INVENIRE

In one of Invenire's most popular articles, we criticised the concept of a democracy, for the reason that it is illogical and unreasonable for everyone to have an equal level of power in deciding new laws and choosing public officials. In this article, we will expand on the ideas behind restricting voting to certain people. In the United Kingdom, historically, there have been restrictions that barred women and poorer men from voting in public elections. By the year 1918, all men over the age of 21, were eligible to vote, and by 1928, the same voting rights were extended to women. As a result of the Representation of the People Act (1969), all legal residents of the United Kingdom, over the age of 18, regardless of the value of their private property, are eligible to vote. While making political franchise universal helped create a fairer country, it cannot be denied that there are great flaws in the system. This mistake is destined to cause an even greater mistake, and it like...

The world's highest paid professional athlete earned USD 285 million (GBP 219 million) last year, with 275 million in winnings and 10 million in endorsement deals. He has been sponsored by some of the world's most notable brands, including Swiss watchmaker Hublot, and fast food restaurant Burger King. The crowds are drawn in by his raw power and audacious agility. His name is Floyd Mayweather, and he has 50 wins and no losses on his professional boxing record, and that's why he earns nearly twice as much as the next highest paid athlete, Lionel Messi, and 15 times as much as the highest paid female athlete, Serena Williams. Many allegations have been levied against world-class athletes in regard to their pay, which often soars into the millions. Most of these criticisms are similar to the following statement: "It is a disgrace that [insert athlete's name] makes so much more than the valiant nurses that serve our NHS." In this article, I hope to outline...

It's time to repeal our hate speech laws. This does not mean that it is time to reverse 250 years of change on the civil rights front, plunging the United Kingdom into the period which I refer to the Second Darkest Hour of British History (the Atlantic Slave Trade); the Darkest Hour being early World War II. Rather, it means guaranteeing fundamental political freedoms to all Brits, so that we may expand political discussions of all sorts. The freedom of speech is essential if we want to decrease the amount of power that Westminster and its bureaucrats have. In any society that values individual liberty and personal freedom, it is essential we recognise and respect natural rights (those that are inherent to the human condition). John Locke, a noted 17th-century political philosopher, writes in The Two Treatises of Government ( 1689) that there are certain rights which that are not (and should not be) subject to the scrutiny of governments. These include life, liberty and prop...

For many centuries, and even a few millennia, men and women have explored the globe, forcing entire tribes and civilisations to bow at their feet. These people conquered last stretches of terrritory, influencing and impacting the lives and cultures of the conquered lands for centuries after their deaths. Although their vocations were violent ones, their exploration led to the spread of language and philosophy. These tradesmen are now called military commanders. Alexander III of Macedon Alexander III of Macedon is often regarded as one of history's greatest military masterminds. His life consisted of many battles, all of which he was the victor in, and building an empire that stretched from Greece to India. Alexander The Great was born in 356 BC in the city of Pella, Greece to Phillip II of Macedon, and Olympias, Phillip's fourth wife. As a child, the young Alexander seemed destined to achieve great things. Aged 10, he famously tamed a horse brought by a trader from Thessal...

Thomas Burke, the first Men's 100m winner at the Olympic Games, ran the final in 12.0 seconds. Since the Men's 100m sprint was first contested at the Olympic Games, the level of sprinters has increased dramatically. Today, many regional-level U14 athletes would have been crowned Olympic champion in 1896. Athletes have become taller and more muscular, as the science involved in sprinting has advanced. Sprinters have also specialised more in one event. For example, Jesse Owens won the 100m, 200m, the long jump, and was part of the winning team in the 4 by 100m. In his 100m final, his time was 10.3 seconds. However, athletes today rarely compete in both track and field events. Specialisation allows athletes to adapt their physical features to increase their performance in their chosen sport. Even in business and economics, Adam Smith noted that specialisation in pin-making increased production. A worker who has specialised in making the head of a pin makes the ma...

The knockout stage of the 2018 World Cup is currently underway, and Invenire has been researching the financial and economic impact of the world cup. The FIFA World Cup is both the most expensive and the most lucrative of any football tournament in the world and has occurred every four years since 1930 when it was won by Uruguay. The only exceptions to this are the years 1942 and 1946; the tournament was cancelled as a result of World War II. An estimate by Russian regional governments has placed the cost of renovating, restoring and constructing stadiums at a total sum of GBP2 million to GBP6 million. This includes building stadiums in cities that do not have any professional football teams, like the host city of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games, in Sochi.  Further upkeep and operation of World Cup venues are expected to reach costs of over GBP24, 000, 000. For example, the city of Nizhny Novgorod wishes for Moscow to pay for the upkeep of the stadium for at least three y...

Vicious or vital? Although animal testing is not at the forefront of political debate, it is still a polarising issue. According to Pew Research, 47% of people support experimentation on animals, whereas 50% are opposed to it. PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) states that 100 million animals are used in animal testing per year in the USA alone. Data released by the Home Office, animal experimentation in the UK reached its peak in the 1970s before tailing off; however, it made a resurgence in the early 200s. Animal testing is often used by researchers and scientists to produce drugs and medicines. The results of this research are often applauded by the medical community. Jon Klingborg, president of the California Veterinary Medical Association said, "Their contribution to life-saving advancements in medicine and science for both pets and humans is enormous. Thanks to the last century of animal research, we have achieved life-saving treatments for people and a...