Previous Contributors to The Great Debate
Christopher Snowdon
Christopher Snowdon is an author, journalist and researcher with
an interest in lifestyle freedoms, dodgy statistics and the politics of
well-being. He is a research fellow at the
Institute of Economic Affairs,
writes for
City Am
and
Spiked,
and regularly appears on TV and radio discussing social and economic issues.
He is the author of
The Spirit Level Delusion (2010) and
Velvet Glove, Iron Fist: A History of Anti-Smoking (2009).
His most recent book is
The Art of Suppression: Pleasure, Panic and Prohibition since 1800 (2011).
Other publications include
Sock Puppets: How the government lobbies itself and why (IEA, 2012)
and Are More Equal Countries Happier?
(a chapter in ...and the Pursuit of Happiness, IEA, 2012).
Born in North Yorkshire, he now lives with his wife and daughter in Sussex.
Chris Snowdon was on the panel of Equality, Equity and the dispossessed at
The Great Debate:
Whatever Happened to Equality? in November 2012.
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Books by Chris Snowdon
The Spirit Level Delusion: Fact-checking the Left's New Theory of Everything
Do Cubans live longer than Americans? Are Scandinavians happier than the British?
Do Oscar winners live longer than other actors? Does capitalism cause mental
illness? Does inequality lead to murder? Would higher taxes make us slimmer,
more trusting and more charitable? The Spirit Level Delusion shines the light
of reason on some of the extraordinary claims made in favour of big government
in the twenty-first century. Several books (The Spirit Level,
Happiness and Affluenza
amongst others) have called for a radical shift in power from the individual
to the state based on the supposedly devastating effects of wealth, economic
growth and inequality. By examining all the available evidence,
Christopher Snowdon tests the theory that 'more equal' countries are healthier,
happier and more successful. Through a sober assessment of the facts-including
some inconvenient truths-The Spirit Level Delusion shows that the theory not
only lacks empirical support but also fails the basic test of believability.
"If you haven’t read a book that made you laugh out loud on the bus or the Tube
in a while, try Christopher Snowdon’s superb release,
The Spirit Level Delusion. But the book’s subtle humour is not the
reason I am recommending it. The Spirit Level Delusion is, above all,
a book that delivers and goes well beyond the promise of its subtitle –
'fact-checking the left’s new theory of everything'... It may well be that
the next big battle for a free society will be fought against the new
anti-wealth egalitarianism. Christopher Snowdon has provided defenders of
freedom with powerful ammunition." — Kristian Niemietz,
Institute of Economic Affairs "Snowdon picks so many holes in the theory
that were it a building it wouldn’t be passed as structurally sound by the
most crooked of third world local government surveyors... I wish that everyone
who espoused The Spirit Level would read The Spirit Level Delusion,
which explains just how dubious the science behind this grand theory is." —
Ed West, The Telegraph "The Spirit Level Delusion not only successfully
and dramatically undermines much of the evidence in The Spirit Level, but also
takes on the other fashionable opponents of economic growth...
His engaging discussion unpicks the evidence of the anti-growth brigade and
demonstrates that it is selective and partial. This book is excellent
“tube reading”. — Philip Booth, City AM
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