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CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE JEROM E BURNE is a science w r ite r * JE R EM Y CLARKE is a freelance w rite r DIANE COYLE is econom ics ed i to r of th e Independent and au th o r o f The Weightless World (Capstone) DAVID DONNISON is au th o r o f the fo r th com in g Policiesfor a Just Society (M acm illan) ANDREW FERGUSON is senior editor o f W a sh in g to n ’s The Weekly Standard WINSTON FLETCHER is chairm an o f Bozell UK H o ld ings MARK FREEDLAND is senior professor o f law a t S t John’s College, Oxford SIMON FRITH is d ire c to r o f th e John Logie Baird C en tre a t S trathclyde University TIMOTHY GARTON ASH is th e author o f The File: A Personal History (H arperCollins) HERB GREER is a contributor to The World + I and th e Sunday Telegraph FRED HALLIDAY is professor o f in ternational relations a t th e LSE. H is m o s t recent book is Islam and the Myth o f Confrontation (IB Tauris) JA M E S HARDING is th e F T co rrespondent in China ANTHONY HEAD is a w r ite r based in Japan FRANQOIS HEISBOURG is executive vicep resid en t o f M a tra s , based in Paris PAUL HIRST is professor o f social th eory at B irkbeck College and co -au thor o f Globalisation in Question (Polity Press) DAVID HOWELL is advisory d ire c to r at SBC W a rb u rg D illo n Read JOHN LLOYD is associate ed i to r o f th e N ew Statesman ROSS McKIBBlN is senior professor o f h is to ry a t S t John’s College, Oxford NADINE MEISNER is a dance critic PAUL ORMEROD is chairm an o f Post-O rthodox Economics JOHN PLENDER w rite s for th e F T FRITZ SCHARPF ru n s th e M ax Planck In s t i tu te in Cologne ROGER SCRUTON is a w riter. T h is article f irs t appeared in N ew York’s City Journal POLLY TOYNBEE w rite s for th e Independent GEORGE WALDEN is th e au th o r o f We Should Know Better (F ourth Estate) NICOLAS WALTER is d ire c to r o f T h e Secular Society GEOFF WATTS p resents Medicine Now (BBC) PETER WAYNE is se rv in g 13 years for robbery a t L indholm e prison, Yorkshire GEOFFREY WHEATCROFT is th e au thor o f The Controversy o f Zion (Sinclair Stevenson) CLARE WIGFALL is a s tu d en t a t the U n iv e rs ity o f M anchester 2 PROSPECT January 1998 Prospect Issue twenty-six January 1998 OPINIONS 8 THE GERMAN DISEASE FRITZ SCHARPF says that too many vetoes block political reform in Germany. LUCK OF THE DRAW MARK FREEDLAND AND RO SS M cK IBBlN regret that the National Lottery has destroyed thoughtful betting. 16 DEBATE: GUIDING GLOBAL MARKETS DIANE COYLE AND PAUL HIRST Are capital markets more sensible than governments? ESSAYS 20 FIRST IN EUROPE? TIMOTHY GARTON ASH says Britain has never had it so good in the EU— but Europe itself is in a mess. B a d draw. Page 9 10 DESERT STORM II FRANCOIS HEISBOURG What i f . .. Gadaffi decided to take on the west in North Africa? 1 1 SOCIOLOGY OF KNOWLEDGE DAVID DONNISON says that the cause o f unemployment depends on where you live. 13 TOYS AND THE HUMAN CONDITION PAUL ORMEROD regrets persistent market failure in the toy industry. 14 MEAN STREETS ROGER SCRUTON says that modern street furniture degrades citizens. Posted w ith confidence. Page 14 Spicy fu tu re ? Page 20 25 ANNUS MEMORABILIS GEOFFREY WHEATCROFT Two events defined 1997. What do they tell us about Britain? Good-bye rose... Page 25 29 CHINAS CULTURELESS REVOLUTION JA M E S HARDING Chinese life today is more colourful outside the cinema than inside— the mass media remain stifled. 34 THE NEW CLASS JOHN LLOYD Institutionalised corruption and criminality have eaten into Russia’s soul. It is getting worse.
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Fundam ental change? Page 41 PORTRAIT 41 MOHAMMAD KHATAMI FRED HALLIDAY Can a liberal cleric rise to the challenge of reforming Iranian politics? SHORT STORY 47 HER AND THE BABY C LARE WIGFALL She wore a blue dress and had candles round her head; then I noticed the baby. W ITNESS 52 DANCING ON THE EDGE GEORGE WALDEN Castro may still be in power, but the hookers rule the streets o f Havana. RESEARCH 57 THE ROOTS OF PERSONALITY JE ROM E BURNE How much influence do parents really have on their children’s behaviour? Less than you think. N o more propaganda. Page 29 REVIEWS 62 BONFIRE STILL BLAZES ANDREW FERGUSON considers Tom Wolfe’s The Bonfire o f the Vanities ten years on. 65 ON MUSICAL THEATRE HERB GREER Opera, musical— what’s the difference? 66 JAPAN AND THE WORLD DAVID HOWELL says that Japan does not need to save the world. Does she love me? Page 47 67 USEFUL STUFF? NICOLAS WALTER Do we still need Whitaker’s Almanack? 68 WHAT’S WRONG WITH BALLET? NADINE MEISNER says that ballet may be doomed. 70 SOUND AND FURY SIMON FRITH I will go on listening to popular music— whatever Roger Scruton says. 72 VERY BAD BOYS PETER WAYNE A prisoner considers the Bulger trial. DIGEST 76 Tony Blair’s dirty washing. REGULARS 4/74-5 LETTERS Steven Lukes replies to John Gray. 5 CURIOSITIES 6 MODERN MANNERS JE R EM Y C LARKE Hideous haggling at Christmas. 46 THE BUSINESS JO HN PLENDER W rong lesson from Leon Blum. 50 THE PRISONER PETER WAYNE is dragged to the punishment cell. 55 THE LIST Prospect’s choice o f lectures. 56 LETTER FROM TOKYO ANTHONY HEAD is fed up with Japanese roadworks. 60 THE LAB GEOFF WATTS How can doctors stay informed? 61 CHOICES Prospect’s pick o f the arts. 64 BABEL WINSTON FLETCHER Good-bye to handwriting. 78 CROSSWORD DIDYMUS 79 BRUSSELS DIARY MANNEKEN P IS The race for Santer’s job is now on. 80 PREVIOUS CONVICTIONS POLLY TOYNBEE horrifies her feminist friends. PROSPECT .January 1998 3

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Fundam ental change? Page 41

PORTRAIT 41 MOHAMMAD KHATAMI FRED HALLIDAY Can a liberal cleric rise to the challenge of reforming Iranian politics?

SHORT STORY 47 HER AND THE BABY C LARE WIGFALL She wore a blue dress and had candles round her head; then I noticed the baby.

W ITNESS 52 DANCING ON THE EDGE GEORGE WALDEN Castro may still be in power, but the hookers rule the streets o f Havana.

RESEARCH 57 THE ROOTS OF PERSONALITY JE ROM E BURNE How much influence do parents really have on their children’s behaviour? Less than you think.

N o more propaganda. Page 29

REVIEWS

62 BONFIRE STILL BLAZES ANDREW FERGUSON considers Tom Wolfe’s The Bonfire o f the Vanities ten years on.

65 ON MUSICAL THEATRE HERB GREER Opera, musical— what’s the difference?

66 JAPAN AND THE WORLD DAVID HOWELL says that Japan does not need to save the world.

Does she love me? Page 47

67 USEFUL STUFF? NICOLAS WALTER Do we still need Whitaker’s Almanack?

68 WHAT’S WRONG WITH BALLET? NADINE MEISNER says that ballet may be doomed.

70 SOUND AND FURY SIMON FRITH I will go on listening to popular music— whatever Roger Scruton says.

72 VERY BAD BOYS PETER WAYNE A prisoner considers the Bulger trial.

DIGEST 76 Tony Blair’s dirty washing.

REGULARS 4/74-5 LETTERS Steven Lukes replies to John Gray.

5 CURIOSITIES 6 MODERN MANNERS JE R EM Y C LARKE Hideous haggling at Christmas.

46 THE BUSINESS JO HN PLENDER W rong lesson from Leon Blum.

50 THE PRISONER PETER WAYNE is dragged to the punishment cell.

55 THE LIST Prospect’s choice o f lectures.

56 LETTER FROM TOKYO ANTHONY HEAD is fed up with Japanese roadworks.

60 THE LAB GEOFF WATTS How can doctors stay informed?

61 CHOICES Prospect’s pick o f the arts.

64 BABEL WINSTON FLETCHER Good-bye to handwriting.

78 CROSSWORD DIDYMUS

79 BRUSSELS DIARY MANNEKEN P IS The race for Santer’s job is now on.

80 PREVIOUS CONVICTIONS POLLY TOYNBEE horrifies her feminist friends.

PROSPECT .January 1998 3

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