Giles Conway-Gordon

Author, writer on economics, finance and politics

Book

I have just published a book on the inherent failings of macroeconomics: Shamanomics: A Short Guide to the Failure, Fallacies and Future of Macroeconomics.

Kirkus Reviews: ‘impressively accessible’, ‘as sober as it is provocative’

Macroeconomists-Central-Bankers-Poster-FINAL

For details see the website: www.shamanomics.info.

Some Issues I Write About:

• Macroeconomics: Theory, Policies, and Failings

• Economics of the European Union & Eurozone: Structure & Democratic Legitimacy

• Voting Systems with focus on failings of Proportional Representation

• Constitutional Monarchy vs. Republics

• Ethical Basis of Inequality and Mechanics of Redistribution.

Articles

•‘The Euro Crisis – Time for a Reset ‘ , Advisor Perspectives blog, March, 2013.

• ‘Alice in Euroland’, Advisor Perspectives blog, September, 2012.

• ‘Euro-Trainspotting’, European Journal, February, 2003.

Author, writer on economics, finance and politics.

Giles Conway-Gordon

Author, writer on economics, finance and politics.

Essays

• ‘Liberty, Fraternity and Inequality – the Lucky and the Unlucky’, an Essay long-listed for the Notting Hill Essay Prize, London, April, 2015.

• ‘How to Manage the Possible Break-up of the Eurozone’, an Essay submitted to the Wolfson Prize, London, January, 2012.

Published Letters: Selection

• ‘Keynes knew that nothing was as good as gold’, Financial Times, August 20th, 2021.

• ‘Ford had the answer to why wages needed to rise’, Financial Times, March 12th, 2021.

• ‘Hong Kong imperils its role as a world finance hub’, Financial Times, October 9th, 2020.

• ‘British common law still sets the global standard’, Financial Times, July 27th, 2020.

• ‘Euro membership is a one-size-fits-all Shirt of Nessus’, Financial Times, April 27th, 2020.

• ‘The bloc needs to focus on boosting weak economies’, Financial Times, September 17th, 2019.

• ‘Capitalism’s social value may now be in question’, Financial Times, May 20th, 2019

• ‘Anything less European is difficult to imagine’, Financial Times, March 28th, 2019.

• ‘Brussels cannot adapt to economic stagnation’, Financial Times, January 22nd, 2019.

• ‘The EU’s inflexibility made Brexit inevitable’, Financial Times, September 29th, 2018.

• ‘Unsustainability of EU imbalances’, Financial Times, April 20th, 2018.

• ‘Inflation the historical solution to excess debt’, Financial Times, September 30th, 2017.

• ‘EU lack of democratic accountability’, Financial Times, July 20th, 2017

• ‘Dire need for a replay of the 1970s’, Financial Times, September 16th, 2016.

• ‘QE and negative interest rates’, Financial Times, August 26th, 2016.

• ‘Trusted models struggle to fend off economic storm’, Financial Times, December 29th, 2015.

• ‘Eurozone economic restructuring will lead to higher unemployment’, Financial Times, September 12th, 2014.

• ‘The crucial EU concern is politics’, Financial Times, June 19th, 2014.

• ‘It is Germany that should quit the Eurozone’, Financial Times, March 28th, 2014.

• ‘Randomized trials would lead nowhere’, Financial Times, November 21st, 2013.

• ‘Germany may be booming but its neighbours are suffering’, Financial Times, September 20th, 2013.

• ‘One-way street to default’, Financial Times, April 23rd, 2013.

• ‘More austerity is a bad mistake’, Financial Times, August 21st, 2012.

• ‘Demolish EU’s rigid bureaucracy’, Financial Times, March 7th, 2011.

• ‘PR systems have pernicious effects’, Financial Times, April 23rd, 2010.

• ‘Complex economy will test Beijing’, Financial Times, January 25th, 2010.

• ‘Constitutional Monarchy’, The Economist, May 13th, 2007, Published in the Issue Web Edition.

• ‘Medieval EU is no surprise’, Financial Times, August 12th, 2002.

Macroeconomics

• Diversity in Economics’, Financial Times, January 26th, 2024

• ‘History of economics is a succession of experiments’, Financial Times, February 23rd, 2022.

• ‘Keynes knew that nothing was as good as gold, Financial Times, August 20th, 2021.

• ‘Inflation the historical solution to excess debt’, Financial Times, September 30th, 2017.

• ‘Dire need for a replay of the 1970s’, Financial Times, September 16th, 2016.

• ‘QE and negative interest rates’, Financial Times, August 26th, 2016.

• ‘Trusted models struggle to fend off economic storm’, Financial Times, December 29th, 2015.

• ‘Randomized trials would lead nowhere’, Financial Times, November 21st, 2013.

• ‘Complex economy will test Beijing’, Financial Times, January 25th, 2010.

Capitalism

• ‘Capitalism’s social value may now be in question’, Financial Times, May 20th, 2019

Inequality

• ‘Ford had the answer to why wages needed to rise’, Financial Times, March 12th, 2021.

Liberty & Law

• ‘Trump as the US Guy Fawkes’. Financial Times August 23rd, 2023.

• ‘Hong Kong imperils its role as a world finance hub’, Financial Times, October 9th, 2020.

• ‘British common law still sets the global standard’, Financial Times, July 27th, 2020.

Electoral Systems

• ‘Knesset PR tail is wagging majority democratic dog, Financial Times, April 5th, 2023.

• ‘PR systems have pernicious effects’, Financial Times, April 23rd, 2010.

Monarchy

• ‘Constitutional Monarchy’, The Economist, May 13th, 2007, Published in the Issue Web Edition.

European Union, Eurozone & Brexit

• ‘Euro membership is a one-size-fits-all Shirt of Nessus’, Financial Times, April 27th, 2020.

• ‘The bloc needs to focus on boosting weak economies’, Financial Times, September 17th, 2019.

• ‘Anything less European is difficult to imagine’, Financial Times, March 28th, 2019.

• ‘Brussels cannot adapt to economic stagnation’, Financial Times, January 22nd, 2019.

• ‘The EU’s inflexibility made Brexit inevitable’, Financial Times, September 29th, 2018.

• ‘Unsustainability of EU imbalances’, Financial Times, April 20th, 2018.

• ‘EU lack of democratic accountability’, Financial Times, July 20th, 2017

• ‘Eurozone economic restructuring will lead to higher unemployment’, Financial Times, September 12th, 2014.

• ‘The crucial EU concern is politics’, Financial Times, June 19th, 2014.

• ‘It is Germany that should quit the Eurozone’, Financial Times, March 28th, 2014.

• ‘Germany may be booming but its neighbours are suffering’, Financial Times, September 20th, 2013.

• ‘One-way street to default’, Financial Times, April 23rd, 2013.

• ‘More austerity is a bad mistake’, Financial Times, August 21st, 2012.

• ‘Demolish EU’s rigid bureaucracy’, Financial Times, March 7th, 2011.

• ‘Medieval EU is no surprise’, Financial Times, August 12th, 2002.

Bio and Background of Giles Conway-Gordon

My bio and background and the origin of my interest in the subjects which are the focus of this blog are as follows:

UK citizen. Resident in UK from 1940-1994, present residence: a small ranch in western Montana, USA.

Education

Oxford University, 1959-62. M.A. in Philosophy, Politics and Economics. I enjoyed philosophy but even then found economics conceptually flawed, in particular the unresolved and unacknowledged conflict and contradiction between abstract economic theory and the real world.

Career

Initially mostly investment banking in London and Paris. Recently: investment management: 1987-1994 Director, Global Asset Management, London; 1994-2006 CEO, Optima Asset Management, Bermuda; 2006-2013 Managing Partner, Cogo Wolf Asset Management, San Francisco, USA.

Interests

Birdwatching (5000 species), racquet games (squash, real and lawn tennis, racquets).