Philosphy, Politics and Economics Personal Statement Example

It is my wish to understand the events around the world as fully as possible. In particular, I'm interested in the way economic models affect society and how they relate to political decisions: for instance, what can be done to maximize the growth of a country, and how? I strive to discern the causes behind the success of particular nations and the distribution of wealth in today's world.

Daron Acemoglu's Why Nations Fail gave me an insight into the complex and necessary connection between political environment and economic prosperity. I found his thesis very convincing, according to which only a solid democratic state is able to provide the means to exploit individuals' talents and willpower necessary for the market to grow and benefit the collectivity.

Further readings such as passages from Karl Marx's Capital and Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations, which I've had the chance to compare during my high school exams, contributed towards my choice of taking this course.

While I consider essential the study of politics and economics in order to have a deeper understanding of society, I believe no judgment, even the simpliest, should be made outside of a solid philosophical system. One can't pretend to investigate the world without questioning himself and the reality in which the world itself dwells first.

I therefore look at philosophy as the mother of all academic disciplines. There can be no formulation of an ideal society, for instance, without ethical assumptions aimed at first determining what "ideal" actually means. Likewise, there can be no ethics without a metaphyisical basis.

I think of philosophy and knowledge in general as a series of boxes one within the other: you're not able to find what's in the middle, if you don't open those surrounding it first. As both politics and economics, thus, rely on philosophy, I was immediatly intrigued by the idea of studying all three together.

My passion for the subject stems from the very first classes in which we addressed Protagoras along with the other Sophists, whose relativist school of thought I found to be familiar to my way of thinking.

This motivated me to independently read and comment on passages from their works for a school project. As I've been addressing many great authors throughout the years, I've discovered that my main interest is political philosophy: works such as Niccolo Machiavelli's The Prince and Thomas Hobbes' Leviathan piqued me to further explore this particular branch.

Outside my academic life, I've always done my best to get involved with what my school has had to offer. I've been part of a volunteer group led by my former religion teacher and I partecipated in a theatre project sponsored by the school.

Sports have always played a big role in my life since I was a child. I've recently joined a local rugby team and in the past I used to practice tennis, swimming, gymnastics, basketball and athletics. I also do my best to keep up-to-date with news from around the world, both from Italian and English speaking broadcasts.

In particular, I've been closely following the recent developments in Ukraine, of which I often take occasion to debate. As well as foreign policy, which I'm particularly keen on, I also avidly follow political enactments in my country.

For instance, the recent "Jobs Act" reform launched by the government to contrast unemployment through tax relief to encourage fixed-term employment, is something I often find myself arguing about with both friends and relatives.

High prestige aside, what also really appeals to me about British universities is the student life experience from which I could surely benefit.

From the wide range of activities and clubs offered to the fascinating international contest of which I could be part, I'm convinced that any of these university choices would offer me an amazing, life changing experience.