one key TOP policy winning voter attention is seldom mentioned.

What’s driving TOP in the polls has nothing to do with them being ‘centrists’, offering a measured alternative to Labour or National and claiming to be willing to work with either of them, it is simply that TOP are offering free money, and who can resist that?