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Politics, philosophy & economics (ppe) personal statement example 3.

In this day and age virtually every aspect of our lives may be considered political. My passion to study Politics stems from this tenet and a belief that a comprehension of Politics is integral to understanding the current state of humanity.

However, I believe that to approach Politics without appreciating the ethical motivations and implications of political decisions, as well as the economic context of political events, would be futile. My study of Mathematics will be advantageous in learning the quantitative aspects of Economics.

Moreover the intellectual clarity of Mathematics and Physics has equipped me with a logical rigour useful in Philosophy. Through History I have developed a greater understanding of Politics through analysis of Gladstone and Disraeli and of Russia's transition from autocracy to communism.

The course has altered my perceptions of the extent to which politicians must approach situations pragmatically, not simply ideologically, in order to achieve their goals.

I have explored this theme in my additional reading; in 'Thatcher and Thatcherism' Eric J Evans challenged many of my pre-conceptions about Margaret Thatcher, her ideology and the extent to which, like similarly ideologically driven politicians such as Lenin, she was forced to make concessions for wider political gain.

Economics fascinates me and I have enjoyed reading Edmund Conway's '50 Economics Ideas You Really Need to Know' to gain a basic understanding. Reading 'Micromotives and Macrobehaviour', I was intrigued by the use of Econometrics in modelling human behaviour.

It forced me to question my belief that desirable social outcomes, such as racial integration, can be achieved without government intervention.

My confidence in laissez-faire was again brought into question by reading 'False Dawn' by John Gray, as I found his condemnation of the propensity of free markets to exacerbate social ills compelling.

Notwithstanding this, I found merit in many arguments in favour of markets put forward by Friedman in 'Capitalism and Freedom', notably his claim that economic and political freedoms are inextricably linked; this reaffirmed the importance of studying Politics alongside Economics. I have read several introductory texts regarding Philosophy and recently attended a Philosophy conference at York University.

Reading 'Religion for Atheists' by Alain de Botton, I considered the author's analysis of humanity's emotional needs very valuable, yet was frustrated by the impracticality of many of his recommendations, for example to reduce the emphasis on vocational education.

This has confirmed my desire to study Philosophy alongside the practical disciplines of Politics and Economics. The History: Race and Protest course at the Oxford University UNIQ summer school, accompanied by Stephen Tuck's 'We Ain't What We Ought to Be,' fundamentally altered my perception of racial inequality, by presenting a far harsher portrayal of the struggle for civil rights than the often diluted version present in much of the media.

I have also examined inequality from a philosophical angle, through reading Rousseau's 'Second Discourse'.

Whilst I agreed with his arguments regarding the origins of political inequality, I found myself opposed to his claims regarding the state of nature, particularly that humans would naturally live alone, a claim which appears contrary to modern knowledge of early human society. Next year I look forward to expanding my knowledge of PPE, but also to fully immersing myself in the extra-curricular aspects of university.

I enjoy playing Rugby and Hockey, run Chess Club, am a member of a Boys' Vocal Group and the Sixth Form Debating society; served on the latter for two years as its youngest member.

Having always enjoyed debating ideological issues as well as current affairs I also organised a talk regarding the importance of the separation of church and state delivered by Michael Meadowcroft.

Profile info

This personal statement was written by finnplees for application in 2014.

finnplees's university choices The University of Durham University of Leeds The University of Hull Oxford University The University of York

Green : offer made Red : no offer made

finnplees's Comments

I felt this was a moderately good personal statement. It got me 5 offers, including ones from Oxford (where I am currently a student) and Durham.

This personal statement is unrated

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Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE)

Author: cameron thompson, applied in: winter 2013, university offers: oxford, warwick, durham, nottingham, sheffield.

What excites me about PPE is not only that it encompasses three fundamental issues in understanding the world - how we should allocate resources, be governed, and make moral judgements - but also that the three disciplines are seen as complementary, not separate subjects. This attracts me hugely to the course, as it is where Philosophy, Politics and Economics overlap that I find them most gripping.

In personal reading and in regular attendance at public lectures at the LSE, the Adam Smith Institute and Gresham College I have met a rich seam of new ideas, which have spurred an academic interest in areas previously unknown. Particularly informative were lectures on the relationship between globalisation and inequality, the market's role in climate change, and Isaiah Berlin's Two Concepts of Liberty.

I am fascinated by the link between politics and economics; I investigated this link in writing an essay on the politics of NHS reform, and reading Why Nations Fail by James A. Robinson and Daron Acemoglu. They asserted political and economic inclusivity as vital in promoting long-term economic growth. A point of personal interest was the economics of incentives; their analysis of the collapse of growth in the USSR, growth which relied on capital accumulation and forced re-allocation of labour from agriculture to more productive industries by the state, was convincing. I found persuasive their theory that the extractive nature of economic institutions, which often remove the incentive to increase productivity and to innovate, can slow growth. However, I felt sympathy with the view that state involvement can accelerate the growth of nascent industries and alleviate poverty. An interest was sparked in Institution Theory, and enabled me to look at long-term economic performance without relying on traditional explanations like geography, culture, economic policy or pure historical contingency.

Reading polar perspectives has allowed a clearer insight into the philosophical basis of different economic theories. Arthur Seldon's assertion in Capitalism that the state was preceded more effectively in provision of unemployment welfare and health by private individuals was stimulating, but I thought it would be naive to assume the market can provide the nation-wide availability that government can.

Reading The Communist Manifesto and observing Marx's use of language to re-define private property as an oppressive concept and as something owned only by a minority emphasised to me the importance of rhetorical devices in political texts. Exploring this, I read Orwell's Politics and the English Language. I found compelling his idea that linguistic style and the use of rhetoric to hide truths are inseparable and was convinced by the essay, even if I found his "six-rule remedy" (which he often broke) too impractical.

To learn from peers and develop my own ideas, I attend and have lectured at the School's Eco-nomics Society and I co-chair the School's Political Society, where mediating debate has taught me to analyse arguments and their weaknesses. Work experience at Cause4, a charitable-sector consultancy, led to an interest in the changing relationship between charities and government in straitened times. I study sign language and volunteer in a school for deaf children - along with my positions as House Captain and Prefect, this has developed my ability to communicate and to work in a team setting. Balancing the large reading list for English Pre-U with the equally challenging German course - wherein I have started a personal investigation into the contribution of German thinkers to European philosophy - has been critical in improving my analysis and essay-writing skills. I have also found Maths A-Level hugely helpful in approaching problems methodically and appreciating data-based issues. I hope in the future to immerse myself in the study of ideas, and to be stretched in an environment where debate and logical argument are paramount.

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