George Papadofragakis – The Financial Crisis and the Left wing solution

The Issue:

Due to the current economic situation, we need a radical overhaul of how we operate our economies. We need a gradually increasing public ownership of all the major institutions within the banking industry, whether healthy or unhealthy. We need more transparent and effective regulation of the remaining private sector that will shield it permanently against instability, abuse and the emergence of monopolies. The central artery of our economy should be publicly owned and independently organised, much like schools, universities and hospitals, not dictatorially run by a ruling elite.
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Our Autumn Term Calendar is here. Please Email york@newgenerationsociety.com

The New Generation Society (the NGS) are a non partisan group seeking to provide a forum for the debate of major issues that will affect the next generation. We believe that it is the responsibility of our generation, those who are students or young adults today, to stand up and face the problems of tomorrow. We want to reconnect our generation with politics, and encourage new ideas on the issues that we will shortly be responsible for tackling.

The exciting thing about the NGS is that you do not need to have made up your mind about any opinions or issues. We want to encourage stimulating discussion and fresh debate about what really matters to our society and the world. This means interacting with new points of view and engaging with perspectives that are diverse and original. Ultimately our aim is to achieve new thinking that will help to equip us against the trials of decades to come.

The NGS was founded at York University at the start of 2007 and since then has grown to be the largest political society on campus. The launch of our London and Reading branches was held at the start of October 2008 as the society begins to expand even further.

Speaker Events
We currently function by holding a mixture of speaker events on campus, and in the past have hosted talks by Iain Duncan-Smith, Tony Blair’s diarist Anthony Seldon, and the “Flying Baroness” Caroline Cox. Earlier this year, York hosted the 2008 NGS Kennedy Lecture which was delivered by Sir Crispin Tickell, famous for coining the phrase “climate change”, and entitled “Challenges to the Human Future: Prospects and Hazards”.

Thinking and Drinking
We also host weekly informal discussion groups in Vanbrugh bar, known as “Thinking and Drinking”, where we make it our mission to have solution based conversation about the hot topics of the day. More of a social really, thinking required less and less as the evening progresses.

The NGS Journal
We publish an online Journal with a range of articles, covering diverse topics from the arts, through to women’s place in politics. Everyone is encouraged to contribute their writing and ideas. In the past, contributors have ranged from NGS members, local MPs, leading academics and figures from the scientific and theological communities.

The NOW Programme
This is our newest project to date and forges links with local schools and colleges. The mission is to engage young people and their opinions and give them the opportunity to be involved with what we do. We invite local teenagers to attend some of our events and then encourage them to share their thoughts and views in small groups.

Podcast
The NGS has just launched a podcast. Among the first features include interviews with Shami Chakrabarti and Nick Clegg. Listen in online!

We are very keen to engage the minds and opinions of those with a passion and commitment to their future. So please, come along to a session of “Thinking and Drinking”, look out for posters advertising our high profile speakers, visit our website at newgenerationsociety.com, and join our Facebook group. If you like what you see, Committee elections are being held at the start of November and we would love to see some new faces getting involved.

We are currently looking for some people to help run the new branch. If you’re interested, or would like to be notified when the launch is happening, please send an e-mail to: london@newgenerationsociety.com

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Vernon Ellis  recently retired from his position as International Chairman at Accenture where he remains as Senior Adviser.  He is also Chairman of English National Opera and The Classical Opera Company and is a trustee of several other musical groups and of the Royal College of Music. His involvement in both the arts and business put him in a perfect position to analyse the necessity of sufficient investment in the arts. 

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Will Heaven is an English and Philosophy undergraduate at York University. Religion is far from disappearing in British culture and politics and Will argues how in a tolerant society we should not fear its presence, rather utilise it as a positive force.

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David Drew is Member of Parliament for the Stroud constituency. He has been involved in the issues of rural communities for many years. In his article he outlines a plan for reform and the importance of being committed to the development rural Britain.

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