Not by us alone
I have long been an admirer of Edwin Bramall but on Trident he is wrong (“Scrap Trident,” May). I am a supporter of the Global Zero movement and no lover of nuclear weapons but the crucial objective has to be multilateral, not unilateral, nuclear disarmament.
Bramall asks how the UK can make any positive contribution to disarmament if “the only example we set” is keeping Trident. Since the end of the Cold War, Britain has got rid of all its free-fall nuclear weapons, nuclear artillery weapons and tactical nuclear weapons. It was the right thing to do, though, not surprisingly, British disarmament has had no influence on the Chinese, Pakistanis, North Koreans or other new nuclear weapon states.
Trident is our irreducible minimum deterrent in what remains a very dangerous world.
Malcolm Rifkind MP
Disputing democracy Mark Mazower investigates democracy’s post-Enlightenment critics and cheerleaders (“Has democracy had its day?” May). Disputes over the word’s meaning, and therefore its application, go right back to democracy’s inception. Socrates—according to Plato-—earned the enmity of his peers by questioning democracy’s infallibility. As direct democrats, the mandated Athenians of the 5th century BC were all politicians; with the chance to hold the highest office. Direct democracy generated political disasters as well as triumphs. The promise of modern democracy, frequently harking back to an ancient, “golden” age, can be a convenient panacea. Ancient Greek democracy was never simple or cosy. Bettany Hughes, author of “The Hemlock Cup” As Mark Mazower suggests, the rhetoric of democracy might be freedom. However, the reality can be nothing other than consensus. People must be in broad agreement on the direction of societal stability and change. But how can that happen when self-interest and community interests are almost invariably in conflict, be it in economics, education and religion— as the recent example of Egypt and other recently “freed” nations have shown? Juliet Gardiner, author of “The Thirties: An Intimate History”
Thinkers fast and slow The presence of Steven Pinker and Niall Ferguson in the poll for Prospect’s World Thinker of 2013 illustrates the vast chasm between Prospect‘s world thinkers and legitimate scholarship. These Harvard pop icons’ pseudo-scholarship entice TED-talk devotees looking for glossy morsels of glib wisdom, but you’d be hard pressed to find any serious scholars amongst their legions of adoring fans. Jeremy Fancher, Prospect website It’s not Prospect’s fault since it was a poll (probably not even the fault of those who voted), but there are more important women thinkers than this list reflects. They don’t receive the same attention, credit, support and money as men. It’s time for the publishing industry and media to invest more in women thinkers. Lena Tara, Prospect website
I so enjoyed the discussion between AC Grayling and Michael Sandel (on the Prospect website.) One of Sandel’s answers made me think. I can understand why mothers may want to go out to work. What I can’t understand is why politicians are so keen for them to do so. They are especially outraged if there is not affordable childcare readily available for all. They say women’s contribution is vital for the economy, but one would have thought they would be glad if as many mothers as possible stayed at home, as this would make the unemployment figures look much better. I used to put it down to a sort of political correctness. The real reason all politicians want women to go to work is that it keeps wages low. Nina Daubeny, London
Same but different Alison Wolf’s article on the lifestyle of the super-family is an interesting extension of my book Work-Lifestyle Choices in the 21st Century, which demonstrated the polarisation of women’s lifestyles after the contraceptive revolution and the equal opportunities revolution (“Rise of the super-family,” May). The inevitable consequences are growing inequality in household incomes, and increasing conflict between careerist women and those who prioritise family life. However, the most interesting development is the way successful careerist women are promoting the role-reversal family, with a stay-at-home husband supporting a high-flying wife. Many two-career families remain childfree by choice. Two-career couples who have children often revert to the “traditional” (in reality modern) model, with one full-time homemaker and parent. Plus ça change... Catherine Hakim, professorial research fellow, Civitas
Iran intervention Bronwen Maddox’s interview with William Hague suggests that Britain can play a useful role in Iran (“Escaping ‘Little Britain,’” May). It is hard to imagine that the Iranians will view interventions from the power that was involved in both the overthrow of Mossadegh in 1953 (with US help) and in dividing the country into spheres of influence in the early 1990s (with Russia) as a disinterested interlocutor. There is lots wrong with Iran, but pretending to be fair-minded while ignoring realities won’t help. Bruce Montador, senior fellow, University of Ottawa
Brain drain Richard Lambert says it is not yet clear whether the debt “picked up in the course of an undergraduate degree will deter students from moving on to postgraduate studies” (“Degrees of Debt,” May). I studied for an MSc over four decades ago, when generous grants were provided. Even then students from my kind of social background (I grew up on a prefab estate) were in a small minority. No crystal ball is needed to discern the future pattern of postgraduate education. Students from working-class and lower middle-class backgrounds will vanish away like melting snow, and their places will be snapped up by the contented offspring of a triumphant global bourgeoisie. Ivor Morgan, Lincoln
Tutu’s truths I am a great admirer of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, both for his record in the struggle and for his promotion of good values (“The beloved country,” May). A great deal of what he says is true and it is indeed the case that taking power in South Africa has caused some strains on the ANC. But I cannot see that abstention from voting or anything else is useful. I still see the hundreds of thousands of members in the ANC as people I want to be with in the struggle for a better country—no matter certain distortion at the top. Ben Turok, ANC MP Desmond Tutu captures the essence of contemporary South Africa: great potential stymied by avaricious, amoral politicians. What is so sad about our beloved country is the speed and enthusiasm with which we adopted the tawdry, selfish and vacuous politics practised in much of the world. The Archbishop has correctly pinpointed the crucial issue as a pure PR electoral system that places all power in the hands of party leaders. Toe the line and you are assured a long and prosperous political career. Rock the boat and your career is over. This was my experience. I was forced out of parliament, where my more accommodating colleagues still speak about the threat of being “Feinstein’d.” What South Africa desperately needs is a mixed electoral system, along with more Desmond Tutus and fewer Jacob Zumas. Andrew Feinstein, former ANC MP
Education experiment David Goodhart’s dispatch from Oldham brings hopeful news about the project to re-integrate segregated schools in that multi-ethnic town (“A very British school,” May). Many of our debates about Britain’s growing diversity have been more abstract than practical. Agreement that integration matters too often remains rhetorical if we cannot also agree on the interventions which can do most to encourage it. Ensuring contact across ethnic groups in our schools is an essential foundation for trust in a diverse society. Britain’s schools often show strong resilience in not simply coping with the pace of change, but turning this into a spur to better results. Few would have predicted the dramatic improvement in London’s schools a generation ago. All the more reason to ensure schools educate children together, especially in towns most anxious about ethnic tensions. Sunder Katwala, Director, British Future
It’s not clear what the purpose of this experiment is, apart from giving the managerial elite another opportunity to practice their skills in social engineering. It doesn’t seem likely to ameliorate any of Oldham’s underlying problems of industrial decline, low wages or depressed property prices. If people, when left to their own devices, express a preference to mingle socially with those of their kind, why should anyone reasonably object to that, let alone promote schemes like this one? Peter T, Prospect website
Nobody’s average While nobody would question the merit of ending commission-driven sales of poor value financial products, your special report “Is regulation helping?” (May) misses a key issue. Regulation by its very nature imposes a culture of conformity. Regulators define “average consumers” then make rules that assume everybody is average. This may help the uninformed, but it also suppresses variety aimed at those who can discriminate. In financial services, uniform advice is dangerous, since it takes two to make a market. Therefore one has to be wrong. To a true professional, any form of interference with advice given is unacceptable, no matter how well intentioned. David Kauders FRSA, Director of Kauders Portfolio Management AG
Whine list Barry Smith says inviting diners to taste their wine is “an intimidating procedure” (“Revolutionise the wine list,” May). Far less intimidating, I would have thought, than plonking before them a laboratory of different wines at different temperatures—in vials!—and asking them to select the one they think shows the wine at its best. I can just imagine the reaction of diners at my restaurant. I have my own method for choosing a good wine in a restaurant. I simply ask the sommelier which wine on his list he particularly enjoys but few diners ever order. This has introduced me to many wonderful wines—and it rarely fails to please the sommelier. Paul Milican, the Mill Cafe and Supper Club, Lyme Regis
Disputing democracy Mark Mazower investigates democracy’s post-Enlightenment critics and cheerleaders (“Has democracy had its day?” May). Disputes over the word’s meaning, and therefore its application, go right back to democracy’s inception. Socrates—according to Plato-—earned the enmity of his peers by questioning democracy’s infallibility. As direct democrats, the mandated Athenians of the 5th century BC were all politicians; with the chance to hold the highest office. Direct democracy generated political disasters as well as triumphs. The promise of modern democracy, frequently harking back to an ancient, “golden” age, can be a convenient panacea. Ancient Greek democracy was never simple or cosy. Bettany Hughes, author of “The Hemlock Cup” As Mark Mazower suggests, the rhetoric of democracy might be freedom. However, the reality can be nothing other than consensus. People must be in broad agreement on the direction of societal stability and change. But how can that happen when self-interest and community interests are almost invariably in conflict, be it in economics, education and religion— as the recent example of Egypt and other recently “freed” nations have shown? Juliet Gardiner, author of “The Thirties: An Intimate History”
Thinkers fast and slow The presence of Steven Pinker and Niall Ferguson in the poll for Prospect’s World Thinker of 2013 illustrates the vast chasm between Prospect‘s world thinkers and legitimate scholarship. These Harvard pop icons’ pseudo-scholarship entice TED-talk devotees looking for glossy morsels of glib wisdom, but you’d be hard pressed to find any serious scholars amongst their legions of adoring fans. Jeremy Fancher, Prospect website It’s not Prospect’s fault since it was a poll (probably not even the fault of those who voted), but there are more important women thinkers than this list reflects. They don’t receive the same attention, credit, support and money as men. It’s time for the publishing industry and media to invest more in women thinkers. Lena Tara, Prospect website
I so enjoyed the discussion between AC Grayling and Michael Sandel (on the Prospect website.) One of Sandel’s answers made me think. I can understand why mothers may want to go out to work. What I can’t understand is why politicians are so keen for them to do so. They are especially outraged if there is not affordable childcare readily available for all. They say women’s contribution is vital for the economy, but one would have thought they would be glad if as many mothers as possible stayed at home, as this would make the unemployment figures look much better. I used to put it down to a sort of political correctness. The real reason all politicians want women to go to work is that it keeps wages low. Nina Daubeny, London
Same but different Alison Wolf’s article on the lifestyle of the super-family is an interesting extension of my book Work-Lifestyle Choices in the 21st Century, which demonstrated the polarisation of women’s lifestyles after the contraceptive revolution and the equal opportunities revolution (“Rise of the super-family,” May). The inevitable consequences are growing inequality in household incomes, and increasing conflict between careerist women and those who prioritise family life. However, the most interesting development is the way successful careerist women are promoting the role-reversal family, with a stay-at-home husband supporting a high-flying wife. Many two-career families remain childfree by choice. Two-career couples who have children often revert to the “traditional” (in reality modern) model, with one full-time homemaker and parent. Plus ça change... Catherine Hakim, professorial research fellow, Civitas
Iran intervention Bronwen Maddox’s interview with William Hague suggests that Britain can play a useful role in Iran (“Escaping ‘Little Britain,’” May). It is hard to imagine that the Iranians will view interventions from the power that was involved in both the overthrow of Mossadegh in 1953 (with US help) and in dividing the country into spheres of influence in the early 1990s (with Russia) as a disinterested interlocutor. There is lots wrong with Iran, but pretending to be fair-minded while ignoring realities won’t help. Bruce Montador, senior fellow, University of Ottawa
Brain drain Richard Lambert says it is not yet clear whether the debt “picked up in the course of an undergraduate degree will deter students from moving on to postgraduate studies” (“Degrees of Debt,” May). I studied for an MSc over four decades ago, when generous grants were provided. Even then students from my kind of social background (I grew up on a prefab estate) were in a small minority. No crystal ball is needed to discern the future pattern of postgraduate education. Students from working-class and lower middle-class backgrounds will vanish away like melting snow, and their places will be snapped up by the contented offspring of a triumphant global bourgeoisie. Ivor Morgan, Lincoln
Tutu’s truths I am a great admirer of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, both for his record in the struggle and for his promotion of good values (“The beloved country,” May). A great deal of what he says is true and it is indeed the case that taking power in South Africa has caused some strains on the ANC. But I cannot see that abstention from voting or anything else is useful. I still see the hundreds of thousands of members in the ANC as people I want to be with in the struggle for a better country—no matter certain distortion at the top. Ben Turok, ANC MP Desmond Tutu captures the essence of contemporary South Africa: great potential stymied by avaricious, amoral politicians. What is so sad about our beloved country is the speed and enthusiasm with which we adopted the tawdry, selfish and vacuous politics practised in much of the world. The Archbishop has correctly pinpointed the crucial issue as a pure PR electoral system that places all power in the hands of party leaders. Toe the line and you are assured a long and prosperous political career. Rock the boat and your career is over. This was my experience. I was forced out of parliament, where my more accommodating colleagues still speak about the threat of being “Feinstein’d.” What South Africa desperately needs is a mixed electoral system, along with more Desmond Tutus and fewer Jacob Zumas. Andrew Feinstein, former ANC MP
Education experiment David Goodhart’s dispatch from Oldham brings hopeful news about the project to re-integrate segregated schools in that multi-ethnic town (“A very British school,” May). Many of our debates about Britain’s growing diversity have been more abstract than practical. Agreement that integration matters too often remains rhetorical if we cannot also agree on the interventions which can do most to encourage it. Ensuring contact across ethnic groups in our schools is an essential foundation for trust in a diverse society. Britain’s schools often show strong resilience in not simply coping with the pace of change, but turning this into a spur to better results. Few would have predicted the dramatic improvement in London’s schools a generation ago. All the more reason to ensure schools educate children together, especially in towns most anxious about ethnic tensions. Sunder Katwala, Director, British Future
It’s not clear what the purpose of this experiment is, apart from giving the managerial elite another opportunity to practice their skills in social engineering. It doesn’t seem likely to ameliorate any of Oldham’s underlying problems of industrial decline, low wages or depressed property prices. If people, when left to their own devices, express a preference to mingle socially with those of their kind, why should anyone reasonably object to that, let alone promote schemes like this one? Peter T, Prospect website
Nobody’s average While nobody would question the merit of ending commission-driven sales of poor value financial products, your special report “Is regulation helping?” (May) misses a key issue. Regulation by its very nature imposes a culture of conformity. Regulators define “average consumers” then make rules that assume everybody is average. This may help the uninformed, but it also suppresses variety aimed at those who can discriminate. In financial services, uniform advice is dangerous, since it takes two to make a market. Therefore one has to be wrong. To a true professional, any form of interference with advice given is unacceptable, no matter how well intentioned. David Kauders FRSA, Director of Kauders Portfolio Management AG
Whine list Barry Smith says inviting diners to taste their wine is “an intimidating procedure” (“Revolutionise the wine list,” May). Far less intimidating, I would have thought, than plonking before them a laboratory of different wines at different temperatures—in vials!—and asking them to select the one they think shows the wine at its best. I can just imagine the reaction of diners at my restaurant. I have my own method for choosing a good wine in a restaurant. I simply ask the sommelier which wine on his list he particularly enjoys but few diners ever order. This has introduced me to many wonderful wines—and it rarely fails to please the sommelier. Paul Milican, the Mill Cafe and Supper Club, Lyme Regis
