The RSA Blog

Can the centre be saved?

Blog

24 Aug 2011

Matthew Taylor

It is interesting to read two articles exploring localism and the future of Labour. Any interest I may have in the Opposition’s political strategy is not for an RSA blog, but I hope I will be excused some pondering on the wider issue of whether national governments can deliver progressive change.

Let's have a lively debate...

Blog

23 Aug 2011

Matthew Taylor

I know it is a trite observation, but it is poignant to see Libyans, Syrians and other brave Arab citizens laying down their lives for greater democracy at just the time when the mature democracies of the United States and Europe seem almost incapable of resolving failings of fiscal management, financial regulation and international cooperation which have left us in the economic doldrums and still teetering on the edge of something much worse. Indeed the prospects of recovery in the Western economies substantially depend on the continued success of the authoritarian regime in China.

When more really is more

Blog

23 Aug 2011

Nathalie Spencer

Why saving money is good for you

The consequences of throwing stones - and this time I really mean it

Blog

19 Aug 2011

Matthew Taylor

Apologies to Shane, Neil and Ian: you all commented on a post I wrote at Sydney airport on Wednesday afternoon which I then comprehensively rewrote when I got to Bangkok nine hours later. The original post was called ‘the consequences of throwing stones’ and contrasted the punishment being meted out to rioters and looters with the way those who behaved irresponsibly in the financial sector have got away Scot-free. I don’t sleep well on planes and at some point in the first leg of my journey back to London I decided the post was trite. But now, back in England, I find myself wanting to make the point more strongly. But this time in the form of an urgent challenge to the Prime Minister.

British lovers of tea – A habit that has last for centuries

Blog

18 Aug 2011

By the end of today, 66,000,000 cups of tea will have been consumed in the UK. But have you ever thought about why we developed the habit of drinking tea? Over the course of several hundred years, tea became Britain’s national drink, and in fact is so integral to our routine that it is difficult to imagine British people without drinking tea.

Capital requirements

Blog

17 Aug 2011

Matthew Taylor

At a Fellows' breakfast in Sydney I found myself sitting next to a guy whose work focusses on business innovation with social purpose.  We got to talking about the problems of engaging the investment community in thinking long term. He suggested I look up a speech made recently by Bendigo and Adelaide Bank MD Mike Hirst. Partly because I still haven't got my head round hyper linking on my iPad, I will quote his comments about financial analysts directly;

I Love Hackney: why don't the rioters?

Blog

16 Aug 2011

The well viewed video of a woman lecturing rioters in Hackney last Monday reveals an identification with place that is clearly not shared with the young people she is addressing. We need to pay more attention to the ways in which the spaces inhabited by young people differ if we hope to engage young people positively in the shaping of our neighbourhoods.

Towards a global network?

Blog

15 Aug 2011

Matthew Taylor

I am writing this in the shadow of Sydney Harbour Bridge. This really is an amazingly beautiful place and it's not just the delights of the metropolis, there are fantastic beaches within the city and a massive national park - which I visited yesterday - just a few miles away.

Skills, Jobs, Riots - Informal Learning on Monday Night

Blog

12 Aug 2011

It could be argued that for some the conventional skills and employment system no longer works. This is a particularly relevant topic given the recent civil unrest that Britain has seen. Such an observation does not excuse the widespread violence and looting that the past week has seen but it does provide some context to the situation and an indication as to why there are so many who feel the best way to enrich themselves and get something out of their community is by going on a rampage.