Nat Dyer
@natjdyer.bsky.social
My book RICARDO’S DREAM - a 'simply brilliant' critique of mainstream economics - came out in Nov '24. Fellow of Schumacher Institute. Formerly with Global Witness & PEP. www.natdyer.com
Pinned
Nat Dyer
@natjdyer.bsky.social
· Nov 26
It's publication day!
bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/trade/ricard...
bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/trade/ricard...
Reposted by Nat Dyer
SUPERB and angrily unvarnished response, by former BBC chairman, Lord Patten.
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
November 10, 2025 at 6:40 PM
SUPERB and angrily unvarnished response, by former BBC chairman, Lord Patten.
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
Nice, new review of Ricardo's Dream
"If you are interested in economics, history, politics and world affairs you should read this book"
michaelcoblenz.medium.com/simple-econo...
"If you are interested in economics, history, politics and world affairs you should read this book"
michaelcoblenz.medium.com/simple-econo...
Simple Economics in a Complex World
Book Notes — Ricardo’s Dream: How Economists Forgot the Real World and Led Us Astray, by Nat Dyer. Bristol University Press, 2024…
michaelcoblenz.medium.com
November 10, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Nice, new review of Ricardo's Dream
"If you are interested in economics, history, politics and world affairs you should read this book"
michaelcoblenz.medium.com/simple-econo...
"If you are interested in economics, history, politics and world affairs you should read this book"
michaelcoblenz.medium.com/simple-econo...
I'm saddened by the hypocritical treatment of the BBC - and agree with Naomi Alderman that it's an institution worth protecting
inspired by this, I have done a free extract of this section of the book here. it is about understanding that *with all its problems* the BBC is as important for our intellectual health as the NHS is for our physical health:
naomialderman.substack.com/p/the-bbc-an...
naomialderman.substack.com/p/the-bbc-an...
November 10, 2025 at 11:13 AM
I'm saddened by the hypocritical treatment of the BBC - and agree with Naomi Alderman that it's an institution worth protecting
Next Tuesday 18th Nov, I'll be giving a free, online talk on imagination, models, and the making of economic knowledge for @economicresearch.bsky.social
Reserve a spot & find out more here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-econom...
Reserve a spot & find out more here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-econom...
The Economics of Imagination: What Happens When Models Replace Reality
Join Nat Dyer to explore imagination, models, and the making of economic knowledge.
www.eventbrite.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 10:38 AM
Next Tuesday 18th Nov, I'll be giving a free, online talk on imagination, models, and the making of economic knowledge for @economicresearch.bsky.social
Reserve a spot & find out more here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-econom...
Reserve a spot & find out more here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-econom...
Nice pushback on the corporate propaganda we're pushed daily...
BREAKING! 🚨
📢 We’ve taken over the ad space at Southwark tube station, calling on the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, to end adverts that promote pollution. 🧵 1/8
✍️ Use our template to write to the Mayor: actionnetwork.org/letters/time...
📢 We’ve taken over the ad space at Southwark tube station, calling on the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, to end adverts that promote pollution. 🧵 1/8
✍️ Use our template to write to the Mayor: actionnetwork.org/letters/time...
November 10, 2025 at 10:32 AM
Nice pushback on the corporate propaganda we're pushed daily...
The recording of my talk about the philosopher Mary Midgley and economics is already online.
Thanks to the whole @inparenthesis.bsky.social team & to @philosophellie.bsky.social, @drelizabethmac1.bsky.social, @amytaggart.bsky.social, @iangr.bsky.social for joining!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYNC...
Thanks to the whole @inparenthesis.bsky.social team & to @philosophellie.bsky.social, @drelizabethmac1.bsky.social, @amytaggart.bsky.social, @iangr.bsky.social for joining!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYNC...
Nat Dyer: 'Midgley amongst the economists'
YouTube video by Women In Parenthesis
www.youtube.com
October 23, 2025 at 10:38 AM
The recording of my talk about the philosopher Mary Midgley and economics is already online.
Thanks to the whole @inparenthesis.bsky.social team & to @philosophellie.bsky.social, @drelizabethmac1.bsky.social, @amytaggart.bsky.social, @iangr.bsky.social for joining!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYNC...
Thanks to the whole @inparenthesis.bsky.social team & to @philosophellie.bsky.social, @drelizabethmac1.bsky.social, @amytaggart.bsky.social, @iangr.bsky.social for joining!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYNC...
I got to see the brilliant @lukewrightpoet.bsky.social perform in Bath last night. So full of energy, verbal dexterity and invention, and an excellent mimic too.
Hard to do justice to the show 'Pub Grub' in a few words, but...
Hard to do justice to the show 'Pub Grub' in a few words, but...
October 23, 2025 at 10:01 AM
I got to see the brilliant @lukewrightpoet.bsky.social perform in Bath last night. So full of energy, verbal dexterity and invention, and an excellent mimic too.
Hard to do justice to the show 'Pub Grub' in a few words, but...
Hard to do justice to the show 'Pub Grub' in a few words, but...
True
“What the Enlightenment did was to develop its own set of myths, striking pictures whose attraction usually centres on the lure of Reduction – the pleasure of claiming that things are much simpler than they seem.” —Mary Midgley
The desire to boil everything down to singularity is reductive.
The desire to boil everything down to singularity is reductive.
October 22, 2025 at 7:15 AM
True
I'm doing an online webniar tomorrow at 3pm (UK) with the wonderful @inparenthesis.bsky.social team on 'Mary Midgley among the economists'
Looking forward to joining the dots between one of our best recent philosophers and the critique of mainstream economics
More info & zoom link below 👇
Looking forward to joining the dots between one of our best recent philosophers and the critique of mainstream economics
More info & zoom link below 👇
October 21, 2025 at 12:38 PM
I'm doing an online webniar tomorrow at 3pm (UK) with the wonderful @inparenthesis.bsky.social team on 'Mary Midgley among the economists'
Looking forward to joining the dots between one of our best recent philosophers and the critique of mainstream economics
More info & zoom link below 👇
Looking forward to joining the dots between one of our best recent philosophers and the critique of mainstream economics
More info & zoom link below 👇
Chris has been doing amazing work highlighting carbon trading scams of all sort for at least the last 15 years. So it was a pleasure to speak to him about climate, forest-carbon markets, and the visions of free market economists...
Interview with Nat Dyer, the author of the book “Ricardo’s Dream: How economists forgot the real world and led us astray”.
It starts with Ricardo’s theory of comparative advantage, and moves on to externalities, climate economics, carbon pricing, and REDD.
reddmonitor.substack.com/p/economists...
It starts with Ricardo’s theory of comparative advantage, and moves on to externalities, climate economics, carbon pricing, and REDD.
reddmonitor.substack.com/p/economists...
“Economists have had more influence on climate policy than atmospheric scientists. I think that should cause everyone to pause and consider whether that’s for the best.” Interview with Nat Dyer
Interview with Nat Dyer, author of the book “Ricardo’s Dream: How economists forgot the real world and led us astray”.
reddmonitor.substack.com
October 15, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Chris has been doing amazing work highlighting carbon trading scams of all sort for at least the last 15 years. So it was a pleasure to speak to him about climate, forest-carbon markets, and the visions of free market economists...
I might write something about this kind of comment (left on @unlearnecon.bsky.social recent video).
I see no value at all in 'proving' in a perfectly contextless world that countries A & B could benefit form trading X & Y.
What makes anyone think this logic then maps onto reality?
I see no value at all in 'proving' in a perfectly contextless world that countries A & B could benefit form trading X & Y.
What makes anyone think this logic then maps onto reality?
September 30, 2025 at 12:16 PM
I might write something about this kind of comment (left on @unlearnecon.bsky.social recent video).
I see no value at all in 'proving' in a perfectly contextless world that countries A & B could benefit form trading X & Y.
What makes anyone think this logic then maps onto reality?
I see no value at all in 'proving' in a perfectly contextless world that countries A & B could benefit form trading X & Y.
What makes anyone think this logic then maps onto reality?
Reposted by Nat Dyer
NEW VIDEO: The Death of Free Trade youtu.be/XsOYGt7EKG8
The Death of Free Trade
YouTube video by Unlearning Economics
youtu.be
September 22, 2025 at 1:59 PM
NEW VIDEO: The Death of Free Trade youtu.be/XsOYGt7EKG8
Me talking about David Ricardo & comparative advantage on the excellent @pitchforkeconomics.bsky.social pod
“Free trade is always a win-win!”
Except… Ricardo’s famous example leaves out the exploitation, slavery, and mountains of stolen Brazilian gold that made it work.
Listen to the full episode here: buff.ly/jQUTct6
Except… Ricardo’s famous example leaves out the exploitation, slavery, and mountains of stolen Brazilian gold that made it work.
Listen to the full episode here: buff.ly/jQUTct6
September 29, 2025 at 1:33 PM
Me talking about David Ricardo & comparative advantage on the excellent @pitchforkeconomics.bsky.social pod
Reposted by Nat Dyer
THIS IS NOT A DRILL! My actual book launch event - which is only 6 months late - is at LSE October 13th, you can sign up here:
www.lse.ac.uk/events/why-w...
www.lse.ac.uk/events/why-w...
September 23, 2025 at 7:18 AM
THIS IS NOT A DRILL! My actual book launch event - which is only 6 months late - is at LSE October 13th, you can sign up here:
www.lse.ac.uk/events/why-w...
www.lse.ac.uk/events/why-w...
Reposted by Nat Dyer
Good video essay from @unlearnecon.bsky.social riffing on Ricardo’s Dream, about politics & power relations that exist alongside “free” trade and profoundly shape commerce. And the recent, mysterious “rediscovery” 🙄 of this fact by previously dominant states.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsOY...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsOY...
The Death of Free Trade
YouTube video by Unlearning Economics
www.youtube.com
September 24, 2025 at 5:46 AM
Good video essay from @unlearnecon.bsky.social riffing on Ricardo’s Dream, about politics & power relations that exist alongside “free” trade and profoundly shape commerce. And the recent, mysterious “rediscovery” 🙄 of this fact by previously dominant states.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsOY...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsOY...
I've listened to a lot of Pitchfork Economics over the years so it was a real pleasure to be a guest on the show.
Listen here: buff.ly/jQUTct6
Listen here: buff.ly/jQUTct6
David Ricardo’s math looked beautiful on paper. The real-world outcome? Exploitation, colonialism, and hollowed-out economies. In the second episode of our trade series, Nick & Goldy talk to @natjdyer.bsky.social about his book Ricardo’s Dream.
🎧Listen here: buff.ly/jQUTct6
🎧Listen here: buff.ly/jQUTct6
September 29, 2025 at 1:23 PM
I've listened to a lot of Pitchfork Economics over the years so it was a real pleasure to be a guest on the show.
Listen here: buff.ly/jQUTct6
Listen here: buff.ly/jQUTct6
I had to deleted Bluesky app from my phone again... just get too sucked in otherwise & it's not great for productivty or my mood.
September 22, 2025 at 9:28 AM
I had to deleted Bluesky app from my phone again... just get too sucked in otherwise & it's not great for productivty or my mood.
Reposted by Nat Dyer
All political tribes can be hypocritical but the right's current level of hypocrisy on free speech is deliberate. It's an assertion of power not a blindspot.
September 18, 2025 at 7:19 AM
All political tribes can be hypocritical but the right's current level of hypocrisy on free speech is deliberate. It's an assertion of power not a blindspot.
"Man is not adapted to live in a mirror-lined box, generating his own electric light and sending for selected images from outside when he happens to need them. Darkness and a bad smell are all that can come of that. We need the vast world, and it must be a world that does not need us; a world...
September 16, 2025 at 3:24 PM
"Man is not adapted to live in a mirror-lined box, generating his own electric light and sending for selected images from outside when he happens to need them. Darkness and a bad smell are all that can come of that. We need the vast world, and it must be a world that does not need us; a world...
New paper on Susan Strange's concept of structural power
@bhaggart.bsky.social - one for www.susanstrange.org
@bhaggart.bsky.social - one for www.susanstrange.org
New paper out in @risjnl.bsky.social! 🚨
I explore the everyday foundations of structural power in the international system and advance a new theoretical framework that reconceptualizes the state as a mediator between the two levels.
Time for a short thread! 🧵👇
I explore the everyday foundations of structural power in the international system and advance a new theoretical framework that reconceptualizes the state as a mediator between the two levels.
Time for a short thread! 🧵👇
September 16, 2025 at 11:42 AM
New paper on Susan Strange's concept of structural power
@bhaggart.bsky.social - one for www.susanstrange.org
@bhaggart.bsky.social - one for www.susanstrange.org
This deserves to have way more than 6k views
It's beyond time to move from economic horror stories to stories for life
www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5Yr...
It's beyond time to move from economic horror stories to stories for life
www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5Yr...
Stories for Life
YouTube video by Stories for Life
www.youtube.com
September 15, 2025 at 2:50 PM
This deserves to have way more than 6k views
It's beyond time to move from economic horror stories to stories for life
www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5Yr...
It's beyond time to move from economic horror stories to stories for life
www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5Yr...
Yuval Noah Harari dropping some truth here about leaders who built their careers built on division & distrust
September 15, 2025 at 9:54 AM
Yuval Noah Harari dropping some truth here about leaders who built their careers built on division & distrust
The assumptions do so much work:
"standard economic models typically presuppose that the question of peaceful coexistence is already resolved at the micro level (rule of law) as well as the macro level (peaceful international collaboration)."
- Jakob Kapeller
"standard economic models typically presuppose that the question of peaceful coexistence is already resolved at the micro level (rule of law) as well as the macro level (peaceful international collaboration)."
- Jakob Kapeller
September 15, 2025 at 9:41 AM
The assumptions do so much work:
"standard economic models typically presuppose that the question of peaceful coexistence is already resolved at the micro level (rule of law) as well as the macro level (peaceful international collaboration)."
- Jakob Kapeller
"standard economic models typically presuppose that the question of peaceful coexistence is already resolved at the micro level (rule of law) as well as the macro level (peaceful international collaboration)."
- Jakob Kapeller
Reposted by Nat Dyer
That three major British newspapers jumped on the poorly sourced (ATF to Steven Crowder to WSJ) line about the bullets having ‘trans’ symbols (actually a, wait for it, Helldivers 2 code) is such a tell on what they really care about. They really need to apologise (they won’t)
September 13, 2025 at 8:16 AM
That three major British newspapers jumped on the poorly sourced (ATF to Steven Crowder to WSJ) line about the bullets having ‘trans’ symbols (actually a, wait for it, Helldivers 2 code) is such a tell on what they really care about. They really need to apologise (they won’t)
Midgley on ‘theory-induced blindness’
“To become obsessed with a method for its own sake & try to use it where it is unsuitable is thoroughly unscientific …And the purpose of all explanation must be, ultimately, to illuminate the chaotic world with which we are actually surrounded. That is what we have to explain.” —Mary Midgley
September 12, 2025 at 8:58 AM
Midgley on ‘theory-induced blindness’