Institute of Economic Affairs is a London-based think-tank. The IEA was founded in 1955 by Sir Anthony Fisher and Lord Harris. Originally the group published a series of papers. By 1963, it was incorporated as a private company. Over the years, a number of economists who wrote for IEA publications would go on to receive Nobel Prizes in their field. The Institute has become influential, and has the objective of contributing to public debate about economic and social policy in order to have even more influence. At its heart, then, the Institute is a communications organisation, with a focus on putting forth the ideas of free market economics into public discourse through variety of communications channels. The IEA characterizes itself as a 'free-market think-tank.' Its mission is to "improve understanding...

These principles, which espouse the free market as a solution to all manner of economic and social problems, guide the research that is conducted to the conclusions it reaches. At the heart of the Institutes belief system is the idea that "society's problems and challenges are best dealt with by individuals, companies and voluntary associations interacting freely with each other without interference from politicians and the state."
The core work of the Institute of Economic Affairs is "analysis and communication." Since its inception, the Institute has focused on…