November 28th, 2025 My speech is in four parts. The first looks at the doctrine of self-defence. Second, I question the arguments currently being advanced for European rearmament. Third, I outline the two narratives which frame the current conflict between the political West and Russia. Finally, I recall President Eisenhower’s warning against the military-industrial complex. … Continue reading Brussels Speech: Should Europe rearm?
Category: Conferences
In Memory of David P. Calleo – Bologna Conference
21st of October 2024 I am so happy to have been asked to contribute to this round table in honour of David. We were close friends for over fifty years. All who knew him well could sense the extraordinary unity between his life and work. His life bore testimony to his ideals. There were no … Continue reading In Memory of David P. Calleo – Bologna Conference
Speech to the Boston Meeting of the Economists for Peace and Security (EPS)
Historians and economists see the world in a different way. Economists tend to see progress in terms of the linear ascent of reason. Historians tend to see progress as an ascent through disaster. This year's theme of EPS is the avoidance of a second cold war. It's a very urgent and necessary topic, for on … Continue reading Speech to the Boston Meeting of the Economists for Peace and Security (EPS)
Panel Discussion at the Boston Meeting of Economists for Peace and Security (EPS), 4 January 2015
A couple of months ago, at Sochi on the Black Sea, I put the following question to Vladimir Putin: Would you not accept that your biggest failure since you became President in 2000 has been your failure to diversify the Russian economy? Russia has dismantled the old Soviet industrial system without finding a hard currency … Continue reading Panel Discussion at the Boston Meeting of Economists for Peace and Security (EPS), 4 January 2015
Speech at Ukraine Crisis Round Table, Global Diplomatic Forum
I want to make three points, assertively, in the five minutes I have. My first point is that Anglo-American rhetoric over events in the Ukraine is becoming increasingly hysterical & remote from reality. 1. ‘INSATIABLE’ was the title of the Economist’s first leader last week, echoing its front cover picture of a great bear gobbling … Continue reading Speech at Ukraine Crisis Round Table, Global Diplomatic Forum
Comment on the Wincott Lecture
On 13th November Martin Wolf gave the 2013 Wincott Lecture. Robert Skidelsky provided the comment. You can read Martin Wolf's lecture, and access charts for this comment, at http://www.wincott.co.uk/lectures/2013 I propose to comment on Martin’s excellent lecture under three heads which all point to the central issue of how sustainable is the welcome recovery now … Continue reading Comment on the Wincott Lecture
Keynes, Hobson, Marx
I. President Lyndon Johnson asked John Kenneth Galbraith to write him a speech on economic policy. After glancing at it LBJ said 'You know Ken, the trouble with economics is it's like peeing in your pants. It feels hot to you, but leaves everyone else cold'. I felt a lot of sympathy with LBJ this … Continue reading Keynes, Hobson, Marx
Keynes for the 21st century, Renner Institute
Vienna, 18th March 2011 I am deeply honoured by the invitation of the Renner Institute to address you this evening at the conclusion of the conference on Austro-Keynesianism. i. ‘When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?’ Keynes is supposed to have said, but almost certainly didn’t. This is a … Continue reading Keynes for the 21st century, Renner Institute
Comments on the state of economics
Government Economics Service Conference In 1931 Keynes remarked of a book by Hayek, ‘It is an extraordinary example of how, starting with a mistake, a remorseless logician can end in Bedlam’. If one thinks this through, it tells one all one needs to know about what’s wrong with economics. Economics is an axiomatic discipline. It … Continue reading Comments on the state of economics
Austerity v Stimulus
The Northern Ireland Economic Conference, Belfast I. How much do people mind the deficit? Do they lie awake at night worrying about it? Do they have nightmares about it? I tended to dismiss such thoughts as fanciful. Households and businesses, I thought, naturally worried about their own budgets, but not about the government’s budget. I … Continue reading Austerity v Stimulus
Robert Skidelsky 