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Should Sports Stop When Countries Fight?

Bachan Sethi, Year 8 winner How the 2025 India-Pakistan Crisis Hurt Cricket Economics Introduction In May 2025, two of the world’s biggest cricket tournaments were abruptly cut short! Not because of rain or player injuries, but because two neighbouring countries were engaged in combat. India and Pakistan have disagreed

The power of propaganda in the recent local elections

Emily David In recent years, the ability to control and manipulate public opinion has become a powerful political tool. The recent UK local elections were not just a test of party popularity, but were a case study in how propaganda can manipulate emotions and influence electoral outcomes. From the emergence

Thorium - the future of nuclear energy?

Vyom Sharma Nuclear power is viewed as the future of sustainable energy for the planet, due to its tremendous energy density and reliability, providing a consistent and steady supply of energy. In contrast, renewable sources like wind and solar power are less reliable, and can only generate electricity in certain

Inside the UK economy: Insights from NatWest Chief Economist Sebastian Burnside

Adit Goyal  In a recent briefing from NatWest chief economist, Sebastian Burnside, he shared an overview of the UK economy. From inflation and labour markets to evolving consumer behaviour and climate pressures, his remarks revealed an economy undergoing significant structural changes.  Here are the key takeaways from his talk:  1.

Can AI Predict the Stock Market?

Taran Sabarinathan Imagine a computer so smart it could tell you which shares to buy, when to sell them, and how to make money in your sleep. Sounds like something from a sci-fi film, right? Yet this is exactly what some people hope artificial intelligence (AI) can do — predict the

Can social media help save democracy?

Rayhan Don Since 1997,  the voter turnout in UK general elections has decreased significantly, with a low of 59.4% in 2001. Comparing this to pre 1997 -  between 1922 and 1997, turnout at UK general elections remained above 71%. This rose to over 80% in the general elections of

The Perspective #13: Spring 2025

Nathan Samuel Pope Francis dies at 88: Robert Prevost elected On April 21st 2025, Pope Francis died at the age of 88. This brought his 12-year pontificate to an end, after being elected on March 13th 2013. Following his passing, there was a nine-day mourning period. After this, the conclave

Should the ‘Joint Enterprise’ law be reformed?

Elize Hartzer Joint Enterprise, professionally cited as ‘secondary liability, is a common law doctrine. It subjects all parties involved in a criminal act to the same degree of charge by the court. This dissolves the two separate distinctions in the perpetration of a crime (the principal who actually commits the

AI in healthcare: a help or hindrance?

Meenu Vithanage The healthcare industry is undergoing a technological revolution. From robotic-assisted surgeries to AI-driven diagnostic tools, digitisation and artificial intelligence are reshaping the way medical professionals diagnose disease, manage patient data, and deliver treatment. From electronic health records to AI-driven diagnostics, such advancements supposedly improve efficiency, accuracy, and patient

The Perspective #12: February25

The German Federal Election 2025 Elize Hartzer On the 23rd of February, Germany held a record breaking election. The snap election was called in 2024 due to a governmental crisis in which the 3-party coalition broke down, lost its majority, and intentionally lost a vote of no-confidence. Germany uses a

Labour’s consultancy problem

Ethan Corne When Keir Starmer entered Downing Street for the first time, after his thumping electoral victory, the Blairite victory celebrations were at full force. Spectators waving Union Jack flags lined the streets of Number 10, as the Prime Minister emerged from the bulletproof doors of his Audi A8. For

Will Privatising the NHS Fix It or Break It Beyond Repair?

Mariam Arshad For years, the NHS has been called the Pride of Britain - a healthcare system built in 1948, on the principle that no one should have to pay for its services and treatment - a commitment to fairness and social responsibility. But lately, it feels like it’s

Psychopaths in Power: How Manipulative Leaders thrive in Politics and Business

Aoife Watson When using the term psychopath, we initially think of a cold-hearted killer from the latest crime show we are watching, not a powerful politician, brought in to drive our economy with their radical new ideas. The definition of a psychopath is not limited to just the anticipated group

Should the UK still have a monarchy?

Chloe Jones In today’s society, the monarchy can feel futile and largely symbolic to some people. It is disputed what the role and/or need for a King is. Stereotypically, when you imagine a monarch, you picture them as an autocrat, living a luxurious life and ruling the country

Following the herd: the role of conformity in today's society

Daisy Parkinson Conformity denotes the process whereby individuals adjust their behaviour, opinions, and attitudes to accord with those prevailing among the majority, even in cases where they hold dissenting views. This phenomenon, initially elucidated by Asch in the 1950s, has since become a focal point of extensive inquiry within the

The Perspective #11: January25

DeepSeek’s effect on the US stock market Nathan Samuel In January 2025 a new AI model, DeepSeek-R1, was released to the public. The company behind the model, DeepSeek, was founded by Liang Wenfeng. He is the CEO of the hedge fund, High-flyer, which is in China's top

The effect of fluctuation in the Pound on the UK economy.

Toby O'Neill What are the impacts of appreciation? While an appreciation of a currency may sound positive, it can cause various issues for an economy. Firstly, a stronger pound can cause slower economic growth. This is because the price of exports rises, reducing international competitiveness for UK goods

Why did Harris lose the 2024 U.S. Election?

Zaid Khan In the lead-up to the 2024 U.S. presidential election, most national polls indicated a tight race between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, and it’s safe to say that the rollercoaster of events witnessed on election night emphasised just how narrowly contested the

Epistemic Injustice in Politics

Krish Chaddha "In a room where people unanimously maintain a conspiracy of silence, one word of truth sounds like a pistol shot."— Nobel laureate, Czesław Miłosz. What exactly is epistemic injustice in politics? To break this term down, epistemology relates to the nature, scope and limits of knowledge,

Populism, Power, and Paradox: The Trump Phenomenon

Aditi Prashanth Each country celebrates the New Year uniquely: London dazzles us with fireworks over the London Eye, the Greeks hang onions, and the Danes smash plates. But the USA? It began the New Year with a spectacle like no other - his name is Donald Trump. Now, before we

Trumps silence over the CEO killing speaks political volume. Here’s why.

Ethan Corne Vive la révolution! seems to have made a comeback, but this time it’s not outside the fortified walls of Bastille, but on the streets of the Big Apple. The shooting and subsequent killing of healthcare insurance CEO Brian Thompson has captivated the American public, leaving many to

Redefining the End: Parliament’s Pivotal Vote on Assisted Dying

Elize Hartzer Tears were shed throughout the country as a historic piece of legislation passed its second reading in Parliament. The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill 2024 will soon allow those aged over eighteen with a life expectancy of under six months to medicinally end their life. The

Has Economics Become Too Mathematical?

Krish Chaddha Introduction Definitions of the phrase ‘too mathematical’ would be heavily contested in this context, however, for the purposes of this essay, something would be classed as ‘too mathematical’ if a significant proportion of the population is unable to comprehend it — given that the field of economics looks at

The Perspective #10: December24

The Fall of the Assad Regime Juliette Hussey On December 13th, thousands of civilians took to the landmark sword of Damascus to celebrate their ‘victory’ in overthrowing the Assad regime - the chant ringing in the crowd:  ‘One, one, the Syrian people is one’. Former leader, Bashar al-Assad was evacuated

The Rise of Bitcoin

Sasmeet Satyam Since Donald Trump’s victory in the United States presidential election, Bitcoin has been a perpetual headline within the news regarding its recent exponential growth in value, which has placed Bitcoin's price just under the 100,000 USD mark. Bitcoin, a decentralised digital currency (cryptocurrency), operates

The Perspective #09: November24

Australia Passes Legislation Banning Social Media for Under-16s Krish Chaddha On the 28th of November Australian parliament passed the ‘online safety amendment (social media minimum age) bill’ by 34 votes to 19. This bill would see tech companies fined AU$50m if they do not comply with banning social media

Should artefacts taken by colonial powers be returned?

Shay Patel Colonialism is the process which has profoundly shaped our world to be the multi-cultural, ever-changing global society we live in today. People of colour are no longer confined to the country of their ancestors and can live in and contribute towards a much more accepting society than what

Political and Philosophical Dimensions of Art

Pravin Nagarajah and Jaber Thakur (The following article is a transcribed summary of key discussion points that came up in a recent PPE Society session) The Raft of the Medusa Théodore Géricault’s The Raft of the Medusa is a powerful critique of government failures in the early 19th century

Legalisation of Anabolic Steroids

William Mao Anabolic steroids are types of drugs that stimulate muscle growth and encourage faster recovery.  They are currently prescription-only and are classified as class C drugs, and it is illegal to possess, import or export them if it’s believed you’re selling them, however, it is legal to

The Perspective #08: October24

First Labour Budget in 14 Years Krish Chaddha Rachel Reeves, Britain's first female Chancellor of the Exchequer, delivered a Labour Budget which aims to ‘restore economic stability and turn the page on 14 years of Conservative Government’. Emphasised throughout the Budget is the need for more public investment

The Brawn Story: Buying an F1 team for £1

Harry Whitehead (The following article is the winner of the Polyphony summer essay competition 2024) Formula 1, or F1, is often regarded as the pinnacle of motorsport. The combination of exceptionally skilled drivers, along with state-of-the-art technology fostered a thrilling racing series where millions congregate (via multiple outlets such as

The Perspective #07: September24

Labour Cuts Support for Large Voting Demographic Krish Chaddha The Labour Government has decided that winter fuel payments would only be given to those who receive pension credit, which will reduce the number of recipients of the payments from 11 million to 1.5 million. Though omitted from their manifesto,

Mergers Between Two Firms

Ethan Harry Wood Mergers between two big firms can have widely varied effects on the consumer. Research suggests that without checks and regulations, mergers can lead to the transformation of a competitive market into an oligopoly or monopoly due to underlying industry conditions. Mergers often occur in order to achieve

The Perspective #06: Summer24

Pensioners Panic over their future under Keir Shay Patel Starmer’s Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, announced the Labour Party’s latest economic policy in order to try and patch up the claimed £22 billion black hole in the UK’s finances. Labour has announced the removal of Winter Fuel Payments for

The Perspective #05: May24

Gething’s Tumble: Senedd’s Confidence Crumbles Aditi Prashanth In a dramatic turn of events, Wales' First Minister Vaughan Gething lost a critical vote of no confidence, only 12 weeks after beginning his role in office, following mounting pressure from opposition parties and growing public dissatisfaction. The motion, tabled

PolyTalk #02 Gauri Khanna

Click the link below to listen to our discussion with Gauri Khanna, Head Girl of Nottingham High School 2023/24.

PolyTalk #01 Mr Fear

Click the link below to listen to our discussion with Mr Fear, Headmaster of Nottingham High School since 2007.

The rising issue of oral cancer

Zainab Malik Oral cancer is a dangerous and life-threatening disease if not recognised and treated early and, unfortunately, the issue of oral cancer in the UK has grown in recent decades, rising from affecting 6.6 women and 13.9 men out of 100,000 in 2001 to 10 women

The Perspective #04: April24

Labour’s Railway Reform  Juliette Hussey  Last week, Labour announced their plan of nationalisation of British railways in a plan to scrap contracts with private companies once contracts eventually expire by fully absorbing them into the public sector within their first term. The announcement also comes alongside plans to establish

The Perspective #03: March24

Donaldson and the DUP’s disaster Shay Patel On the 28th of March 2024, the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party was charged with the most serious crimes of rape and historic sexual offences. As the crimes came to light, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson resigned as the leader of the party,

AI: Is the super-intelligent takeover coming?

Daniel Guha In recent years, the introduction of ‘revolutionary’ technologies, such as ChatGPT, to society has triggered an influx of articles, many considering the potentially desolate future that lies ahead. However, this bleak outlook is partially caused by a common lack of understanding behind the fundamentals of current machine learning.

The Perspective #02: February24

Budget breakdown: Tory success or potential villainess Aditi Prashanth Have you ever wondered how the Budget could impact your pocket? Brace yourselves for the Spring Budget of 2024, promising a variety of financial changes. Time to debrief.  It seems that Jeremy Hunt sure has played his cards well with the

South Africa's informal job sector

Annabel Dickinson (The following article is the runner-up of this year's Economics Alive competition for year 12 economics students) The roads around Cape Town, in South Africa, are filled with locals selling a variety of objects to commuters passing by. The informal job sector in South Africa was

The Perspective #01: January24

The Houthi Red Sea Experiment Shay Patel Since the Israel-Gaza War, Houthi rebels have been targeting strikes on shipping that they claim are aiding the Israelis, in the Red Sea. The Houthis have also struck a British tanker, which they say was in ‘response to American-British aggression’. The Houthis have

Brutalism: Not so concrete philosophy

Otto Bajwa Greenwood In the 1940s and 50s, Swiss architect, Le Corbusier, had a sleek and disciplined vision of engineering, hoping to inject virility and life into concrete in a way that had never really been seen before. The post-war landscape, to which he was responding, was a time of

Economics In the Fantasy World

Kammesh Atputhajeyam What Is FPL? FPL (Fantasy Premier League) is a fantasy football game which is currently played by 10,331,796 people. To understand how economic principles are applicable to this game, we must understand how the game works. The goal is to assemble a team comprising of 15

Coca-Cola vs. Pepsi: A strategic game of substitutes

Hitesh Arora (The following article is the winner of this year's 'Economics Alive' competition for year 12 economics students) The photo captures two iconic beverage brands, Coca-Cola and Pepsi, side by side on a store shelf. This everyday scene actually teaches us some interesting economic ideas:

Kafka’s “The metamorphosis” and Kierkegaardian despair

Alex Law “The Metamorphosis” written by Czech Author Franz Kafka in 1915 tells the story of Gregor Samsa, a travelling merchant who awakens one morning to find himself transformed into a “monstrous insect”. The absurdist tone of the novella is rapidly elucidated as Gregor is seemingly more horrified by his

How religion influences politics

Kari Gill Religion and politics are so closely entwined, and this has been fundamentally demonstrated throughout history. Conventional societies show us that many religious leaders are also modelling more secular and civil figures, highlighting the importance of religious beliefs when it comes to moral, ethical, and political decision-making. However, many

An update on Sam Bankman-Fried from Tangle

Tangle is an independent politics newsletter based in the US that summarises the best arguments from across the political spectrum on the news of the day. The non-partisan nature of their content means that you can get a more comprehensive idea of the topic at hand, forming your own opinion

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

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?

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

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?

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?

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

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.

Why is the UK government so afraid of inflation?

Anya Bansal With the cost of living crisis and prices drastically rising everywhere, inflation seems to be one of the largest issues facing the UK right now. Prices have risen by 10.1% in the twelve months leading up to February 2023. This figure continues to rise month after month

Why is the UK government so afraid of inflation?

Evan Lam The UK government (along with many other governments) is getting increasingly concerned about the rise of inflation. Inflation is the general rise in prices of services and goods over a period of time. High inflation is bad for several reasons, such as reduced spending power, decreasing value of

By Lizzie Johnson: Interview with the wife of a hunger striker protesting against the IRGC

Old Nottinghamian, Lizzie Johnson, wrote an eye-opening article about the struggle to pressure the UK government to consider the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a terrorist group. Through interviewing the wife of a British-Iranian hunger striker, she explored the importance of his work in not only promoting freedom in Iran,

Do the positives of democracy outweigh the negatives?

Marcus Jamnadas-Khoda Democracy dates back thousands of years. Believed to have begun in the city-state of Athens by Cleisthenes, [1] it originally comes from two Greek words: the word ‘demos’ meaning people, and the word ‘kratos’ meaning power. Therefore, democracy can be thought of as ‘power to the people’ – a

Do we still live in a time of political populism?

Anika Khanna What happens when people feel their voices are not being heard by the political and economic elites? The answer, it seems, is political populism. In recent years, we have seen a growing number of political movements that claim to represent the interests of regular people against the established

What is the Euro’s most fundamental problem?

Jack Downey The Euro was established in 1999, with 11 countries adopting the single currency. Now, the Euro is the currency of 20 European Union states known as the Eurozone. Superficially, the increased membership of the Eurozone suggests that the single currency has been successful. However, the Eurozone continues to

Monetary policy talk by Professor Martin Weale

Recently, Professor Martin Weale remotely delivered an engaging and informative talk to economics students on monetary policy and inflation. A senior academic at King’s College London and former member of the Bank of England’s (BOE) Monetary Policy Committee, his expertise provided us with valuable insight into the UK’

Do robots reduce wages?

Will Merritt Since the 1950s, when the first industrial robots were used in manufacturing processes, robotics and automation in the workplace has continued to increase across almost every industry sector. Such advancements have changed, and continue to change, the employment landscape, improving efficiency, safety, productivity and quality. However, while such

Blood in the water – Revolution and Melbourne ‘56

Jacob Corne Sport and politics - a compelling relationship. Qatar most recently grasped the opportunity to accentuate this belief. Football’s illustrious finale, only months ago, was masked by the thousands of migrant workers who watched from six feet under. Judiciously viewed, one of the game’s greatest showdowns was

Manchester City breaches: what is FFP and what might be the consequences?

Rohan Banerjea On the 6th of February 2023, the Premier League announced that it had “referred a number of alleged breaches of the Premier League rules by Manchester City football club.” This was shocking news at the time, especially after the club had only spent £8m in the Winter transfer

Should the UK government cut spending in order to reduce national debt?

Chloe Po Over the past 24 years (1997/98 to 2020/21), UK national debt has increased by six times from 349.9 billion pounds to 2.1 trillion pounds.  With such a significant increase in national debt, the financial position of the UK government cannot be claimed as healthy

Cost of living crisis - Is the end in sight?

Rahul Jeyanand As you may know, the cost of living crisis has greatly affected everyone, as bills skyrocket and food prices soar. Food banks have been in despair, receiving more demand but fewer donations. Mental health problems are also starting to be increasingly common, as parents go to the furthest

Is violence against politicians on the rise?

Ellie Regan MP Virginia Crosbie, a Welsh conservative MP, told BBC news reporters that she wears a stab proof vest when meeting constituents. After the violent murder of Crosbie’s colleague, Sir David Amess, who was stabbed multiple times in his local constituency surgery in 2021, she comments on how

SA20: An attempt to save cricket in South Africa?

Rohan Banerjea In August 2022, Cricket South Africa announced a new short-format cricket league called the SA20, which began on January 10, and will finish on Saturday. The league consists of 6 teams, all owned by current IPL sides. But why exactly has this league been organised? As it stands,

The ‘Gilets Jaunes’: Who are they and what do they want?

Lucy Willis Every Saturday for over 70 weeks, starting on 17th November 2018, the ‘Gilets Jaunes’ (yellow jackets) have protested on the streets of French cities in disapproval of the French government. Although Lockdown temporarily halted these violent protests, the yellow jackets have taken to the French streets once more.

Sam Bankman-Fried, the decline of FTX, and the future of cryptocurrency

William Merritt All over the news, the name Sam Bankman-Fried has appeared numerous times, mainly because of his arrest and the epic flameout of FTX. But who is he? What is FTX? And has he single-handedly destroyed the cryptocurrency industry? Sam Bankman Fried is a finance and cryptocurrency entrepreneur and

Is the British government able to prevent illegal immigrants from entering the UK?

Oliver Aikens During the Prime Minister’s first major speech of 2023, he announced that the government will work more with France to “stop the boats”. He was then later asked by reporters to define what “stop the boats” meant, to which he, rather implicitly, responded that new laws were

Should there be a maximum wage?

Josh Leivers Maximum wage - a price cap enforced on how much salary a worker can receive in a given period of time. A maximum wage can be seen, in many cases, as a ploy to satiate social justice, but is this always the case? Would a wage limit prove

What are the most likely effects of the economic sanctions placed on Russia?

Jacob Corne Formerly a Soviet satellite state, Ukraine had agreed to discard all of its nuclear weapons in return for state independence in 1994. However, this seemingly constructive agreement turned precariously one-sided when power in Russia switched from Boris Yeltsin to Vladimir Putin in 1999. Demanding that Ukraine was Soviet

Premier League clubs spend more in January than other top 5 leagues together

Rohan Banerjea On Tuesday, the January transfer deadline put an end to the recruitment for football clubs this winter. In what has been an eventful month for Premier League teams, who have spent an incredible €829,807,000, English football has spent more than Spanish, German, Italian and French clubs

May ’68: The roots of social change in France or a short-lived fantasy?

Otto Bajwa Greenwood 54 years on from the seditious revolution, which rather farcically began over issues regarding gender mixing in dormitories, France seems less tolerant than ever. May 1968 took France by storm, scrutinising the deeply conservative and patriarchal systems of government under Charles de Gaulle. At the time, many

Is the Bank of England to blame for the UK’s current inflation episode?

Gauri Khanna Inflation, defined as a sustained increase in the general price level in an economy, has been escalating worldwide since mid-2021 with many countries’ consumer price indices surging well above 3% in 2022; in July, CPI in the UK reached 10.1%, the highest in 40 years since the