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Polyphony Team

The role of silence in Spain's transition to democracy

The role of silence in Spain's transition to democracy

Gauri Khanna Over the summer, I immersed myself in ‘The Ghosts of Spain’, a book describing the journey of award-winning journalist Giles Tremlett as he travels through the nation, uncovering its hidden past and the ways history has shaped it. On reading the introduction, I agreed with his emphasis on

The industry puppet: a Vietnamese story

The industry puppet: a Vietnamese story

Emma Leu According to VNexpresss, “Vietnam aims to become a developed country by 2050. GDP growth of 6.5-7.5% a year is expected to bring per capita GDP to $27,000-32,000 by 2050, at which point the urbanisation rate should reach 70-75%.” Is Vietnam bound to become a

How can the UK government and international partners reduce global extreme poverty?

How can the UK government and international partners reduce global extreme poverty?

Jacob Corne Before the policies that the UK government and international partners could introduce to reduce global extreme poverty are discussed, it is important to recognise a key distinction. Whilst poverty affects nearly half of the world’s population (United Nations, no date), extreme poverty narrows the scope to around

The economics behind hosting the World Cup

The economics behind hosting the World Cup

Tom Rood With the conclusion of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, economists have taken interest into understanding the economics behind hosting arguably the most prestigious sporting tournament. In July 2008, the General Secretariat for Development Planning in the state of Qatar came up with a great economic ambition known

What would happen if we banned billionaires?

What would happen if we banned billionaires?

Saahat Satyam The philosopher John Rawls posed the idea that we should all imagine that we sit behind a veil of ignorance. Behind this veil of ignorance, we are oblivious to who we are, our class, education, privileges, financial position and so on. We exist as an impartial body tasked

Is tax theft?

Is tax theft?

Gauri Khanna ‘Individuals have rights, and there are things no person or group may do to them (without violating their rights)’. In the opening line of Anarchy, State and Utopia, Robert Nozick lays the foundation for the libertarian assertion that no state more extensive than the minimal one can be

Les Misérables - Victor Hugo’s revolutions and digressions

Les Misérables - Victor Hugo’s revolutions and digressions

Stanley Hardy About one thousand pages into Les Misérables, Victor Hugo disrupts the main narrative to ask a question: ‘What constitutes an emeute, a riot?’ He then proceeds to answer that question: ‘Nothing and everything. An electricity gradually released, a flame suddenly leaping forth, a drifting force, a passing wind.