Vocal Voices

Bank of England chief economist reveals he didn't take A-level maths and struggles with homeschooling his children in the subject because he's 'not a natural'

Vic, you do realise that Economics is a philosophical subject and that you do not need a higher level of maths to study it, if that is what you are hinting at? It is why a lot of politicians take Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) at university. If you can read you should be fine.

Or as Homer Simpson was wont to note: "The less stuff there is in your head is the more you can put in." Most MPs still have loads of space left.

Or put another way, economics is to maths as forests are to trees.

Economics is not just about numbers, it is mainly about attitudes, encouragement (or discouragement in an overheating economy), and manipulation of people, companies and governments.

In some cases, anal attention to maths is counterproductive.