Atlas Network

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The Atlas Network is a libertarian USA organisation which aims to promote free-market economic policies across the world. Its stated mission is "To strengthen the worldwide freedom movement by cultivating a highly effective and expansive network that inspires and incentivises all committed individuals and organisations to achieve lasting impact."
The Atlas Network has awarded grants of over $20m, promoting think tanks that support private-property rights, limited govt, the rule of law, and market economics.

According to journalist Lee Fang, writing for The Intercept, The Atlas Network has "reshaped political power in country after country," operating as an extension of USA foreign policy"[1] with Atlas-affiliated think tanks receiving funding from the United States Department of State and the National Endowment for Democracy.[2] The organisation's methods include providing grants for new think tanks, providing courses on political management and public relations, sponsorship of networking events around the world, and encouraging libertarians to influence public opinion through social media and online videos.

Founded by British citizen Antony Fisher in 1981 as the Atlas Economic Research Foundation, ... heavily influenced by Hayek, "father of the neoliberal movement" ... Oliver Letwin commented "Without Fisher, no IEA; without the IEA and its clones, no Thatcher and quite possibly no Reagan; without Reagan, no Star Wars; without Star Wars, no economic collapse of the Soviet Union." [1] Note: Fisher was one of the founders of the IEA. [2]

Skull-and-Crossbones-Tobacco.svg

Tobacco Industry: the Atlas Network is considered a “strategic ally” of the tobacco industry, with 37% of the group’s partners in the USA receiving funding directly from tobacco companies. Donors include Philip Morris, British American Tobacco and JTI-Macdonald Corp, Japan Tobacco’s Canadian subsidiary.[3]

Partners

"492 partners in 94 countries around the globe", [3]
UK Members

Network for a Free Society

The NFS is basically the bastard child of the Atlas Network and the Institute of Economic Affairs. NFS's remit is to push a book "Foundations of a Free Society",[4] written by the Adam Smith Institute's Eamonn Butler. NetworkForAFreeSociety.org

  • 2010: Network for a Free Society: after it was decided that IPN US would be run from the USA, IPN UK was again renamed.
  • 2001: International Policy Network UK: another rename. In a move to make it more active, Linda Whetstone (chair), and Julian Morris and Roger Bate as directors, took the helm. They had both previously been working at the Institute of Economic Affairs on environmental issues. A US International Policy Network was also set up to collaborate with IPN UK.
  • 1984: Atlas Economic Research Foundation UK: IIER's name was changed to work in collaboration with the Atlas Economic Research Foundation US, which Antony Fisher had founded in San Francisco in 1981. After his death in 1988 it was run independently from its US ‘sister’ organisation by his daughter Linda Whetstone.
  • 1974: After producing a few studies, the IIER became dormant; it was then run under different names for management reasons, although continuing to do the same work.
  • 1971: International Institute for Economic Research: Antony Fisher, one of the founders of the Institute for Economic Affairs and Arthur Shenfield, founded the IIER to promote the study of the effect of moral and political factors on the operation of economic laws, advancing knowledge of economic political and international relations, providing support to individuals engaged in research in the field of economic science and working with other charitable bodies engaged in similar activities. In effect it was to be an international institute of economic affairs.
Sources: History of Network for a Free Society. Network for a Free Society. Accessed Aug.04.2020.

Timeline

  • 1971: International Institute for Economic Research: Antony Fisher, one of the founders of the Institute for Economic Affairs and Arthur Shenfield, founded the IIER to promote the study of the effect of moral and political factors on the operation of economic laws, advancing knowledge of economic political and international relations, providing support to individuals engaged in research in the field of economic science and working with other charitable bodies engaged in similar activities. In effect it was to be an international institute of economic affairs.

Articles

  • Nov.29.2019: How the right’s radical thinktanks reshaped the Conservative party. Thinktanks have long been influential in British politics, but the sheer number of connections between Johnson’s cabinet and ultra free market thinktanks was something new. US thinktanks and their affiliates, largely funded by rightwing American billionaires and corporations, have teamed up with British politicians and London-based counterparts such as the IEA, the Legatum Institute and the Initiative for Free Trade, to help write detailed proposals for what the UK’s departure from the EU, and its future relationships with both the EU and the US, should look like, raising questions about foreign influence on British politics. Felicity Lawrence, Rob Evans, David Pegg, Caelainn Barr, Pamela Duncan, The Guardian.

References

  1. ^ Sphere of Influence: How American Libertarians are remaking Latin American politics. The Atlas Network has spent decades building up libertarian institutions across Latin America. Now the work is paying off. Lee Fang, The Intercept, Aug.09.2017.
  2. ^ The National Endowment For (Meddling In) Democracy. Prohibited by law from interfering in domestic politics, the endowment devotes endless energy to the democratic shortcomings of other countries, especially when they threaten American interests. Daniel Lazare, The American Conservative, Mar.08.2018.
  3. ^ The Free-Market groups helping the Tobacco Industry. More than 100 free-market thinktanks from North America to Europe and south Asia took positions helpful to the tobacco industry or accepted donations. Jessica Glenza, The Guardian, Jan.23.2019.
  4. ^ The Power of a book: Foundations of a Free Society. Network for a Free Society., Mar.2018.