Samuel Brittan
Encyclopedia
Sir Samuel Brittan is a British
columnist for the Financial Times
and an author.
At Cambridge
he was taught by Peter Bauer and Milton Friedman
. Brittan later recalled receiving 'one of best put-down remarks I have ever encountered' from Friedman:
In 1961 he was appointed economics editor at The Observer
until 1964 and in 1965 was appointed as an advisor at the Department of Economic Affairs. Then in 1966 he was appointed as an economic commentator at the Financial Times.
In March 1981, when 364 leading economists wrote a letter to The Times
criticising Margaret Thatcher
's economic policy, Brittan was one of the few commentators to openly defend the Conservative
government's policy. He was a member of the Peacock Committee
on the Finance of the BBC
from 1985 to 1986.
He has been awarded the Orwell
, Senior Harold Wincott
and Ludwig Erhard
prizes. In 1993, Brittan was knighted 'for services to economic journalism'. He is the brother of Leon Brittan
, who served as Thatcher's Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Home Secretary and President of the Board of Trade, and then as a European Commissioner. He and Leon are first cousins of Malcolm Rifkind
, who served as Scottish Secretary, Transport Secretary, Defence Secretary and Foreign Secretary under Thatcher and John Major; all three are cousins once removed of producer Mark Ronson
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
columnist for the Financial Times
Financial Times
The Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
and an author.
At Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
he was taught by Peter Bauer and Milton Friedman
Milton Friedman
Milton Friedman was an American economist, statistician, academic, and author who taught at the University of Chicago for more than three decades...
. Brittan later recalled receiving 'one of best put-down remarks I have ever encountered' from Friedman:
[Friedman] mentioned to me a letter he had received from Arthur BurnsArthur F. BurnsArthur Frank Burns was an American economist. He served as Chairman of the Federal Reserve from 1970 to 1978.- Career :...
saying that EisenhowerDwight D. EisenhowerDwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
was turning out well as President. I expressed surprise, to which Friedman responded: 'First, Burns has much better knowledge of Eisenhower. Second, given equal knowledge I would prefer his opinion to yours.' Against The Flow (2005)
In 1961 he was appointed economics editor at The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
until 1964 and in 1965 was appointed as an advisor at the Department of Economic Affairs. Then in 1966 he was appointed as an economic commentator at the Financial Times.
In March 1981, when 364 leading economists wrote a letter to The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
criticising Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
's economic policy, Brittan was one of the few commentators to openly defend the Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
government's policy. He was a member of the Peacock Committee
Peacock Committee
The Peacock Committee, was a review into financing of the BBC. It was initiated by the Conservative government of Margaret Thatcher on March 27, 1985 and reporting on May 29, 1986. The committee was led by Professor Alan Peacock. The other 6 members were Samuel Brittan, Judith Chalmers, Jeremy...
on the Finance of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
from 1985 to 1986.
He has been awarded the Orwell
Orwell Prize
The Orwell Prize used to be regarded as the pre-eminent British prize for political writing.Three prizes are awarded each year: one for a book, one for journalism and another for blogging...
, Senior Harold Wincott
Harold Wincott
Harold Wincott CBE was a British economist and journalist.Wincott edited the Investors Chronicle for twenty-one years and was a columnist for the Financial Times. He was awarded a CBE in 1963 and wrote pamphlets for the Institute of Economic Affairs, a free-market think-tank...
and Ludwig Erhard
Ludwig Erhard
Ludwig Wilhelm Erhard was a German politician affiliated with the CDU and Chancellor of West Germany from 1963 until 1966. He is notable for his leading role in German postwar economic reform and economic recovery , particularly in his role as Minister of Economics under Chancellor Konrad Adenauer...
prizes. In 1993, Brittan was knighted 'for services to economic journalism'. He is the brother of Leon Brittan
Leon Brittan, Baron Brittan of Spennithorne
Sir Leon Brittan, Baron Brittan of Spennithorne, QC, PC, DL is a British barrister, politician and former Conservative Member of Parliament, as well as former member of the European Commission and former Home Secretary of the United Kingdom...
, who served as Thatcher's Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Home Secretary and President of the Board of Trade, and then as a European Commissioner. He and Leon are first cousins of Malcolm Rifkind
Malcolm Rifkind
Sir Malcolm Leslie Rifkind KCMG QC MP is a British Conservative Party politician and Member of Parliament for Kensington. He served in various roles as a cabinet minister under Prime Ministers Margaret Thatcher and John Major, including Secretary of State for Scotland , Defence Secretary and...
, who served as Scottish Secretary, Transport Secretary, Defence Secretary and Foreign Secretary under Thatcher and John Major; all three are cousins once removed of producer Mark Ronson
Mark Ronson
Mark Daniel Ronson is an English DJ, guitarist, music producer, artist and co-founder of Allido Records. He currently works with his band under the music alias of Mark Ronson & The Business Intl....
.
Publications
- Samuel Brittan, The Treasury under the Tories, 1951-64 (Secker & Warburg, 1964).
- Samuel Brittan, Left or Right: The Bogus dilemma (Secker & Warburg, 1968).
- Samuel Brittan, Capitalism and the Permissive Society (Macmillan, 1973).
- Samuel Brittan, The Economic Consequences of Democracy (Temple Smith, 1977).
- Samuel Brittan, A Restatement of Economic Liberalism (Macmillan, 1988).
- Samuel Brittan, Capitalism With A Human Face (Edward Elgar, 1995).
- Samuel Brittan, Essays, Moral, Political and Economic (Edinburgh University Press, 1998).
- Samuel Brittan, Against The Flow (Grove Atlantic Ltd., 2005).