This exchange is in response to "Self-appointed messiahs of the nanny state", a review of How Much is Enough? by Karen Horn in the July/August issue of Standpoint.

 

Robert Skidelsky:

 

Everyone is aware of the political collapse of socialism, victim of an overambitious attempt to plan the future. Less clearly noticed has been the parallel collapse of traditional Conservatism. In his book, Modern Conservatism (Penguin, 1992), David Willetts recognised that ties of "duty, loyalty, and affiliation" are needed for "free markets" not to be destructive. But he failed to give a convincing answer to the charge that "free markets" undermine the social virtues on which they depend. As he rightly said, Conservatives have always believed in "free

Daniel Johnson: We should begin with Keynes. Robert, you've just published an important new book, The Return of the Master, which has already had a great impact here and abroad. Why is this great economist, who died more than half a century ago, still in your view the key thinker for those who want to understand the present situation, and what part of his legacy do you think is the most important?