Oct 20, 2008

It’s in your self-interest to cycle to work

I can’t think of many bicycle catalogues which lead with concepts from free-market economists and find it strangely wonderful that a bicycle co-op has done so. The new Winter 2008/09 catalogue from Edinburgh Bicycle Cooperative cites the ideas of Adam Smith to promote cycling to work.

Adam Smith [1723-1790], the author of The Wealth of Nations, is a favourite of right-wing arch-capitalists, a poster child for Reagonomics, even.

Perhaps this is the first time he’s been wheeled out to posthumously support Scotland’s best ever export, cycling?

Edinburgh’s Ged Holmyard writes:

“If you are concerned about the economic downturn, you could do a lot worse than go back to the father of economics,

“This leading light of the Edinburgh Enlightenment espoused the notion that the behaviour of rational people is governed by enlightened self interest. It’s hard to think of a better example of enlightened self-interest than giving up the car and taking to 2 wheels. Do that and you’re pretty much guaranteed to save yourself a 4-figure sum (that’s the self-interest part) whilst dramatically reducing your carbon footprint (that’s the enlightened part).

“And if divorcing the car is a step too far, riding to work even 3 days a week could easily save you hundreds of pounds a year, while contributing to your fitness and well-being.”

Way to go, Ged! I might just use that as a quote in the Bike to Work Book.

Meanwhile, Ged emailed me to point out that Adam Smith isn’t just a brainiac of the Right:

“Although the Right love to appropriate Adam Smith, he has been highly regarded by many Left wing thinkers too, including Karl Marx.”

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