Comment

Ross Gittins

Ross Gittins is economics editor of the SMH and an economic columnist for The Age. His books include Gittins' Guide to Economics, Gittinomics and The Happy Economist.

John Maynard Keynes was interested in how Australia had been hit by the Depression.

Keynes or Keynesian isn't a dirty word

Whenever you meet someone who uses the words Keynes or Keynesian as a swear word – or as synonyms for socialist – know that their adherence to neoliberal dogma far exceeds their understanding of mainstream economics.

Illustration: Glen Le Lievre

We'd be mugs to panic and cut our company tax rate

The Americans' decision to drop their company tax rate to 21 per cent from the start of next year is unlikely to overcome our Senate's resistance to cutting our company tax rate to 25 per cent for big business. Which is no bad thing.

A hugely disproportionate share of economic activity – particularly consumer spending – occurs in one month of the year, ...

No real gift in giving: culture of Christmas must change

Christmas, we're assured, brings out our best selves. We're full of goodwill to all men (and women). We get together with family and friends – even those we don't get on with – eat and drink and give each other presents.