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Ernest Benn

December 18, 2023

Sir Ernest John Pickstone Benn, 2nd Baronet, CBE (25 June 1875 – 17 January 1954) was a British publisher, writer and political publicist. His father, John Benn, was a politician, who had been made a baronet in 1914. He was an uncle of the Labour politician Tony Benn.

Biography edit

Benn was born in Oxted, Surrey. He attended the Central Foundation Boys' School.[1] As a civil servant in the Ministry of Munitions and Reconstruction during the First World War he came to believe in the benefits of state intervention in the economy. In the mid-1920s, however, he changed his mind and adopted "the principles of undiluted laissez-faire".[2]

From his conversion to classical liberalism in the mid-1920s until his death in 1954 Benn published more than twenty books and an equivalent amount of pamphlets propagating his ideas. His The Confessions of a Capitalist was originally published in 1925 and was still in print twenty years later after selling a quarter of a million copies.[3] In it, he rejected the labour theory of value and argued that wealth is a by-product of exchange.

Benn admired Samuel Smiles and in a letter to The Times Benn claimed ideological descent from leading classical liberals:

In the ideal state of affairs, no one would record a vote in an election until he or she had read the eleven volumes of Jeremy Bentham and the whole of the works of John Stuart Mill, Herbert Spencer and Bastiat as well as Morley's Life of Cobden.[4]

Benn was also a member of the Reform Club and a founder of what would become the Society for Individual Freedom.[citation needed]

Family edit

Benn married at the parish church, Edgbaston, on 3 January 1903 Gwendoline Dorothy Andrews.[5] Their son John Andrews Benn (1904–1984) succeeded as 3rd Baronet.

Ernest Benn Limited edit

Main article: Ernest Benn Limited

Benn was also a principal and manager of the publishing firm Benn Brothers, later Ernest Benn, Ltd.

Quotes edit

"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it whether it exists or not, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedies."[6]

This quote is often misattributed to Groucho Marx, with slightly different wording ("Politics is the art of looking for trouble; finding it everywhere, diagnosing it wrongly, and applying unsuitable remedies").[7]

Books edit

  • The Trade of To-morrow, (London: Jarrolds Publishers (London) Limited, 1917; New York: E. P. Dutton & Co., 1918)
  • The Trade as a Science (London: Jarrold & Sons, ca. 1917)
  • Trade Parliaments and their Work (London: Nisbet & Co. Ltd., 1918)
  • The Confessions of a Capitalist (London: Hutchinson, 1925; London: Ernest Benn Limited, 1948)
  • If I Were a Labour Leader (New York: C. Scribner's Sons, 1926)
  • The Return to Laisser Faire (New York: D. Appleton & Company, 1929)
  • About Russia (New York: D. Appleton and Co., 1930)
  • Debt (London: Ernest Benn Limited, 1938)
  • Happier Days: Recollections and Reflections (London: Ernest Benn Limited, 1949)
  • Governed to Death (London: Society of Individualists, 1948; New York: National Economic Council, 1949)
  • The State, the Enemy (London: Ernest Benn Limited, 1953)

Notes edit

  1. ^ . Central Foundation Boys' School. 2013. Archived from the original on 3 October 2015. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
  2. ^ Deryck Abel, Ernest Benn: Counsel for Liberty (London: Benn, 1960), p. 11.
  3. ^ W. H. Greenleaf, The British Political Tradition. Volume II: The Ideological Heritage (London: Methuen, 1983), p. 302.
  4. ^ Ernest Benn, The Letters of an Individualist to The Times, 1921-1926 (London: Benn, 1927), p. 13.
  5. ^ "Marriages". The Times. No. 36969. London. 5 January 1903. p. 1.
  6. ^ Henry Powell Spring, What is Truth?, Orange Press, 1944, p. 31
  7. ^ Gyles Brandreth, Word Play: A cornucopia of puns, anagrams and other contortions and curiosities of the English language, Coronet, 2015.

Further reading edit

  • Deryck Abel, Ernest Benn: Counsel for Liberty, London: Ernest Benn Ltd., 1960.

External links edit

Honorary titles
Preceded by High Sheriff of the County of London
1932–1933 		Succeeded by
Baronetage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Baronet
(of Old Knoll)
1922–1954 		Succeeded by
John Benn

December 18, 2023
ernest, benn, ernest, john, pickstone, benn, baronet, june, 1875, january, 1954, british, publisher, writer, political, publicist, father, john, benn, politician, been, made, baronet, 1914, uncle, labour, politician, tony, benn, contents, biography, family, li. Sir Ernest John Pickstone Benn 2nd Baronet CBE 25 June 1875 17 January 1954 was a British publisher writer and political publicist His father John Benn was a politician who had been made a baronet in 1914 He was an uncle of the Labour politician Tony Benn Contents 1 Biography 2 Family 3 Ernest Benn Limited 4 Quotes 5 Books 6 Notes 7 Further reading 8 External linksBiography editBenn was born in Oxted Surrey He attended the Central Foundation Boys School 1 As a civil servant in the Ministry of Munitions and Reconstruction during the First World War he came to believe in the benefits of state intervention in the economy In the mid 1920s however he changed his mind and adopted the principles of undiluted laissez faire 2 From his conversion to classical liberalism in the mid 1920s until his death in 1954 Benn published more than twenty books and an equivalent amount of pamphlets propagating his ideas His The Confessions of a Capitalist was originally published in 1925 and was still in print twenty years later after selling a quarter of a million copies 3 In it he rejected the labour theory of value and argued that wealth is a by product of exchange Benn admired Samuel Smiles and in a letter to The Times Benn claimed ideological descent from leading classical liberals In the ideal state of affairs no one would record a vote in an election until he or she had read the eleven volumes of Jeremy Bentham and the whole of the works of John Stuart Mill Herbert Spencer and Bastiat as well as Morley s Life of Cobden 4 Benn was also a member of the Reform Club and a founder of what would become the Society for Individual Freedom citation needed Family editBenn married at the parish church Edgbaston on 3 January 1903 Gwendoline Dorothy Andrews 5 Their son John Andrews Benn 1904 1984 succeeded as 3rd Baronet Ernest Benn Limited editMain article Ernest Benn Limited Benn was also a principal and manager of the publishing firm Benn Brothers later Ernest Benn Ltd Quotes edit Politics is the art of looking for trouble finding it whether it exists or not diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies 6 This quote is often misattributed to Groucho Marx with slightly different wording Politics is the art of looking for trouble finding it everywhere diagnosing it wrongly and applying unsuitable remedies 7 Books editThe Trade of To morrow London Jarrolds Publishers London Limited 1917 New York E P Dutton amp Co 1918 The Trade as a Science London Jarrold amp Sons ca 1917 Trade Parliaments and their Work London Nisbet amp Co Ltd 1918 The Confessions of a Capitalist London Hutchinson 1925 London Ernest Benn Limited 1948 If I Were a Labour Leader New York C Scribner s Sons 1926 The Return to Laisser Faire New York D Appleton amp Company 1929 About Russia New York D Appleton and Co 1930 Debt London Ernest Benn Limited 1938 Happier Days Recollections and Reflections London Ernest Benn Limited 1949 Governed to Death London Society of Individualists 1948 New York National Economic Council 1949 The State the Enemy London Ernest Benn Limited 1953 Notes edit Alumni Central Foundation Boys School 2013 Archived from the original on 3 October 2015 Retrieved 9 October 2015 Deryck Abel Ernest Benn Counsel for Liberty London Benn 1960 p 11 W H Greenleaf The British Political Tradition Volume II The Ideological Heritage London Methuen 1983 p 302 Ernest Benn The Letters of an Individualist to The Times 1921 1926 London Benn 1927 p 13 Marriages The Times No 36969 London 5 January 1903 p 1 Henry Powell Spring What is Truth Orange Press 1944 p 31 Gyles Brandreth Word Play A cornucopia of puns anagrams and other contortions and curiosities of the English language Coronet 2015 Further reading editDeryck Abel Ernest Benn Counsel for Liberty London Ernest Benn Ltd 1960 External links editErnest Benn biography and quotations Catalogue of Benn s papers held at the Modern Records Centre University of Warwick Ernest J P Benn at Library of Congress with about 40 library catalogue recordsHonorary titlesPreceded byThe Hon Alexander Shaw High Sheriff of the County of London1932 1933 Succeeded byCharles HambroBaronetage of the United KingdomPreceded byJohn Benn Baronet of Old Knoll 1922 1954 Succeeded byJohn Benn Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ernest Benn amp oldid 1179615844, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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