1/ I hope that this thread will highlight, in a very basic way, just some of the connections and interests between the IEA, Atlas, Cato, ExxonMobil, Charles Koch, Philip Morris, Chase Foundation, etc and their influence on the UK government over the last decade.
2/ The Atlas Network
The Atlas Network was founded by Antony Fisher in 1981. It is a non-profit organisation “supporting” over 450 free market and antiregulation organisations worldwide.
The Atlas Network was founded by Antony Fisher in 1981. It is a non-profit organisation “supporting” over 450 free market and antiregulation organisations worldwide.
3/ Fisher also founded London’s Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) in 1995 after working with Austrian economist Friedrich Hayek at the Mont Pelerin Society (founded by Hayek and where Charles Koch was also a member), hence Atlas’s close connection with UK politics.
4/ It’s fair to say that Hayek is seen as the pioneer to the US #Libertarian movement, including to Fisher himself, and the #Koch brothers, who are one of the biggest donors to the Atlas Network.
5/ Donors to Atlas:
ExxonMobil (over $1million)
Charles Koch Institute ($350,000)
Philip Morris ($475,000 in 1995 alone) (tobacco)
Cato Institute
ExxonMobil (over $1million)
Charles Koch Institute ($350,000)
Philip Morris ($475,000 in 1995 alone) (tobacco)
Cato Institute
6/ The Cato Institute
The Cato Institute is a #Libertarian think tank with close ties to Hayek founded by Charles Koch whose principles and philosophies include limiting government interference in business, free markets and anti-taxation.
The Cato Institute is a #Libertarian think tank with close ties to Hayek founded by Charles Koch whose principles and philosophies include limiting government interference in business, free markets and anti-taxation.
7/ Donors to Cato:
Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation ($8,341,968)
David H. Koch Charitable Foundation ($4,043,240)
ExxonMobil ($125,000)
Atlas Network ($121,545)
Philip Morris also included the Cato institute on his list of ‘national allies’.
Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation ($8,341,968)
David H. Koch Charitable Foundation ($4,043,240)
ExxonMobil ($125,000)
Atlas Network ($121,545)
Philip Morris also included the Cato institute on his list of ‘national allies’.
8/ Contd:
Chase Foundation of Virginia (founder Derwood Chase is also a member of Mont Pelerin Society). The Chase Foundation contributed over $2.23 million to Koch-affiliated right-wing donors between 2014-2018 and is a regular donator to the Cato Institute.
Chase Foundation of Virginia (founder Derwood Chase is also a member of Mont Pelerin Society). The Chase Foundation contributed over $2.23 million to Koch-affiliated right-wing donors between 2014-2018 and is a regular donator to the Cato Institute.
9/ Contd:
Heritage Foundation (political think tank receiving donations from the Kochs, Mercer Family Foundation, ExxonMobil, etc)
Heritage Foundation (political think tank receiving donations from the Kochs, Mercer Family Foundation, ExxonMobil, etc)
10/ The IEA
The IEA is a London-based think tank founded by Atlas founder Anthony Fisher. Funding is secretive so sums of donations are difficult to estimate, but the dubiously named American Friends of the Institute of Economic Affairs has received donations from:
The IEA is a London-based think tank founded by Atlas founder Anthony Fisher. Funding is secretive so sums of donations are difficult to estimate, but the dubiously named American Friends of the Institute of Economic Affairs has received donations from:
11/ Contd:
Atlas Network
ExxonMobil
Chase Foundation of Virginia
DonorsTrust (one funding organisation is the Knowledge and Progress Fund, of which Charles Koch is a director)
Atlas Network
ExxonMobil
Chase Foundation of Virginia
DonorsTrust (one funding organisation is the Knowledge and Progress Fund, of which Charles Koch is a director)
12/ IEA director Mark Littlewood admitted to an undercover reporter in 2018 that oil company BP had been donating to the IEA in order to influence ministers regarding environmental and safety standards and tax rates since 1967.
13/ Littlewood, in 2017, also said, “Brexit provides us with a once-in-a-generation opportunity to radically trim the size of the state and cut the regulatory burden.”
14/ Professor George Selgin spoke at the IEA’s Hayek Memorial Lecture in 2016. Selgin is a senior fellow and director of the Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives at……wait for it…..The Cato Institute. One big, happy family. All connected. Round and round it goes.
15/ So, when people wonder why the UK gov is currently lifting bans on fracking, doubling the sizes of several Freeports, introducing many ‘Investment Zones’, seemingly ignoring any warnings of climate change, adding more and more members of the IEA to their ranks,
16/ Contd:
scrapping over 2000 EU laws and restrictions by the end of 2023, destroying the NHS and promoting private health care, and, of course, Brexit – that they are NOT doing these things for us, the people.
scrapping over 2000 EU laws and restrictions by the end of 2023, destroying the NHS and promoting private health care, and, of course, Brexit – that they are NOT doing these things for us, the people.
17/ Contd:
They are funded and heavily influenced by fossil fuel billionaires, climate deniers, tobacco billionaires, gas companies, far-right-wing think tanks desperate to shrink governments and privatise public services.
They are funded and heavily influenced by fossil fuel billionaires, climate deniers, tobacco billionaires, gas companies, far-right-wing think tanks desperate to shrink governments and privatise public services.
18/ People like myself, @EuropeanPowell @henrykangaroo @eyes_lilly @mattprescott @TartantuesdayI @AnnAubert3 have been trying to inform about #Libertarian ideologies for several years. (Apologies to you if I missed you from this list - I know there are others).
19/ What we are seeing in the UK now is exactly what we have been talking about. This is not new, but it has been ignored and dismissed in the UK. We are trying to change that. Hopefully, people are now listening. If not, then you really should be.
* 1955, not 1995 (completely innocent mistake, mis-typed and missed when proof-read - thank you for correcting @EuropeanPowell) 🙏
Please note that this thread is to highlight a miniscule amount of connections between US think tanks, fossil fuel billionaires, the UK gov, etc. It is FAR from definitive - a mere grain of sand on a very large beach. If people like it, I will do more in the future.
Note: Fisher founded the IEA in 1955, not 1995 - a genuine typing mistake that I missed before posting the thread.
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