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Alessandra Lopez y Royo argues that ¡°free market principles have changed and ruined the academy¡± (Opinion, 22 August), and states that she would ¡°think long and hard¡± before advising others to carve out a career in?higher education. Julia King notes how universities are looking for business experience on their boards and people with ¡°commercial know-how¡± rather than research?records (¡°Putting women in the frame¡±, 22?August). Meanwhile in the?same issue, ex-footballer Patrick Brady compares education to the sport and makes the point that both social activities are being hit hard by the ¡°invisible hand¡± (¡°Poor results as market moves the goalposts¡±, Letters).

In her review of The Body Economic: Why?Austerity Kills by David Stuckler and Sanjay Basu, Kitty Stewart describes how the government uses the analogy of the household budget to justify cuts (Books, 22 August): Margaret Thatcher used the same ¡°familial interpellation¡± for similar reasons.

I agree with Ruth Farwell that ¡°transformational education¡± to develop ¡°self- and social awareness¡± is a welcome alternative to market forces. However, to counter the continuing onslaught of austerity/immiseration capitalism, and because, as Stewart argues, the cost of politicians listening to ¡°ideology rather than history¡± results not just in lost economic output but also human lives, the priority is not, in Farwell¡¯s words, ¡°emotionally intelligent and caring leaders¡±, but a fundamental change in the way we run society. The best actually existing solution is the anti-racist multicultural socialism in the making in Venezuela. This entails participatory democracy not just in education but also throughout society.

Mike Cole
University of East London