The Adam Smith Institute is one of the world's leading think tanks, ranked 2nd in the world among Domestic Policy Economic Think Tanks and 2nd in the world among Independent Think Tanks by the University of Pennsylvania.

Independent, non-profit and non-partisan, we work to promote free market, neoliberal ideas through research, publishing, media outreach, and education. The Institute is today at the forefront of making the case for free markets and a free society in the United Kingdom.

The Institute was founded in the 1970s, as post-war socialism reached its high-watermark. Then, as now, its purpose was to educate the public about free markets and economic policy, and to inject sound ideas into the public debate.

It has always been a practical think tank rather than an academic organization, and despite its strict political independence, it has endeavored to work with policymakers to deliver real change, and to make free market ideas reality. In its early days, the Institute was known for its pioneering work on privatization, deregulation, and tax reform, and for its advocacy of internal markets in healthcare and education. Today, it is known as one of Britain's leading think tanks, and for its emphasis on using free markets to end poverty.