Madsen, the ASI and The Next Generation

It has been interesting to read some of the comments that followed my post about Margaret Thatcher HERE. One of the prime movers behind Maggie's successful policy of privatisation was Dr Madsen Pirie (left), co-founder of the Adam Smith Institute.

Madsen and I go back a long way. The first time we met I had just left university and was in London for a job interview. We were in a pub when a mutual friend introduced us. There followed what I can only describe as a chain reaction.

After a brief chat Madsen introduced me to the person sitting next to him. This turned out to be Michael Forsyth, later Secretary of State for Scotland and now Lord Forsyth of Drumlean. Back in 1980 Michael was director of a London-based PR company. The following day he offered me my first job (initial salary £4.5k a year) which I accepted, even though I really wanted to be a journalist. Or I thought I did.

I think I was seduced by the prospect of living and working in London so soon after graduating. Truth is, I didn't really enjoy PR but I kept in touch with Madsen and a few years later he came to my rescue - again - engineering a job (editing a magazine for a high profile membership organisation in which he was a leading member) that lasted 14 years.

Madsen, meanwhile, went from strength to strength. With the help of Dr Eamonn Butler, the ASI became Europe's most famous political think tank. In the Eighties the launch of an ASI policy document was often headline news. Government ministers jostled to attend ASI receptions.

Today, the ASI keeps the flame of economic liberty alive through events, publications, a thriving blog and, most important, The Next Generation which takes the free market message into schools and colleges. If The Free Society could achieve, on social issues, a fraction of the success of the ASI, I would be thrilled.

All this is a preamble to say that Madsen has written his first article for The Free Society blog. I'll forgive the shameless plug for his new book, Freedom 101, on the grounds that I am genuinely looking forward to reading it when it is published by the ASI next month. For the full article, click HERE.