Archive for November, 2011
Civitas is now on Facebook!
Posted by Stephen Clarke in Uncategorized on 30/11/2011
Civitas is now on Facebook, find us here at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Civitas-the-Institute-for-the-Study-of-Civil-Society/281404671895147
A convenient place for Facebook users to keep up to date with all our research and activities!
Equality law’s billion pound paper-shuffle
Posted by Nick Cowen in Multiculturalism, Political Correctness, Press Release, Race and Equality on 28/11/2011
‘Equalities industry’ undermines true equality
As youth unemployment rises to record levels, a new Civitas report reveals that British workplaces spend up to a billion pounds a year complying with clumsy equality legislation. The costs put particular strain on public sector organisations, as well as making it more difficult for businesses to create and retain jobs. Furthermore, these policies have made jobs less accessible to disadvantaged, marginal workers.
The Rise of the Equalities Industry, by sociology professor Peter Saunders, examines the operation of Britain’s equality laws and concludes that they are seriously flawed.
Conference – From Aid to Enterprise: Economic Liberty and Solutions to Poverty
Posted by Nick Cowen in Announcements on 21/11/2011
Our friends at the Acton Institute send word of a fascinating conference in London on foreign aid and prosperity:
Please join us for this unique day-long conference exploring questions of the limits and unintended consequences of aid, the emergence of cultures and institutions that facilitate economic growth, and the place of business in poverty-alleviation.
Thursday, 1st December 2011
Registration at 9.00
Conference from 10.00-17.00 (includes lunch)
Crowne Plaza St. James
London, United Kingdom
Speakers include: Mr. Herman Chinery-Hesse, Mr. Declan Ganley, Ms. Marcela Escobari, Lord Brian Griffiths, Dr. Antoinette Kankindi, Ms. Anielka Münkel and Professor James Tooley.
Schengen enlargement shaping up for March 2012
Posted by Natalie Hamill in European Union on 18/11/2011
Earlier this week, Finland announced it no longer opposes Bulgaria and Romania’s accession to the Schengen zone in 2012, providing their entry is managed in two-phases. No doubt in pre-Eurozone crisis days Finland’s decision to drop their veto would have been closely analysed, but the fact that it has only captured limited attention should not be considered a reflection of its impact on shaping Schengen: the EU’s internal border-free club.
Why economic growth is faltering and what we can do about it
Posted by Nick Cowen in Economics, Press Release on 14/11/2011
Government’s mistake is to misunderstand the scale of de-industrialisation
The Government wants economic growth as much as anyone. Why isn’t it happening? A new report from Civitas argues that growth is faltering because the Government has been solving the wrong problems. The Coalition thinks that the national debt and global warming are the biggest challenges we face, but according to A Strategy For Economic Growth, our main problem is de-industrialisation. The report suggests ten things the Government could do.
Sending the Right Smoke Signals
Posted by Stephen Clarke in Health, Politics on 11/11/2011
By Emily Clarke
In 2001 Portugal abolished all criminal penalties for personal possession of drugs, from cannabis to heroin, in an attempt to reduce the number of drug related deaths and the spread of HIV/AIDS. After several years there was tentative discussion about the success of Portugal’s scheme (see for example the Economist’s article of August 2009) and although I don’t intend to add to the debate about the decriminalisation of drug use here, I do hope to discuss one particular element of Portugal’s policy that I find laudable.
