Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

Tax does not just raise money. It changes behaviour When most people think of tax, they think of the government taking money. But economists think about tax differently. Taxes don’t just raise revenue. They change incentives. And when incentives change, behaviour changes too. This is why tax is so politically controversial. People respond to it.…

Covid changed education. Did it hit the North harder than the South? Covid disrupted education across the UK. Schools closed, learning moved online, and students relied on home environments more than ever. But while everyone was affected, the impact was not equal. In many cases, students in the North faced larger setbacks than students in…

Reform UK is growing. What could that mean for the economy? Reform UK has been growing in popularity in UK politics. People have different opinions about why, and whether it is a good or bad thing. This post is not about supporting or criticising the party. Instead, it looks at the economic effects of a…

University is meant to be a pathway to better opportunities. A chance to gain qualifications, earn more over your lifetime, and break out of the circumstances you were born into. But as tuition fees rise, or even just stay high while the cost of living rises, an uncomfortable question becomes harder to ignore. Are we…

Scunthorpe and the economics of being left behind I’ve lived in Scunthorpe my whole life. I went to school here, grew up here, and all my early experiences of work, money and opportunity were shaped by this town. When I was 17, I was given the opportunity to move to a boarding school in Devon…