Waging the war of ideas

“Basic to the struggle to promote personal liberty is the task of persuading our fellow men not only that free market allocation of goods and services is economically efficient and wealth-enhancing but also, and much more importantly, that market allocation is morally superior to other methods of exchange.”, writes Walter E. Williams, a John M. Olin distinguished professor of economics from Geroge Mason University in the foreword of Waging the War of Ideas.

John Blundell’s Waging the War of Ideas is a collection of published essays, reviews and introductions by showing how the founders of the IEA successfully fought the conventional ‘planning’ wisdom of the 1960s and 1970s, providing the ideas which, by the 1980s and 1990s had brought about increased freedom and a revival in the use of markets. Mr. Blundell’s papers treat us to a thumbnail sketch of the genesis of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA). The author also surveys the contemporary scene, examining the new wave of anti-liberal ideas and how they might be opposed. He draws lessons from those days and then surveys the contemporary scene, showing how the anti-liberal ideas emerging now are different from those which prevailed in the early years of the IEA.

As well as giving a valuable view of the IEA’s development in the past, these essays also offer advice on how to continue winning in the new circumstances of the present. "Keep liberal thought relevant and vibrant; recognise the importance of history; be principled and steadfast; avoid special interests; eschew politics and instead search for leverage; recognise the critical role of the intellectual; and be Utopian and believe in the power of ideas." Blundell quotes F.A. Hayek, ‘Society’s course will be changed only by a change in ideas. First you must reach the intellectuals, the teachers and writers, with reasoned argument. It will be their influence on society which will prevail, and the politicians will follow.’

On becoming Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher wrote to Antony Fisher, ‘You created the atmosphere which made our victory possible.’ And some years later, in a speech on the occasion of the IEA’s 30th anniversary, Mrs Thatcher added, ‘May I say how thankful we are to those who joined your great endeavour. They were the few, but they were right, and they saved Britain.” (Sir Antony Fisher set up IEA in 1955 with the view that: Those carrying on intellectual work must have a considerable impact through newspapers, radio, television and so on, on the thinking of the average individual. Socialism was spread in this way and it is time we started to reverse the process.)

John Blundell is the former Director General at the Institute of Economic Affairs. Blundell has been involved in the creation and development of numerous free-market think tanks. According to him, as long as we are not duped into believing either that the battle is won, or that we can now employ shortcuts, the future for a society of free and responsible individuals is indeed bright.

The book is available for borrowal at Political Economic Resource Centre of Samriddhi, The Prosperity Foundation.

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