IEA Blog

Eighty years ago the Austrian economist Ludwig von Mises showed how a supposedly “targeted” state intervention in a free economy … Continue reading “Mises’ “Critique of Interventionism” restaged in Venezuela”

Sir Liam Donaldson’s proposal for a minimum price per unit of alcohol is a novel addition to the long list … Continue reading “Thinking about drinking”

I now have to admit that I was unduly optimistic about the UK response to the crash regarding the future … Continue reading “Regulators are rewarded for failure”

Past experience is the foundation on which our beliefs about the desirability of different policies and institutions are mainly based … Continue reading “An alternative history: how poverty fell under Thatcherism”

●  Don Boudreaux sets out the unsung successes of the market ●  Ruth Lea warns that very low interest rates … Continue reading “Economics on the web (11.03.09)”

Benefit rates are set to rise substantially next month. State pensions will rise by 5%, while means-tested payments, such as … Continue reading “Are large benefit increases wise in a recession?”

Quantitative easing has become such a buzzword that it has now become known by its initials – QE. On a … Continue reading “Quantitative easing: we need another Lawson”

Surely Gordon Brown needs a new speech writer. Apparently the US Congress voted with their feet, with the empty seats being … Continue reading “Gordon’s speech to Congress”

At a time when both public deficits and government spending are increasing (bank bailouts and stimulus packages), there is immense … Continue reading “Tax havens: the search for scapegoats”