Research Archives

IEA Research.

Ideas. Influence. Inspiration.

Research is at the very heart of the IEA. Our comprehensive programme of books, papers and briefings – featuring a range of writers from new authors to Nobel Prize winners – provides the intellectual framework for our extensive and far-reaching communication, education and outreach activities.

This peer–reviewed research challenges received wisdoms, questions government policies and puts forward radical free-market solutions to today’s – and tomorrow’s – economic and social problems.

Shareholders, not politicians, should decide on takeovers

13 April 2018

Research

Shareholders, not politicians, should decide on takeovers

Julian Jessop

13 April 2018

Melrose takeover of GKN is a matter for business, not politicians

Summary: The ongoing controversy over Melrose’s purchase of engineering company GKN illustrates many common misunderstandings about how free markets can … Continue reading

The Gender Pay Gap Reporting Measures

2 April 2018

Research

The Gender Pay Gap Reporting Measures

Kate Andrews

2 April 2018

Crude gender pay gap reporting measures render results meaningless

Summary: Despite an influx of new gender pay gap data – ranging from negative gaps, to gaps exceeding 60% – … Continue reading

SMPC votes unanimously to raise Bank Rate in March

22 March 2018

Research

SMPC votes unanimously to raise Bank Rate in March

22 March 2018

SMPC votes to raise Bank Rate in March

An email poll of the Shadow Monetary Policy Committee (SMPC) in March produced a vote to raise interest rates by … Continue reading

Fast Food Outlets and Obesity: What is the evidence?

15 March 2018

Research

Fast Food Outlets and Obesity: What is the evidence?

Christopher Snowdon

15 March 2018

Banning fast food outlets is not the answer to tackling obesity

Summary: Several local authorities in Britain have introduced ‘zoning laws’ to restrict fast food outlets within a certain distance of … Continue reading

Six gaps in Whitehall’s Brexit analysis

14 March 2018

Research

Six gaps in Whitehall’s Brexit analysis

Julian Jessop

14 March 2018

IEA Brexit Unit responds to the Whitehall Economic Impact Analysis

Summary: The Whitehall Briefing (leaked in January but only officially released this month) is not the last word on the … Continue reading

Socially Useless? The Crucial Contribution of Finance to Economic Life

28 February 2018

Research

Socially Useless? The Crucial Contribution of Finance to Economic Life

Philip Booth and Diego Zuluaga

28 February 2018

Politicians should stop jumping on the anti-finance bandwagon

Summary: Animosity towards the business of finance is ancient and persistent. Because finance creates intangible value, its contribution to society … Continue reading

Financial Stability Without Central Banks

16 February 2018

Research

Financial Stability Without Central Banks

George Selgin

16 February 2018

A system of private banks ensures stability without a central bank

Summary: In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century, Scotland had a stable financial system. Its stability arose from the … Continue reading

Much to gain and little to fear from a US-UK trade deal

12 February 2018

Research

Much to gain and little to fear from a US-UK trade deal

Julian Jessop

12 February 2018

IEA Brexit Unit releases report on US UK trade deal

Summary: The US is likely to be at ‘the front of the queue’ for a new trade deal with the … Continue reading

The UK can do better than the EU’s Customs Union

7 February 2018

Research

The UK can do better than the EU’s Customs Union

Julian Jessop

7 February 2018

Remaining in a customs union could be backdoor to keeping many obligations of the Single Market

Summary: Like most decisions about Brexit, the choice of future customs arrangements is about getting the trade-offs right. Remaining in … Continue reading

IEA Research.

The IEA is an educational charity and free market think tank.