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.

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, Civil Society, and Third Sector.

‘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.

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