In this think piece, Jan Iwanik gives a response to the public consultation on the commitments to restrict the use of “What-If” and access to market information on the UK insurance market. The government cannot artificially engineer competition by restricting information between firms.
Two pictures comparing the Shanghai skyline between 1990 and 2010 have been making the rounds online – we posted them on the blog the other day. In this piece, Dr Richard Ebeling discusses the economic history of Shanghai's skyline, which thrived during the pre-Second World War years and, thanks to the laissez-faire economic policies it enjoyed as a virtual city-state, grew to become Asia's answer to New York City.
The US has effectively dropped the term 'War on Drugs', a tacit admission of that policy's failure. Here, Henry Oliver argues that Britain should learn from the rest of the world and its own history. The government should rethink its policies on drugs and find new policies that work.
The coalition government’s health proposals are a mixed bag, and much will depend on the final legislation and implementation process. But whatever happens, they will not create a real market in healthcare…
In this think piece Ruth Lea, Economic Advisor to the Arbuthnot Banking Group and Senior Fellow of the Adam Smith Institute, discusses what 2011 holds for the British and global economies. There is some room for optimism, she says, but overall the near future isn't bright.
Who is to blame for the Irish crisis? The question goes to the heart of Ireland's current situation and offers guidance to policymakers in Britain who wish to avoid a similar fate. David Howden argues that the blame lies both with the European Central Bank, which created perverse incentives for investment through low interest rates, and with the Irish investors who reacted to those incentives.
In this article, Dr Eamonn Butler warns that the UK needs to get a grip on its welfare spending if it wants to avoid fiscal crisis. His exploration of our debt problem and possible solutions follows the release of Miles Saltiel's report for the ASI "On Borrowed Time".
Ahead of the VAT rise to 20% in January 2011, Tom Clougherty wrote this article arguing that the hike is a regrettable step in the wrong direction. It will dent consumer confidence and undermine economic growth.
Most supporters of the free market agree that high taxes are harmful to overall living standards and economic activity. But it is often less than clear why this is, even to opponents of taxation. In this think piece, Terry Arthur uses insights from the Austrian school to demonstrate clearly why it is that taxes are so bad, and that anybody who believes in free trade between countries cannot but follow that through to also believe in free trade within countries through lower taxes.
No country has suffered more because of the euro than Ireland. In this think piece, David Howden argues that Ireland and Iceland offer contrasting paths from financial collapse, with Iceland on the road to recovery and Ireland on the road to nowhere. If Ireland wants to change course, it's time for it to say goodbye to the euro.
The Adam Smith Institute is the UK’s leading libertarian think tank...
