Essays
Our contributors explain what they think and why. Each essay is the author's own view.
When a national policy lands locally
Distributing asylum accommodation more evenly doesn't answer every question about consent, resources and local capacity.
What should a community receive for a pylon?
Compensation isn't necessarily a bribe. A national benefit can impose a very local cost.
Stop the danger before the boat leaves
The people creating a dangerous voyage can be far from those who bear its risks. Prevention needs to reach their decisions on land.
Germany had a market before a country
Shared markets require shared decisions. The political obligations belong in the argument about economic integration.
A price should mean a price
Subscription traps are new forms of an old problem: making sure buyers receive what they were offered.
Help the child, don't predict the failure
Early assessment should expand opportunities. We should be wary when a forecast becomes a reason to lower expectations.
What Rome can tell us about citizenship
Caracalla's edict raises interesting questions about rights and obligations. It doesn't supply a simple verdict on modern belonging.
Who holds a government to its borrowing rules?
Fiscal flexibility can be justified. Replacing a target doesn't by itself establish that the new policy is prudent.
When temporary prisons become permanent
Emergency accommodation has a long history. Sentencing policy and prison capacity still need to be decided together.
A good speech can talk a country into anything
Athens heard objections before sailing for Sicily. The lesson is more demanding than simply letting someone voice a warning.
The rate stays in London
A share of local income tax gives mayors a stake in growth. It doesn't give them the power to change the rate.
Did marriage rules help build Western trust?
A theory about the medieval Church challenges familiar assumptions about individualism. It needs examining without being treated as a complete explanation.