The ASI book is entitled Ethics and Economics in the Twenty-First Century, and features chapters by many distinguished authors. The writers include Vaclac Klaus, Czech Prime Minister. US writers include Prof Israel Kirzner, Dr Charles Murray, and Prof Walter Williams. UK writers feature Prof David Marsland, Prof Max Hartwell, Dr Dennis O'Keeffe, Prof Antony Flew, and Dr Christopher Badcock. The book examines the whole question of the morality of free markets, and whether capitalism itself can be called moral.
Chapters deal with the issues of selfishness and exploitation, freedom and virtue.
It will constitute a timely examination of the ethics of economic activity as the world moves into a new age of global interaction. As a further sign of these ecumenical times, the Young Fabians invited Dr Pirie to address their summer school near Oxford on the subject of Learning the Lessons of the Thatcher and Major Administrations. He chose to address the question from the point of view of a think tank seeking to influence policy, which seemed to go down well with the audience. The theme of the talk was that think tanks have to do their homework. Policy proposals must address the actual problems, and must take account of the various interest groups who might try to thwart the necessary reform.