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The Social Market Foundation (SMF) is a British public policy think-tank based in Westminster, London. It was set up by supporters of David Owen after the Social Democratic Party (SDP) was disbanded in the late 1980s. It aims to promote and produce policies supporting the “social market”. This was the concept of the SMF’s first publication, published in 1989, in which former chair, Robert (now Lord) Skidelsky, argued that:
| “ | The use of the phrase "social market economy" signifies a choice in favour of market economy. It means that we turn to the market as a first resort and the government as a last resort, not the other way round … Having said this, there remains a substantial role for government. Adding the word "social" to "market economy" is not just a political flourish … A social market economy is, above all, one which is embedded in social arrangements regarded as "fair". 1 | ” |
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History
Founded in 1989, the SMF was cited as ‘John Major’s favourite thinktank’2 and two former directors (Rick Nye and Daniel Finkelstein) left to work for the Conservative Party. The organisation courted controversy in 2000 when it played host to then Conservative Party leader William Hague who delivered a speech criticising Labour's asylum policy in terms that critics deemed racist. 3 Hague's speech called for a tougher approach to asylum seekers including their detention in camps pending a determination of their status 4
In 2001, Lord (Robert) Skidelsky was replaced as chair by Lord (David) Lipsey. Since that time, the SMF has moved closer to the Labour Party and was associated with some of the policies of Tony Blair's New Labour, particularly issues of public service reform. This recent association is illustrated by two former directors leaving to work for senior Labour Party politicians.citation needed
The SMF has staged some well known speeches, notably Robin Cook’s ‘Chicken Tikka Masala’ 5 speech where he famously claimed that chicken tikka masala was the national dish of modern Britain and William Hague's controversial asylum seeker speech.6 The current Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, spoke at the SMF while Chancellor on the role of the market and the need for further public sector reform.7
Policy goals
The SMF’s remit is to focus on domestic public policy, particularly the public services and welfare. The majority of publications are therefore focussed on issues concerning education, healthcare and employment. However it also produces publications on wide-ranging subjects such as road-pricing, casinos and energy policy. The SMF website lists its current research areas as follows:
- The impact of globalisation and the insecure society;
- Government effectiveness and UK competitiveness;
- A decade of reform: public services and the social market;
- Market incentives and human behaviour; and
- Capability, poverty and culture.8
References
- ^ Skidelsky, R (1989), The Social Market Economy: SMF Paper No. 1, (SMF)
- ^ Shrimsley, R (1995), 'Defector from SDP to head Tory research', Financial Times, August 24, p. 7
- ^ IRR: Asylum, popular racism and the local elections
- ^ Hague in call to detain illegal migrants
- ^ Cook, R (2001), Robin Cook's chicken tikka masala speech, Guardian Unlimited, 19 April, accessed 16 September 2006
- ^ Hague in call to detain illegal migrants
- ^ Brown, G (2003) 'A Modern Agenda for Prosperity and Social Reform', Speech to the Social Market Foundation, 3 February
- ^ "Research". Social Market Foundation. Retrieved on 2008-05-13.
See also
External links
- Official website
- The text of Conservative Party Leader William Hague's 2001 address to the SMF
- The Social Market Foundation, Charity Commission, charity number 1000971
Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 13 October 2008, at 18:03.
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