Tanner Lecture, Diane Coyle - the public responsibilities of the economist

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About

Diane Coyle's Tanner Lecture on the public responsibilities of economists, captured in a 60-node mind map, explores the tension between technical expertise and political practicality. The template covers key themes like opportunity costs, economic modelling, and the inherent conflict between economics and politics, referencing specific nodes such as 'Opportunity costs are a dirty word in politics' and 'Economic modelling: Abstraction of life to key features.' It also examines the role of economists in policy-making, the paradox of implementing economic models, and the need for humility and transparency in the profession. This mind map serves as a comprehensive cheat sheet for understanding the ethical and practical challenges faced by economists in public life.

Terms and Conditions

When to use this template

Economics professors and graduate students

Preparing a lecture or presentation on the ethics and public role of economists

Policy analysts and political scientists

Debating the effectiveness of technocratic governments in policy-making

Economists working in government or regulatory bodies

Reflecting on the limitations of economic modelling in real-world policy

How to use this template

Step 1

Open and explore the central lecture themes

Open the .xmind file to navigate the central topic and explore the main branches covering economic modeling and political tension.

Step 2

Review detailed nodes and customize content

Click on specific nodes like 'Opportunity costs' to read detailed notes and add your own annotations or external links for deeper analysis.

Step 3

Reorganize branches and export your map

Reorganize the ethical framework branches to suit your needs and export the final map as a PDF or image for sharing.

Frequently asked questions

What is the main argument of Diane Coyle's Tanner Lecture?

The lecture argues that economists have public responsibilities to be brave when they know they are right, modest when they don't, and honest about their opinions and interests, while communicating better with the public.

What does the 'Opportunity costs are a dirty word in politics' node cover?

It explains that economists must tell politicians that all solutions have costs, using cost/benefit analyses and examples like taxi regulation and behavioural economics in directory enquiries.

How does the template address the conflict between economics and politics?

It highlights the inherent conflict between technical expertise and political practicality, citing Greece and Italy's technocrats, and the difficulty of translating economic reports into policy due to vested interests.

What is the 'Economic modelling' section about?

It discusses abstraction of life to key features, using Picasso's Cockerel as an analogy, and the role of economists in producing evidence for reports like Barker, Dilnot, and Lyons.

Does the template cover macroeconomics?

Yes, it covers the history of macroeconomics from Keynesianism versus monetarism, Goodhart's Law, the Great Moderation, and post-crash debates like Krugman versus Lucas.

What are the public responsibilities of economists according to the lecture?

Economists should be brave when right, modest when uncertain, honest about funding and interests, and communicate better with non-economists to avoid reputational damage.

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