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Andrew Purves

Research subject

Economic rent, inequality and public revenue 鈥� the Singapore model.

Primary supervisor:听Professor Nick Gallent
Secondary supervisor:听Dr Josh Ryan-Collins
Starting date:听January 2019
Completion date:听March 2023
Contact:听Andrew.purves@purves.co.uk

Private appropriation of economic rent from rising land values is increasingly identified as a key cause of rising inequality in advanced economies. Does the public collection of economic rent ensure greater equity? Singapore has been identified and praised for collecting a significant proportion of this rent, having achieved a high level of public ownership of land since independence in 1965. Anne Haila described this system, and Singapore, as a Property State (Haila, 2016). The system aligns with what Gavin Kerr calls Geo-classical liberalism (Kerr, 2017), where strong conditionality applies to land ownership, weak conditionality to wealth creation. Haila鈥檚 concept of the property state was used as a framework to research the socio-economic outcomes in Singapore. The thesis fills a research gap, to provide a detailed analysis of how the system operates, why it was implemented, and reflect on its shortcomings. The public housing programme is considered a success, however, loopholes for significant private appropriation of economic rent by a professional elite remain, which through inheritance will be perpetuated, thus challenging Lee鈥檚 vision of the state鈥檚 foundation on principles of equity and reward for work. Through both quantitative and qualitative analysis of policy and institutional arrangements, I identified a partial implementation of the Geo-classical idea in Singapore, together with its dependence on foreign workers, and the constraints on political expression as potential weaknesses for the survival of an apparently stable polity. An extended Property State framework with a clearer application of Geo-classical principles was suggested as a means to resolve some of these inequities, for the future of Singapore. My contribution illustrates how the Geo-classical theory might be applied fully in Singapore as a more complete model for other jurisdictions.

Biography

Brought up in Hong Kong, Tokyo, New York, Edinburgh, now settled in London. First degree in Modern History and Politics, from Queen Mary College, University of London. I worked in the retail of high end contemporary furniture for over 30 years, establishing my own business: Purves & Purves, in 1992, although I am no longer actively involved.

I took a Masters in Spatial Planning in 2016/18, at the Bartlett School of Planning, UCL, before starting my PhD in 2019.

I have a special interest in the concept of Economic Rent, how it arises and is captured by landowners, teaching Economics with Justice at the School of Philosophy and Economic Science in London, before returning to full time research.

Publications
  • Purves, A, 2023 Singapore鈥檚 imminent expiration of land leases: from growth and equality to discontent and inequality? Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geographie
  • Phoebe Stirling, Frances Brill & Andrew Purves 2022, Conceptualising 鈥榬esidential investment鈥�: separating the inseparable in asset-based economies, International Journal of Housing Policy
  • Phoebe Stirling, Nick Gallent & Andrew Purves, 2022, The assetisation of housing: A macroeconomic resource European Urban and Regional Studies 1-21
  • Purves A, 2021, 鈥淢odels of Fair Public Ownership: Lessons from Hong Kong and Singapore鈥� in Hermann A & Mouatt S (ed.) Contemporary Issues in Heterodox Economics, Routledge, London. pp.191-208
  • Purves, A, 2020, Proposal to use QE to buy land for the Scottish Land Commission,听 Blog post:
  • Purves A, 2019 鈥淢odels of Fair Public Ownership: lessons from Singapore and Hong Kong鈥� Int. J. Public Policy, Vol.15, Nos.1/2 pp.59-75.
  • Purves A, 2015 No Debt High Growth Low Tax- Hong Kong鈥檚 Economic Miracle Explained, Shepheard Walwyn, London
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Conferences
  • Singapore, glass half full or empty, AESOP Conference, Tartu, Estonia, July 2022
  • Singapore, glass half full or empty, Residential Contradictions, Durham, August 2022 Economic rent, inequality and public revenue 鈥� the Singapore model 鈥� a (public) property state? RC21 Conference, Antwerp (online) July 2021
  • Attended AESOP, PhD E-seminar programme, July 2020.
  • Attended PhD Research Day, and Joint conference of AFEP- IIPPE, Lille, July 2019
  • Models of Fair Public Ownership, Association of Heterodox Economics Annual Conference, Leicester University 2018
  • Models of Fair Public Ownership, Institute of New Economic Thinking, Trentino Italy 鈥� Festival of Economics 2018
Teaching

2022/2023 听听听听 Lecturer at LSBU听

  • Planning for Housing, 2nd year Undergraduate module, School of Law and Social Science. Temporary position to cover for Sabbatical

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2019/2021 听听听听 Industry Mentor at听UCL听

  • MA Creative and Collaborative Enterprise programme, Dissertation Mentoring and first marking.

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2022/2023听听听听听听 Postgraduate Teaching Assistant听at听UCL

  • Coordinator for Masters Spatial Planning Concepts and Context module, organising seminar groups, supervising course tutors to deliver seminars, and moderate grades.
  • Moderating seminars for Master students on Spatial Planning Concepts and Context module, (4 seminars per term)
  • Coordinating and marking students鈥� presentations and reading summaries

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2021/2022听听听听听听 Postgraduate Teaching Assistant听at听UCL

Coordinator for Masters Spatial Planning Concepts and Context module, organising seminar groups, supervising course tutors to deliver seminars, and moderate grades. Moderating seminars for undergraduates on Economics of Cities and their Regions module (4 seminars per term); Sustainable Property: Valuation, Investment, Development module; Real Estate Management module
  • Coordinating and marking student鈥檚 presentations and reading summaries
  • Moderate active learning sessions (debates) and marking
Moderating seminars for Master students on Spatial Planning Concepts and Context module, (4 seminars per term)
  • Coordinating and marking students鈥� presentations and reading summaries

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2019/2021 听听听听 Postgraduate Teaching Assistant听at听UCL 听 听 听 听 听

Moderating seminars for undergraduates on Economics of Cities and their Regions and Planning Practices in Europe modules (4 seminars per term)
  • Coordinating and marking student鈥檚 presentations and reading summaries

Moderating seminars for Master students on Spatial Planning Concepts and Context module, (4 seminars per term)

  • Coordinating and marking student鈥檚 presentations and reading summaries

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2006-present听听 Lecturer in the听School of Philosophy and Economic Science

Leading 10-week course in Economics with Justice

  • 2 hour evening classes for adults with a general interest
  • Assisting with course material for 5 modules: Introduction, History of Economic Ideas, Growth and Human Development, Money and Credit, The Commons, Rentier Capitalism

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Enabling & Impact

2023 鈥� present听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Treasurer and Trustee

Henry George Foundation of Great Britain

Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers,

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1997 - present 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Liveryman, Court Assistant 2007-2013

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2002-2014 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Trustee

The Art Academy:

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2006 to 2016 听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Woodwork Section Organiser

Art in Action:

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2008 鈥� 2020 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Trustee, 听and Treasurer from 2011 听

School of Philosophy and Economic Science:

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2017 鈥� present 听听听听听听听听听听 Secretary

Coalition for Economic Justice

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2019 鈥� present 听听听听听听听听听听 Member

Highbury Group on Housing,

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2020 鈥� present听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Chair of the Board of Directors

Waterperry Gardens Ltd.