HISTORY

Since 1974, the Institute has been a force for innovation and change in American social and economic policy. As a think tank, our central goal has always been a society that provides all its citizens an opportunity to achieve financial independence and to realize their dreams.

Personal fulfillment and the American Dream have long been the focus of American politics. Nevertheless, despite massive federal intervention and the creation of hundreds of anti-poverty programs, many of the nation's social and economic goals remain elusive. Poverty persists. Lack of access to health coverage has been increasing. The long-term fiscal imbalances associated with Social Security and Medicare continue to grow. Debates over the amount of taxation and fairness of the tax system persist. The nation is increasingly dependent on energy resources from geopolitically unstable regions. 

The Institute believes that government cannot be the solution to our nation's most pressing social problems. Our capitalist system, which through its dynamism produces inequality, can itself become the engine of progress. This can best be accomplished by providing all Americans with the resources and access to economic opportunity to meet their basic needs, yet preserving  their incentive to become productive and improve their lives.

The mission of the Institute for SocioEconomic Studies is to provide research and public education on market-based alternatives to current social policy. These initiatives are based on the belief that American citizens as consumers are best able to determine their individual needs and the best way to satisfy them.

At its conferences, the Institute has hosted policy leaders including British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Senator Bill Bradley, Senator Barry Goldwater, and Attorney-General Elliot L. Richardson. Its publications have included essays from Caspar Weinberger, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, and Bruce Bartlett.