Occasional Papers
Occasional Papers (OP) are short publications usually based on a lecture or presentation given at the CIS. Our annual John Bonython and Acton Lectures are part of the OP series.
Categories
After the Welfare State: Politicians Stole Your Future … You Can Get It Back
History, economics, sociology, political science, and mathematics are the tools to understand and evaluate welfare states, rather than emotional responses or conspiracy theories. This little book, edited... Read More
Re-moralising the Welfare State
The welfare state should be fair as well as caring. Fairness requires that claimants are not treated more favourably than people who work; that more deserving cases are treated differently from less deserving... Read More
Invisible Hand versus Visible Fist: Securing the Future Wealth of Nations
In the 25th John Bonython Lecture, PJ O'Rourke presents his views of the economic and financial crisis that is shaking the world. PJ O'Rourke's answer to a decline in the value of speculative assets?... Read More
Smothering By the Security Blanket: Risk, Responsibility and the Role of Government
To what extent can the government manage risk in our society without smothering self-responsibility and impinging on personal liberties? Conde outlines strategies for reducing risks citing examples of... Read More
Conspicuous Compassion: Why sometimes it really is cruel to be kind
This book by Patrick West challenges the trend towards dramatic public displays of 'concern' which have very little to do with genuine compassion. Such displays of empathy do not change the world for the... Read More
Equalising People: Why Social Justice Threatens Liberty
In this Occasional Paper, David Green challenges the pursuit of social justice on three grounds: It is based on a shallow and materialistic conception of human nature that ignores unpriced and unrewarded... Read More
Are We Winning?
Although classical liberal ideas are at present in the ascendancy, there is no guarantee that they will succeed in the long run in substantially reducing the size and power of the state. In this Occasional... Read More
The Enemies of Progress
In the third John Bonython Lecture, Ralph Harris recounts the advances that economic freedom and entrepreneurship have brought the world and reminds us that all this good has been an ‘unintended consequence... Read More
