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Classical Liberalism

liberalism-classical

Classical liberalism is a political philosophy that supports individual freedom, tolerance, markets, the rule of law, and an autonomous civil society. The CIS's work in this area considers how this philosophy can offer alternate ways of looking at policy areas.

Publications

  1. A Fair Go: Fact or Fiction?

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 09 May 2013 | Policy Monographs

    The Australian ideal of a fair go is fact rather than fiction. By offering all individuals the opportunity to capitalise... Read More...

  2. In the Pay of the Piper: Governments, Not-for-Profits, and the Burden of Regulation

    Peter Kurti | 23 Apr 2013 | Issue Analysis

    Reforms intended to boost confidence in Australian charities risk turning the charitable sector into just another arm of... Read More...

  3. After the Welfare State: Politicians Stole Your Future … You Can Get It Back

    Tom Palmer | 08 Apr 2013 | Occasional Papers

    History, economics, sociology, political science, and mathematics are the tools to understand and evaluate welfare states,... Read More...

  4. Tax Welfare Churn and the Australian Welfare State

    Andrew Baker | 27 Mar 2013 | TARGET30 Research Papers

    The welfare state currently consumes $316 billion a year; however, much of this spending is not targeted at those who need... Read More...

  5. TARGET30 SNAPSHOT: Tax Welfare Churn and the Australian Welfare State

    Andrew Baker | 27 Mar 2013 | TARGET30 Snapshots

    The welfare state currently consumes $316 billion a year; however, much of this spending is not targeted at those who need... Read More...

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Opinion & Commentary

  1. Masses rapt in hippy values

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 22 Dec 2012 | The Canberra Times

    Christmas in Australia is drifting from tradition.... Read More

  2. Finkelstein would take us back before 1695

    Greg Melleuish | 16 Mar 2012 | The Australian

    The beginnings of freedom of the press can be traced back to the lapsing of the Licensing Act in England in 1695. This meant ... Read More

  3. Religious freedom must not be taken for granted

    Peter Kurti | 24 Feb 2012 | ABC Online

    The importance of religious belief is both derided and attacked in our public debates. Tony Abbott's Christian faith is often ... Read More

  4. Should poker machine gambling be restricted?

    Adam Creighton | 01 Oct 2011 | Sydney Morning Herald

    Reforms to make people pre commit the amount of money they are going to play on the pokies.... Read More

  5. Does gay marriage prove marriage matters?

    Peter Kurti | 29 Sep 2011 | Online Opinion

    Gay couples dragging marriage back into vogue.... Read More

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Ideas@TheCentre

  1. Why I work for a classical liberal think tank

    Meegan Cornforth | 10 May 2013

    At the core of classical liberalism is the unwavering belief that the best chance humanity has to prosper is when people ...

  2. Requiem for a reformer

    Peter Saunders | 19 Apr 2013

    Thatcher’s people – and protestors – turn up in the thousands to farewell a giant of the twentieth century....

  3. What is a fair share?

    Robert Carling | 15 Mar 2013

    What does a fair share of tax actually mean?...

  4. Civil disobedience demands courage of convictions

    Jeremy Sammut | 11 Jan 2013

    Civil disobedience should be followed by a willingness to pay the penalty....

  5. Free to be fat

    Andrew Baker | 15 Jun 2012

    The obese should pay for their obesity – through market rates, not government taxes, so that the healthy are not punished ...

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