The free-market traveler: Paris' think tanks to follow
Paris is home to some of the greatest thinkers in classical liberalism, and serves as the romance capital of the world. It has always been a top travel destination for both business and leisure. American Express Global Business Travel named Paris as one of the most-visited international cities for business travelers in 2014, while TripAdvisor listed it in its 2015 “Travelers’ Choice Destinations” and Travel + Leisure included it in its 2014 “World’s Best Cities” list. Additionally, Paris is home to eight of our 12 French Atlas Network partners. If you are traveling to Paris, be sure to stay plugged into the freedom movement from the moment you step off the plane by following some of our top Paris partners:
Fondation iFRAP
Fondation iFRAP is a Parisian think tank consisting of 15 researchers dedicated to the analysis of economic development public policies. The team is diverse, and has specialized skills in economics, finance, law, and taxation. With a strong French media presence, and its public lectures about economics and the principles of liberty, Fondation iFRAP has the ability to reach a wide-ranging audience. Researchers there regularly meet with Parliament and ministerial advisers to discuss free-market reforms. In addition, iFRAP has released several books and publishes Civil Society, a monthly magazine that engages readers about Parisian policy issues.
The September issue of Civil Society includes a study that explains why growth should be measured in terms of merchant GDP, which measures market output, rather than total GDP, which includes government spending. Fondation iFRAP researchers found that reducing the costs of non-market production by €12.5 billion between 2015 and 2018 would reduce the tax burden by 3.6 points in merchant GDP and the ratio of non-market GDP to merchant GDP would fall from 30.2 percent to 26 percent.
To see more recent work, follow Fondation iFRAP on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
Contrepoints
Contrepoints is a Parisian online publication founded in 2007 that is dedicated to informing free-market thinkers about current economic, cultural, and public policy issues. It received Atlas Network’s 2012 Templeton Freedom Award for innovative media, and the Razel award issued by Atlas Network partner L’Institut de Formation Politique (The Policy Training Institute) in 2011. Contrepoints publishes articles from French writers, economists, and cartoonists who share the goal of advancing liberty.
The publication works with many other organizations and think tanks, both internationally and in Paris. Its growing success has brought Contrepoints 500,000 visitors per month to its website, in addition to readership on its mobile app.
To learn more about Contrepoints, visit its Facebook and Twitter pages.
Generation Libre
Generation Libre is a non-partisan think tank in Paris. Created by Gaspard Koenig in 2013, this Atlas Network partner upholds the classic tradition of French liberalism, including individual rights, free-market economics, and social liberty. Alexis de Tocqueville and Jean-François Revel are two of the primary classical liberal thinkers who represent the ideals of Generation Libre, which produces an array of work keeping with that rich vein of thought, including academic research papers and regular debates for young entrepreneurs. The organization has a growing international reputation, and a strong hold in the digital world.
Generation Libre recently published a report, "For a Global Basic Contract," which provides in-depth analysis of the French employment crisis. It describes the current job market as going through a work “revolution,” with wage labor giving way to increased self-employment. It proposes replacing the complex French labor code with a general framework that applies to individuals who are either self-employed or employed by a company.
Learn more about Generation Libre on Facebook and Twitter.
