Free market Christians do not have to choose between their political philosophy and their faith.

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Today, around two billion Christians across the world are celebrating Easter Sunday, marking the resurrection of Jesus Christ according to Christian doctrine. The Bible, the sacred text of Christianity, has had a profound impact on human history and continues to shape the worldviews of billions.

The teachings of Jesus, as portrayed in the Bible, have been interpreted in various ways over the centuries. One such interpretation I encountered as a student, after weeks of persistent questioning about her political views, was from my secondary school English teacher. Adorned with exquisite jewellery, she instructed me, “Things should be owned collectively for the public good, not for profit. Jesus called on us to be generous to the poor, so we should all support an economic system that prioritises people over profit.”

I’ve encountered many fellow Christians who share the same interpretation of scripture. Many point to the Book of Acts in the New Testament and its description of the early church: “All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need” (Acts 2: 44-47). What these proponents of forced generosity fail to note is that the arrangement described was entirely voluntary. The early Christians “broke bread in their homes and ate with glad and sincere hearts”.

Voluntary charitable giving is at the heart of the Christian message. In 2 Corinthians, Paul wrote “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” We can all think of people we know who cheerfully give to causes great and small, whether it be the protection of cats or a local food bank, but you will be hard-pressed to find someone who trills with glee when they write a cheque to HMRC. In scripture, it is made profoundly clear that the God of the Bible knows the true intentions of our hearts (Jeremiah 17:10, John 1:45-51).

Following Jesus' recognition that, “The poor you will always have with you”, (Matthew 26:11) the onus is on us to find effective ways to alleviate poverty. As the IEA’s Steve Davies explained to the budding young economists at our Dorian Fisher Essay Prize final earlier this week, poverty was the natural state of existence for most of human history. The rise of free markets and free trade, primarily in the last 250 years, fundamentally transformed this for billions of people worldwide. Yet, today’s Christian collectivists look past this undeniable truth.

Hayek reminds us in the Constitution of Liberty that the fight for freedom is never ending. That’s why as I celebrate the Good News this Easter weekend, and perhaps indulge in a chocolate egg or two myself, I will remind those around me that true generosity is at the heart of a free society. Contrary to what my school teacher professed, being a Christian does not mean being a collectivist.

Matthew Prescod

IEA Education Coordinator

Rendering Unto Caesar: Was Jesus A Socialist? ([link removed])

President Emeritus of the Foundation for Economic Education Lawrence W. Reed, IEA Blog ([link removed])

The last will be first, and the first last… Jesus’ teachings do not neatly map onto political philosophies articulated over 1,500 years after his death. The case for Jesus advocating state redistribution is not open and shut.
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** Good Law Project’s complaint against the IEA dismissed by Charity Commission ([link removed])
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The Charity Commission has rejected the Good Law Project’s demand to open a formal inquiry into the IEA.

The Good Law Project asserted in a complaint two weeks ago that the IEA has failed to comply with charity law. But, in a letter to the IEA this week, the Charity Commission dismissed the complaint. “We have assessed the concerns raised and have not identified concerns that the charity is acting outside of its objects or the Commission’s published guidance,” the letter said.

This comes after Orlando Fraser KC, the chairman of the Charity Commission, wrote in The Times in defence of think tanks’ charitable status:

“I hope charity think tanks can continue to carry out the work they do unhindered by unfounded complaints made to the commission about the alleged non-charitable nature of their work — and continue to be the valuable part of our democracy they are trusted to be.”

Earlier this month, the Charity Commission also withdrew a 2018 regulatory alert issued to charitable think tanks. The IEA criticised this guidance as an unnecessary burden on the sector that would encourage vexatious complaints when it was first issued.

In response to the Charity Commission’s decision to dismiss the complaint, a spokesperson for the Institute of Economic Affairs said:

“The IEA welcomes the Charity Commission’s rapid rejection of the Good Law Project’s vexatious complaint. This publicity stunt has backfired by reconfirming the IEA is acting consistently with our status as an educational charity. 

“This is a clear victory for freedom of expression in the face of those trying to silence different perspectives. We look forward to continuing to advance the public understanding of economic ideas from a free market perspective.”

This news was covered by Guido Fawkes ([link removed]) , Civil Society ([link removed]) , and Third Sector ([link removed]) .
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** New Paternalism Meets Older Wisdom ([link removed])
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‘Nudge’ policies impose the preferences of politicians onto unsuspecting individuals.
* Policies aimed at ‘nudging’ lifestyle decisions make paternalistic assumptions on behalf of citizens.
* It’s difficult, if not impossible, for policymakers to judge what is in each individual’s best interest.
* Human preferences are not static but an ongoing process of growth, learning and change.
* A free society maximises opportunities for people to develop their values and choices independently.

A new paternalism is rearing its ugly head ([link removed])

Mercatus Center Senior Research Fellow and author Erik Matson, CapX ([link removed])

Intellectual humility… Human choice is a dynamic, ever-evolving phenomenon, not a static mathematical model.
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Unveiling New Paternalism ([link removed])

Communications Officer Harrison Griffiths, IEA YouTube ([link removed])

Same old problems… New Paternalist policies suffer the same old flaw: they impose politicians’ preferences on individuals without their consent.

IEA Latest.
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Cheap food is more important than protecting failing farmers ([link removed])

Director of Public Policy and Communications Matthew Lesh, The Daily Telegraph ([link removed])

Positive sum game… Removing subsidies and tariffs which distort the food market would mean cheaper food, more productive farmers, and improved security.
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Regulating football will not necessarily get the intended result ([link removed])

Editorial and Research Fellow Len Shackleton, The Times ([link removed])

No silver bullet… Fans will probably support proposals for a regulator. Will they end up regretting it?
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How should Britain deal with China? | IEA Podcast ([link removed])

Matthew Lesh interviews Academic Fellow Syed Kamall, IEA YouTube ([link removed])

Cold War II… Increasing global tensions and the People’s Republic of China’s recent cyber attacks on the UK make a British foreign policy reset inevitable.
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Review of the Resolution Foundation’s “Housing Outlook” report ([link removed])

Editorial Director Kristian Niemietz, IEA Blog ([link removed])

Clear as day… New research by the Resolution Foundation ([link removed]) this week put the case that the housing crisis is almost entirely the consequence of low supply beyond any doubt.
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‘Not enough substance’: Why business wants more from Reeves on Labour plans ([link removed])

Matthew Lesh quoted in The i ([link removed])

Another failed idea that never dies… ‘New industrial policy’ will suffer the same fatal flaws.

IEA Insider.
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** Essay Prize Finals
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On Monday, the IEA hosted the final of the Monetary Policy Essay Prize, a joint initiative by the IEA, Vinson Centre, and Institute of International Monetary Research.

Our panel of judges, comprising Senior Education Fellow Dr Steve Davies, Dr. Juan Castaneda (Director of the Vinson Centre), Dr. Tim Congdon, and Damian Pudner (IIMR), awarded Alberto Ornaghi the undergraduate prize and Niccolo Silvestri the 6th Form prize.

On Tuesday, the IEA hosted the final of the Budget Challenge Competition, along with our friends from the Vinson Centre. Steve and Juan were joined on the judges panel by Linda Edwards (Chairman of the Board of Trustees) and awarded Lingfield College the winning prize.

On Wednesday, our blockbuster week of essay prize finals was capped off with the Dorian Fisher Memorial Prize. Steve stepped up as judge once again and led the awards. Harivansh Balan Nair from Eton College won first place, with runners up from Queen Elizabeth’s School Barnet, Tiffin School, and Beauchamp College, recognised for their exceptional entries.

Congratulations to the winners and all of our finalists from this week!


** Popularising Economic Freedom
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Managing Editor Daniel Freeman participated in a panel discussion on popularising economic freedom at last week’s Freedom Festival at the Margaret Thatcher Centre in Buckingham. He was joined by the Adam Smith Institute’s James Price, the Taxpayers’ Alliance’s Callum McGoldrick, and the Freedom Association’s Andrew Allison.
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