Power cut?

How many light bulbs does it take to change the world?

The bric road to growth

Trade wars

Why fight poverty?

This book looks back at the struggle to rid the country of poverty and asks if the struggle is worth it. What would a poverty free country be like if we could overcome the obstacles which impede progress?

Rediscovering growth

Western economies face huge political obstacles to reforms that would boost productivity and growth - continuing stagnation is far more likely. Businesses and policymakers need to adjust to the new reality. And the quicker they do so, the more likely it is that economic prospects will eventually ...

Introduction to democracy

The experience of free banking

The Experience of Free Banking is a collection of historical case studies of free banking, which is an historic term to describe a system in which banks issue their own notes, without the presence of a central bank.

Guide to reform

Countries that embrace free-market reforms experience rapid improvements in living standards. This book examines the political obstacles to reform and identifies ways round them. It shows why reforms are needed and which direction they should take, drawing on the experiences of more than a dozen ...

Utility regulation

The tyranny of nostalgia

This book describes and interprets the economic and political history of the past half a century, examining the challenges confronted by successive governments and their chancellors, the policies employed for good or ill, and – running through it all – the desperate search for a panacea that coul...

Private money

Training too much?

Should we mind the gap?

Differences in the earnings of women and men are being used to justify regulation of the private affairs of employers and employees. This book argues that complete equality of pay is impossible to achieve in a free society of any complexity.

The role of business in the modern world

Argues if we ask businesses to achieve broader social goals, we risk undermining the very system in which business activity leads to opportunity and prosperity. This book describes the material progress that has occurred as a result of the wide-ranging entrepreneurial opportunities and competitiv...

Hiv and aids in schools

Examines the materials being used by schools in HIV/Aids teaching and how teachers approach the subject. This book argues that because of material provided by pressure groups, teachers are exaggerating the Aids problem and failing to stress the extent to which the risk of infection depends on beh...

Economics: a complete guide for business

Scaling the heights: thought leadership, liberal values and the history of the mont pelerin society

The Mont Pelerin Society brings together individuals to defend, support and promote liberal values across the globe.

Good money

Private Enterprise and the Foundation of Modern Coinage

Elephants & ivory

A better politics

This book looks at the evidence for a successful politics that would promote happiness and health. It suggests policies that take account of this evidence. Government can and should work to make us happier.

The quantity theory of money: a new restatement

Tim Congdon restates and uses the quantity theory of money to explain why inflation reached a 40-year high after Covid-19. While most economists expected prices to fall, Congdon correctly forecast that the resulting expansionary measures would cause an inflation flare-up.

Fifty economic fallacies exposed (revised)

European institutions as an interest group

The institutions of the European Union are gaining more and more power at the expense of national and local governments, as well as individuals and private businesses. This book explains increasing centralization by analyzing the economic incentives at work.

An introduction to economic inequality

If you could instantly make the world’s poor twice as rich – but at the same time make the world’s rich twice as prosperous – wouldn’t you do it? This intriguing question lies at the core of An Introduction to Economic Inequality.

What's the use of economics

The gap between important real-word problems and the workhorse mathematical model-based economics being taught to students has become a chasm. This book examines what economists need to bring to their jobs, and the way in which economics education in universities could be improved to fit them bet...

Inflation is about more than money

In "Inflation Is About More Than Money", Brian Griffiths charts recent history and policy developments with regard to inflation. He sees inflation as a moral problem: a form of taxation and deceit that those in positions of authority should always seek to address. Considering a range of theoretic...

Apocalypse next: the economics of global catastrophic risks

Stephen Davies analyses the potential catastrophes – from nuclear war and climate change to further pandemics, the misuse of Artificial Intelligence and more – that could jeopardise our planet and its people. He examines how we assess these risks, and what we can do about them, firmly believing t...

Welfare state we're in (revised & updated)

Fallacy of the mixed economy

There is a resurgence of interest in the 'Austrian School' of economics, notably the work of Menger, Mises and Hayek. In contrast to neoclassical economics, the Austrian school has always emphasised the importance of incorporating differences in knowledge, beliefs and expectations into economic a...

Driverless cars: on a road to nowhere

Working to rule

Fair trade without the froth

When it comes to the purchase of everyday goods such as coffee, tea and sugar, most consumers believe that sellers of Fair Trade products occupy the high moral ground. Despite its strong statements, however, the claims of the Fair Trade movement have not been tested properly. This important study...

Vote motive 2nd edn pb (second edition, second)

In this classic introductory public choice text, Gordon Tullock analyses the motives and activities of politicians, civil servants and voters. Government 'servants' can most likely be assumed to be pursuing their own interests, just like those in the private sector, although, given the coercive p...

The legal team of the future: law+ skills

The legal profession needs more than law. Whether you are a student, a law school, a university, a law firm or an in-house legal team, The Legal Team of the Future is the definitive guide to understanding and building the holistic skills required of those working in legal services now and in the ...

The euro

At the outset of the euro, there was strong opposition to Britain's participation from most free-market economists. However, economists took more nuanced positions with regards to participation by the majority of current euro zone member states. Indeed, continental free-market economists were gen...

Utility regulation and competition policy

Presents a collection of papers from the Beesley Lecture series on regulation held jointly by the IEA and the London Business School in the autumn of 2000. The chapters in this volume are followed by comments made by the chairman.

Saving our streams

Founded in 1948, the Anglers' Conservation Association (ACA) is a voluntary association of angling clubs and individual anglers which brings civil suits against polluters who harm fishing. This title explains the history of this unusual and remarkably effective 'environmental' organisation.

Free trade, 'fairness' and the new protectionism

Are trams socialist?

Advertising in a free society (critical)

The subject of advertising is often treated with indifference by economists and disdain by the public. Indeed, from time-to-time, there have been calls to ban advertising. Though there has been no general ban, advertising has been prohibited in some sectors and further regulation in this field is...

Good to go? decarbonising travel after the pandemic

This book offers a comprehensive overview of the transport system. It looks at how it has developed, at how it will need to evolve to meet our need for travel – sustainably and economically – and at what our options are for meeting those needs.

Islamic foundations of a free society

Catholic social thought, the market and public policy

The last few decades have seen huge reductions in global poverty; improvements in education and healthcare; and, perhaps surprisingly to some, dramatic reductions in global inequality. We now seem to be entering a different era. Economic progress in richer countries seems to have stalled – not le...

Changing london

Changing London is a rough guide for the next Mayor capturing the radical but practical ideas of the people of London with a pioneering and collaborative approach to politics. This is the book the voters wrote and vital reading for those who would be Mayor, and those who will decide.

Britain's relative economic performance, 1870-1999

Judgments about Britain's economic performance are made often based on inadequate evidence. This paper assembles the evidence, places performance in a long run context and makes judgements about whether Britain suffers from absolute or relative decline. It provides information about economic tren...

Flaws and ceilings

Socialism

Socialism is strangely impervious to refutation by real-world experience.

A tribute to peter bauer

Peter Bauer (Lord Bauer) was an economist of considerable influence, particularly on the prevailing wisdom about the value of foreign aid. This title includes a transcript of a conversation with Lord Bauer in which he speaks about his career, his interactions with other economists and his contrib...

Utility regulation in competitive markets

Contains chapters on a number of prominent concerns, including changes in the British system of utility regulation, the spectrum allocation question, liberalisation of EU energy markets, security of supply issues, reform in the European postal sector, the future of rail regulation, the cost of ca...

Does britain need a financial regulator?

It is difficult to imagine financial markets without a state regulator. But it was not so long ago that financial markets in Britain developed their own regulation, without government intervention. This monograph examines the economic case for a statutory regulator of investment transactions and ...

Catastrophe and systemic change: learning from the grenfell tower fire and other disasters

Catastrophe and Systemic Change focuses on the Grenfell Tower fire and uses it as a detailed case study to examine the issue of how we (don't) learn from disasters and catastrophes. The mantra "lessons will be learned" is often just a fig leaf to cover inaction. The Covid-19 pandemic may well be ...

Taming leviathan

In the last fifty years, many aspects of socialism have been rolled back around the world. Indeed, in the 1990s, following the collapse of communism in Central and Eastern Europe, it seemed as if classical liberal ideas had triumphed. But this did not happen by accident. The role of free-market t...

Money, inflation and the constitutional position of central bank

There are at least three requirements for an economy to maintain stable prices. This book brings together two classic IEA papers, and explains how the Institutional arrangements for central banks should be developed to deliver stable prices and, importantly, to influence inflation expectations.

The way out of the pensions quagmire

Presents an analysis of the problems of pension provision in the UK and a plan for reform. This book proposes a holistic approach to pension reform that takes proper account of the interaction between pensions, tax, social security and financial regulation.

Before babylon, beyond bitcoin

Technology is changing money and this book looks at where it might be taking us.

Circle back!

Circle Back! is a tongue-in-cheek A–Z guide to the weird and often perplexing world of corporate jargon.

Forging europe's leadership

The world has been splintered by geopolitics and yet is still bound by inter­dependence. As competition between the world’s great powers surges, multiple trends point towards the collapse of the international order. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine marks a tipping point, potentially turning an...

Technology is not neutral

Technology Is Not Neutral: A Short Guide to Technology Ethics addresses one of today’s most pressing problems: how to create and use tools and technologies to maximize benefits and minimize harms?

Capitalism

Recent surveys reveal a large portion of the British population to have a dim view of capitalism. And many on the political left, including the current leadership of the Labour Party, are committed to overthrowing it. That would be a disaster because, as Eamonn Butler argues in this introduction ...

The weaponization of trade

Rescuing social capital from social democracy

This book examines the complex relationships between social capital, markets and democracy. It argues that participation in markets positively enriches and enhances the stock of social capital, while, conversely, democratic politics may undermine it by facilitating divisive rent-seeking by specia...

Adam smith

Despite his fame, there is still widespread ignorance about the breadth of Adam Smiths contributions to economics, politics and philosophy. In ADAM SMITH -- A PRIMER, Eamonn Butler provides an authoritative introduction to the life and work of this founder of economics. The author examines not on...

The euro as politics

States that the British Government has focused the discussion on the adoption of the Euro on its economic consequences. This title argues that the UK should seek to build a free-trade Europe based upon competition and not based upon harmonization of regulation and laws.

The post-growth project

Post-communist transition

China, trade and power: why the west’s economic engagement has failed

Against the grain

The economics of international development

The authors challenge the assumption that we can bring about economic development and promote liberal democracies through direct foreign intervention - whether economic or military intervention. The lead author, William Easterly, drawing on his wide experience at the World Bank and as an academic...

The circular economy and green jobs in the eu and beyond

The circular economy is a model of production and consumption that is underpinned by a transition to renewable energy and materials. It is a resilient system that is good for business, people and the environment. "The Circular Economy and Green Jobs in the EU and Beyond" examines what the circula...

The service organization

All organizations are becoming service organizations. But most weren’t built to deliver services successfully end-to-end, and the human, operational and financial impacts are abundantly clear. In the digital era the stakes are even higher, given how rapidly services change. Yet default working pr...

Why study history?

The government debt iceberg

Capitalism, morality and markets

Killjoys

Crises of governments

In this short book, Robert Barro, one of the world's leading economists, examines the causes and consequences of the financial crash. In particular, he looks at the effects of fiscal stimulus packages and suggests that, whilst they may lead to an immediate positive impact on growth, the effect wi...

Why free speech matters

The business of history

Why are today’s businesses as they are? Building on WH "Beable’s Romance of Great Businesses", a description of 32 significant companies published a century ago, this book explores how some British commercial icons started, evolved and then coped with an ever-more-complex economic environment.

Killjoys

Black wednesday

Discusses the contribution of ERM membership to Britain's economic performance. This book suggests that Britain joined the ERM 'in despair' after trying various methods of controlling monetary growth without the success that had been anticipated. It discusses how the membership was a precondition...

Raising the roof

The poverty of development economics

Forever contemporary

Policy stability and economic growth

Does advertising increase smoking?

New paternalism meets older wisdom: looking to smith and hume on rationality, welfare and behavioural economics

Erik Matson argues that the new paternalist approach to policy is far too prescriptive, relying on inappropriate conceptions of rationality and welfare, and he looks to the works of Adam Smith and David Hume for a richer vision.

Imperial measurement: a cost–benefit analysis of western colonialism

Kristian Niemietz looks at the economics of imperialism, drawing on data from various European colonial empires to cast doubt on the claim that empire was a crucial factor in the West’s rise to prosperity. Instead, far from being a story of plunder leading to sustained growth, the story of empire...

Assessment and problem-based learning in the law curriculum

Assessment and Problem-Based Learning in the Law Curriculum addresses one of the big questions in legal education: how to adapt curriculum and assessment design for the skills development and employability agenda. The book explores the practical challenges faced by law schools in adapting to the ...

Changing london

Unions resurgent? the past, present and uncertain future of trade unions in britain

In this book, J.R. Shackleton examines the history and economics of trade unionism, how the movement has shaped Britain’s economic landscape, and whether the landslide victory achieved by Labour in the 2024 general election will lead to a resurgence in union power and influence.

Adjudicating construction and engineering disputes

This book provides a comprehensive guide to the process of construction industry adjudication from the perspective of the adjudicator. It covers the whole process of adjudication, from the initial enquiry through case management, the conduct of the proceedings, the production of the Decision and ...

Self employment

Considers issues that are central to our understanding of self-employment in the UK. This title offers a review on the evidence of the role of self employment and entrepreneurship in employment creation. It also considers self-employment as a route for advancement of many groups in society that f...

Pricing our roads

Uses geographical and economic modeling to examine the potential effects of different types of road user charging schemes. This title explains the results of the modeling. It also looks at the implications of road user charging and identify other policy areas that policymakers would need to consi...

A heretic's manifesto

We need more heretics. Throughout history, it has been those brave enough to puncture the prevailing groupthink who have propelled society forward. But they are in shockingly short supply today. In this collection of original essays, Brendan O’Neill remakes the case for heresy – and commits a few...

Breaking up is hard to do

A conversation with harris and seldon

From the mid 1950s to the late 1980s, the authors battled against a conventional wisdom which was hostile to markets. They worked for the IEA. This title provides many insights into how they worked and what obstacles they encountered.