Arthur Seldon, (born Abraham Margolis, 29 May 1916 – 11 October 2005) was joint founder president, with
Ralph Harris, of the
Institute of Economic Affairs
The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) is a British right-wing free market think tank, which is registered as a charity. Associated with the New Right, the IEA describes itself as an "educational research institute", and says that it seeks to ...
, where he directed editorial affairs and publishing for more than thirty years. He is the father of political author
Anthony Seldon.
Biography
Arthur Seldon was born Abraham Margolis in the
East End of London to Masha and Pinhas Margolis. They came to Britain from Kiev fleeing the anti-semitic pogroms in 1903 or 1904. Abraham was probably born at Mrs Levy's Maternity Home, Petticoat Lane, near Aldgate, London. Masha and Pinchas Margolis were married in Kiev; he was probably born at Perioslav, a village near Kiev. The family were very poor: Pinchas worked making caps at a
Jewish
Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
immigrant's factory called Goldstein & Co, Commercial Road, Stepney and they lived at 12 Marks Street, Aldgate. It was not until after they moved to 13 Beeford Street, Stepney that Abraham was born. His oldest brother Jack was born in 1906, and a sister Bess in 1910; brothers Susman and Solly Margolis changed their names to Cecil Margolis and Sidney Margolis respectively; only Abraham changed his whole name. His mother Masha had two brothers, Ben and Morris Kopelolt, who had also come to London as refugees. When his parents both died in the
Spanish flu
The 1918–1920 flu pandemic, also known as the Great Influenza epidemic or by the common misnomer Spanish flu, was an exceptionally deadly global influenza pandemic caused by the H1N1 subtype of the influenza A virus. The earliest docum ...
pandemic
A pandemic ( ) is an epidemic of an infectious disease that has a sudden increase in cases and spreads across a large region, for instance multiple continents or worldwide, affecting a substantial number of individuals. Widespread endemic (epi ...
of 1918, his uncle’s families took the boys in, and sent them away to school. Abraham was put up for adoption by a cobbler, Pinchas Slaberdain, and his wife Eva at 154 Oxford Street, Commercial Road, Stepney.
Abraham was educated at elementary school
Sir Henry Raine's Grammar School. There in 1928 he was impressed by history master E J Hayward's interpretation of cottage industry's transition to capitalism. A scholarship paid for the
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), established in 1895, is a public research university in London, England, and a member institution of the University of London. The school specialises in the social sciences. Founded ...
where he read
Friedrich Hayek
Friedrich August von Hayek (8 May 1899 – 23 March 1992) was an Austrian-born British academic and philosopher. He is known for his contributions to political economy, political philosophy and intellectual history. Hayek shared the 1974 Nobe ...
,
Arnold Plant and
Lionel Robbins
Lionel Charles Robbins, Baron Robbins, (22 November 1898 – 15 May 1984) was a British economist, and prominent member of the economics department at the London School of Economics (LSE). He is known for his leadership at LSE, his proposed de ...
served to deepen his interest in
classical liberalism
Classical liberalism is a political tradition and a branch of liberalism that advocates free market and laissez-faire economics and civil liberties under the rule of law, with special emphasis on individual autonomy, limited governmen ...
.
Friedrich Hayek
Friedrich August von Hayek (8 May 1899 – 23 March 1992) was an Austrian-born British academic and philosopher. He is known for his contributions to political economy, political philosophy and intellectual history. Hayek shared the 1974 Nobe ...
's ''
Road to Serfdom'' introduced him to
Austrian economics
The Austrian school is a heterodox school of economic thought that advocates strict adherence to methodological individualism, the concept that social phenomena result primarily from the motivations and actions of individuals along with thei ...
. Seldon helped found the small university's student Liberal Society. He retained anti-fascist principles as war drew nearer.
He served with the army in North Africa and Italy during the war. Arthur married Marjorie Audrey Willett, daughter of Wilfrid Leslie Willett (1890–1961) and Eileen Stenhouse (1892–1961) in 1948. He continued to be involved with the
Liberal Party
The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world.
The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. For example, while the political systems ...
. He was chairman of its committee on the elderly from 1948 to 1949.
Seldon was working at the Brewer's Society in 1956 when approached by
Lord Grantchester to be asked if he wanted to join a new 'Think Tank' just set up by
Antony Fisher
Sir Antony George Anson Fisher (28 June 1915 – 8 July 1988), nicknamed AGAF, was a British businessman and think tank founder. He participated in the formation of various neoliberal organisations during the second half of the 20th century, ...
on the advice of Friedrich Hayek, founder of the Chicago School of economics and champion of free market
neoliberalism
Neoliberalism is a political and economic ideology that advocates for free-market capitalism, which became dominant in policy-making from the late 20th century onward. The term has multiple, competing definitions, and is most often used pe ...
. Seldon wrote a first pamphlet still only 20 years of age, called "The Intellectuals and Socialism" (1937) in which he criticised the Keynesian state and its bureaucracy as "second hand dealers in ideas."
[Colin Robinson, ''Arthur Seldon: A Life of Liberty'', Profile Books, (London, 2009), pp. 35, 60] Ralph Harris was appointed General Director of the new
Institute of Economic Affairs
The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) is a British right-wing free market think tank, which is registered as a charity. Associated with the New Right, the IEA describes itself as an "educational research institute", and says that it seeks to ...
and Arthur was Editorial Adviser. Antony, later Lord Fisher left a legacy of think tanks that he had founded all around the world. "The State Versus Market" pamphlet was published when he was still only twenty years old, based on a book review, it explained the benefits of market competition.
Seldon joined the Liberal Party. He was on a Committee of Enquiry chaired by
Elliott Dodds into the distribution of property, exploring the idea of "ownership for all," and the effects of statist maldistribution. In "The Drift to Corporate State" he severely criticised the corporatist industrial policy being against state monopoly. It was an idea endorsed by the
Liberal Assembly ten years earlier in 1948. In another pamphlet in 1957, the IEA published "Pensions in a Free Society" commented freely on the Liberal
Beveridge Report
The Beveridge Report, officially entitled ''Social Insurance and Allied Services'' ( Cmd. 6404), is a government report, published in November 1942, influential in the founding of the welfare state in the United Kingdom. It was drafted by the Lib ...
of 1942 into founding of the state pension system. Seldon generated editorial copy: edited recruited authors, made available titles to a wider audience. Pamphlets were of between 10,000 and 15,000 words and as such represented a new form of political literature. It was also Seldon's inspiration to produce series, such as Hobart Papers, Occasional Papers, and Readings etc.
Seldon was also involved in the famous
Orpington by-election in 1962, in which the Liberal Party gained the seat from the
Conservative Party and weakened the confidence of the
Macmillan administration. A neoliberal
free marketeer, he influenced the policies of
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013), was a British stateswoman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of th ...
.
In 1970 Seldon invited Milton Friedman at the IEA, quick to recognise the value of monetarist policy. The ideas imported from Chicago had a great influence on members of the Conservative party, especially
Enoch Powell
John Enoch Powell (16 June 19128 February 1998) was a British politician, scholar and writer. He served as Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) for Wolverhampton South West for the Conservative Party (UK), Conserv ...
, Sir
Keith Joseph
Keith Sinjohn Joseph, Baron Joseph, (17 January 1918 – 10 December 1994), known as Sir Keith Joseph, 2nd Baronet, for most of his political life, was a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he served as a minister under f ...
, and Margaret Thatcher. Public Choice Theory analysed the relations between the State and voluntary activity. He organised a conference in 1978 called "Economics in Britain" – the American economist James Buchanan, founder of Public Choice was invited. In 1980 Seldon founded the IEA's "Economic Journal". Seldon gained a reputation as an exceptionally competent editor. He would, according to Ralph Harris, re-write poor pamphlets to such an extent as to almost become its co-author. In "Vote Motive" he found a voice that was most profound and influential, shaping the post-modern ethos for electioneering and party politics.
Seldon won the Fisher Arts Literary Prize in 1991, although it was established by the founder of IEA, so nobody minded the eternal paradox, for his book ''Capitalism''. He received an honorary degree in 1999 from the
University of Buckingham
The University of Buckingham (UB) is a non-profit private university#United Kingdom, private university in Buckingham, England, and the oldest of the country's six private universities. It was founded as the University College at Buckingham (U ...
.
*
Institute of Economic Affairs
The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) is a British right-wing free market think tank, which is registered as a charity. Associated with the New Right, the IEA describes itself as an "educational research institute", and says that it seeks to ...
, Editorial Adviser, and later founder-president
*
Mont Pelerin Society
The Mont Pelerin Society (MPS), founded in 1947, is an international academic society of Economist, economists, Political philosophy, political philosophers, and other Intelligentsia, intellectuals who share a classical liberal outlook. It is hea ...
, vice-president
*
Hayek Society, global advisory council
*
John Locke Institute, editorial director
Arthur Seldon is the father of the historian
Sir Anthony Seldon.
In the media
Seldon's widow Marjorie was interviewed about his work at the IEA and the rise of
Thatcherism
Thatcherism is a form of British conservative ideology named after Conservative Party (UK), Conservative Party leader Margaret Thatcher that relates to not just her political platform and particular policies but also her personal character a ...
for the 2006
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
TV documentary series ''
Tory! Tory! Tory!
''Tory! Tory! Tory!'' is a 2006 BBC Television documentary series on the history of the people and ideas that formed Thatcherism told through the eyes of those on the New Right. It was nominated for the best Historical Documentary at the Grierso ...
''.
Own writings
All publications from 1956 with the IEA unless otherwise stated:
* ''The drift to the corporate state: a preliminary enquiry into the impact of war economy'' (Liberal Publication Dept, 1941)
* ''Hire Purchase in a Free Society'' (1958)
* ''Pensions for Prosperity'' Hobart Papers no.4 (1960)
* ''Your Pensions and You'' (1960)
* ''Agenda for a free society: Essays on Hayek's "The constitution of liberty"'' IEA (1961)
* ''Put and Take in Welfare'' (1963)
* ''Rebirth of Britain: A Symposium of Eighteen Essays'', Pan Piper no. MP 72 (1964)
* A. and M. Seldon, "How welfare vouchers work" ''New Outlook'' 55, (June 1966)
* "The Case for Vouchers" (his speech to the Forum), ''New Outlook'' 58, (October 1966)
* "Liberal Controversy Simplified", ''New Outlook'' 63 (April 1967)
* "Universal or Selective Benefits", IEA Monograph no.8 (1967)
* ''The Great Pensions Swindle'' (1970)
* ''Charge'' (London, Temple Smith, 1977)
* ''Corrigible Capitalism, Incorrigible Socialism'' (1980)
* ''Wither the Welfare State'' (1981)
* ''Socialism Explained'' (1983)
* ''The New Right Enlightenment'' (1985)
* ''The Riddle of the Voucher'' (1986)
*
* ''The State is Rolling Back: Essays in Persuasion'' (London, 1994)
* "Christopher Muller" in M. Kandiah and A. Seldon (eds.), ''Ideas and Think Tanks in Contemporary Britain'' vol ? 1 (London, 1996)
* ''The Dilemma of Democracy: The Political Economics of Over-Government'' (IEA, 1998)
* Ralph Harris and Arthur Seldon, ''A Conversation with Harris and Seldon'' (IEA, 2001)
* ''The Making of the IEA'' (2002)
*
References
;Bibliography
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External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Seldon, Arthur
1916 births
2005 deaths
British libertarians
English Jews
Jewish scientists
Alumni of the London School of Economics
Liberal Party (UK) politicians
Austrian School economists
Libertarian economists
People educated at Raine's Foundation School
Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
Honorary Fellows of the London School of Economics
Member of the Mont Pelerin Society