Talk 2013-10: HS2 and economic development

Café Economique talk given by Bettina Lange
When: Thursday 24th October 2013, 7:30-9:30pm
Where:  Vat & Fiddle pub, Queensbridge Rd NG2 1NB (in the Visitor Centre room, ground floor, left end of pub – wheelchair accessible)

Copy of talk: HS2 and Economic Development

 

Do the economics of High Speed Rail stack up ? The talk will

• investigate the claim that HS2 will regenerate the local economy and steer economic activity away from London and the South East and towards the Northern English regions
• examine the claim that people around the HS2 station proposed at Toton will benefit economically
• have a look at the model for financing the HS2 project
• outline uncertainties and risks regarding who will fund development and infrastructure associated with HS2 (for example addtional road capacity or public transport links)

Bettina Lange chairs the East Midlands Transport Activists’ Roundtable, is a member of the Nottinghamshire Campaign for Better Transport committee, has many years experience of transport campaigning and policy work, and has co-ordinated and written reponses to the emerging HS2 plans for East Midlands and Nottinghamshire Campaign to Protect Rural England.

 

She will be presenting her own take on HS2.

Talk 2013-09: Islamic Banking

Café Economique talk given by Bushra Merghani
When: Thursday 26th September 2013, 7:30-9:30pm
Where: City Gallery, 14a Long Row East, Oriel Chambers Courtyard NG1 2DH

Copy of talk: Islamic Banking

Does Islamic Banking offer a solution to the problems that have blighted western banks in recent times?

A growing number of Islamic, state-owned and private banks in Asia, Middle East and Africa are offering a range of ‘sharia-compliant’ financial products (business loans, mortgages and hire-purchase finance) without charging interest or up-front fees and are still making huge profits. Deposits into these banks have been growing at the rate of 30% per annum. Currently, it’s estimated that almost $200 billion transactions take place through these banks every year.

This talk by Bushra Merghani will discuss the benefits and limitations of Islamic banking and to what extent western banks can benefit from their experience.

2013-07: Keep the Parasitic Banking Sector Alive and the Economy Dies

When: Thursday 18th July 2013, 7:30-9:30pm
Where: Upstairs room at the Peacock, 11 Mansfield Road, Nottingham, NG1 3FB
Attendance is free although a voluntary collection will be taken to help with the group’s future expenses

This will be a facilitated discussion around an interview given by Australian economist Steve Keen in June 2012. Keen was one of the few economists to predict, and explain, the financial crisis before it happened. We will start with a recording of the half hour interview by Paul Mason with a live audience at the London School of Economics.

Issues raised include:

• Economists’ models ignore the impact of money, banks and debt. This is only valid in a world where there is no credit, no debt and no banks.
• Banks profit from creating debt – until the mountain of debt becomes unsustainable. Reducing the debt reduces GDP and causes austerity.
• An alternative to austerity is a ‘Modern Debt Jubilee’ – putting money into people’s bank accounts to write down debt: quantitative easing for people not banks.

This discussion was proposed in an earlier post, Summary of a radio interview with Australian economist Steve Keen, which goes into much more detail about Steve Keen’s opinions and further reading on the subject.

The radio interview is at http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01j5h51

Facebook event page: http://www.facebook.com/events/359546250817715/

 

Talk 2011-12: Crimes of the Financial Elite

Café Economique Session, Thursday December 15th 2011
Time: 7.30pm
Venue: International Community Centre, Mansfield Road, NG1 3FN

Crimes of the Financial Elite

Professor of Economics and Law and former financial regulator William K. Black estimated that there were at least one and a half million felonies in the period of the sub-prime lending spree in the US – similar processes happened in the UK too – while the City of London and its associated network of tax havens and secrecy jurisdictions are globally the number one locations for evading regulation, hiding financial crime and tax evasion…

Room 2 at the International Community Centre for a presentation on financial crime and its role in the financial crisis. There will also be a showing of part of the excellent Charles Ferguson documentary “Inside Job” followed by a discussion. (That’s a DVD I would recommend buying if you have not seen it already).

View Inside Job and get a study guide PDF at Inside Job on filmsforaction.

Talk 2011-06: Money: what is it, how it’s created and why it’s become such a problem?

Introduction

First Cafe Economic event is a discussion on:

‘Money: what is it, how it’s created and why it’s become such a problem?’

Introduction by Brian Davey (ecological economist and member of Feasta).

Event details

Date and Time: Thursday 30th June at 7.30pm
Entry: Free/ donation
Contact: briadavey AT googlemail.com

Facebook event

Location: Hopkinsons Tea and Coffee Bar (formally Art Org), 21 Station Street
(the street runs parallel alongside Nottingham railway station)