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The Economist

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The Economist is a British news and current affairs journal.

A stack of Economist papers
A stack of Economist papers

It is published weekly in print and daily on digital platforms. While many people call it a magazine, it refers to itself as a newspaper. It covers a wide range of topics. These include economics, business, geopolitics, technology, and culture. The publication is famous for its interpretive analysis. This means it focuses on explaining the meaning of events rather than just reporting raw news. It is considered a newspaper of record in the United Kingdom.

The journal operates through a unique editorial process. Most articles are written anonymously. This means there is no byline, which is the name of the writer, on the stories. This practice allows the publication to speak with one collective voice. The tone is often described as having a dry, understated wit. It also relies heavily on data journalism. This is a method of using statistics and numbers to support its arguments. The publication is easily recognized by its fire engine red masthead. The masthead is the nameplate at the top of the front page.

A stack of Economist papers
A stack of Economist papers

The history of The Economist began in 1843. It was founded by a Scottish businessman and banker named James Wilson. His original goal was to build support for abolishing the Corn Laws. These were British import tariffs on grain that lasted from 1815 to 1846. The first prospectus from August 1843 listed thirteen specific areas of coverage. These included political economy, parliamentary reports, and commercial news. It also covered agricultural topics like the use of chemistry in farming. The paper even included a commercial gazette with weekly prices and statistics.

Over the decades, the publication has undergone many changes. In 1920, its circulation reached 6,170 readers. It underwent its first major redesign in 1934. In 1959, Reynolds Stone created the red nameplate used today. The format changed in 1971 from a large broadsheet to a smaller magazine style. The publication expanded globally by launching a North American edition in 1981. In 2012, it added a new weekly section specifically for China. This was its first new country section since a United States section was added in 1942.

The editorial stance of The Economist is well-defined. It primarily follows the principles of economic liberalism. This includes support for free markets, free trade, and free immigration. It also favors deregulation and globalization. The paper has also supported radical centrism. This means it favors policies that maintain centrist politics. Because of its high subscription price and complex wordplay, it is linked to a high-income elite. The publication claims to have an influential readership of policy-makers and business leaders.

Different historical figures have viewed the journal in various ways. Karl Marx criticized the publication in his writings on socialist theory. He believed it represented the interests of the bourgeoisie, or the wealthy middle class. In 1915, the revolutionary Vladimir Lenin called it a journal for British millionaires. He also described its position as "bourgeois-pacifist." During the mid-nineteenth century, the journal took sides in currency disputes. It sided with the Banking School against the Currency School. It also criticized the Bank Charter Act of 1844. The paper blamed the 1857 financial crisis on specific economic theories rather than just bank notes.

The organization of the paper is complex. It is part of the Economist Group. A board of trustees appoints the editor to ensure editorial independence. The current editor is Zanny Minton Beddoes, who has been with the paper since 1994.

Zanny Minton Beddoes World Economic Forum 2013 cropped
Zanny Minton Beddoes World Economic Forum 2013 cropped

While the paper has a global scope, about two-thirds of its 75 journalists work in London. However, it maintains major offices in cities like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington D.C. This helps it reach the many subscribers living in the United States.

The Economist 2019 1 o
The Economist 2019 1 o
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Economist building London1.jpg
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Zanny Minton Beddoes World Economic Forum...
File:A stack of Economist papers.jpg
A stack of Economist papers.jpg
File:The Economist Books.jpg
The Economist Books.jpg
File:David Hume and Adam Smith statues, Edinburgh.jpg
David Hume and Adam Smith statues, Edinburgh.jpg
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A page ripped out from The Economist by...
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