Arthur Seldon
Encyclopedia
Dr Arthur Seldon CBE was joint founder president, with Ralph Harris
, of the Institute of Economic Affairs
, where he directed academic affairs for 30 years.
He was born Abraham Margolis in the East End of London
to Russia
n-Jewish refugee parents. They both died in the Spanish flu
pandemic
of 1918. He was adopted by a cobbler, Pinchas Slaberdain, and his wife Eva.
He educated at Raine's Foundation School
and the London School of Economics
where Arnold Plant
and Lionel Robbins
deepened his interest in classical liberalism
and Friedrich Hayek
introduced him to Austrian economics
. Seldon helped found the university's student Liberal Society. He continued to be involved with the Liberal Party
and was chairman of the its committee on the elderly from 1948 to 1949. 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.
He received an honorary degree in 1999 from the University of Buckingham
.
for the 2006 BBC
TV documentary series Tory! Tory! Tory!
.
Ralph Harris, Baron Harris of High Cross
Ralph Harris, Baron Harris of High Cross was a British economist. He was head of the Institute of Economic Affairs from 1957 to 1988...
, of the Institute of Economic Affairs
Institute of Economic Affairs
The Institute of Economic Affairs , founded in 1955, styles itself the UK's pre-eminent free-market think-tank. Its mission is to improve understanding of the fundamental institutions of a free society by analysing and expounding the role of markets in solving economic and social...
, where he directed academic affairs for 30 years.
He was born Abraham Margolis in the East End of London
East End of London
The East End of London, also known simply as the East End, is the area of London, England, United Kingdom, east of the medieval walled City of London and north of the River Thames. Although not defined by universally accepted formal boundaries, the River Lea can be considered another boundary...
to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n-Jewish refugee parents. They both died in the Spanish flu
Spanish flu
The 1918 flu pandemic was an influenza pandemic, and the first of the two pandemics involving H1N1 influenza virus . It was an unusually severe and deadly pandemic that spread across the world. Historical and epidemiological data are inadequate to identify the geographic origin...
pandemic
Pandemic
A pandemic is an epidemic of infectious disease that is spreading through human populations across a large region; for instance multiple continents, or even worldwide. A widespread endemic disease that is stable in terms of how many people are getting sick from it is not a pandemic...
of 1918. He was adopted by a cobbler, Pinchas Slaberdain, and his wife Eva.
He educated at Raine's Foundation School
Raine's Foundation School
Raine's Foundation School is a Church of England Voluntary Aided school in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.Henry Raine, a very rich man who lived in Wapping, decided to create a school where poor children could get an education for free, so that they could go into skilled labour when they left....
and the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
where Arnold Plant
Arnold Plant
Sir Arnold Plant was a British economist.Plant was born in Hoxton, London, the son of a municipal librarian.After attending Strand School, he worked for a mechanical engineering organisation....
and Lionel Robbins
Lionel Robbins
Lionel Charles Robbins, Baron Robbins, FBA was a British economist and head of the economics department at the London School of Economics...
deepened his interest in classical liberalism
Classical liberalism
Classical liberalism is the philosophy committed to the ideal of limited government, constitutionalism, rule of law, due process, and liberty of individuals including freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and free markets....
and Friedrich Hayek
Friedrich Hayek
Friedrich August Hayek CH , born in Austria-Hungary as Friedrich August von Hayek, was an economist and philosopher best known for his defense of classical liberalism and free-market capitalism against socialist and collectivist thought...
introduced him to Austrian economics
Austrian School
The Austrian School of economics is a heterodox school of economic thought. It advocates methodological individualism in interpreting economic developments , the theory that money is non-neutral, the theory that the capital structure of economies consists of heterogeneous goods that have...
. Seldon helped found the university's student Liberal Society. He continued to be involved with the Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
and was chairman of the its committee on the elderly from 1948 to 1949. Seldon was also involved in the famous Orpington by-election
Orpington by-election, 1962
The Orpington by-election of 1962 is often described as the start of the Liberal Party revival in the United Kingdom.The election was caused by the appointment of Donald Sumner, Conservative Party Member of Parliament for Orpington as a County Court Judge...
in 1962, in which the Liberal Party gained the seat from the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
and weakened the confidence of the Macmillan
Harold Macmillan
Maurice Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC was Conservative Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 10 January 1957 to 18 October 1963....
administration.
He received an honorary degree in 1999 from the University of Buckingham
University of Buckingham
The University of Buckingham is an independent, non-sectarian, research and teaching university located in Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, England, on the banks of the River Great Ouse. It was originally founded as Buckingham University College in the 1970s and received its Royal Charter from the...
.
- Institute of Economic AffairsInstitute of Economic AffairsThe Institute of Economic Affairs , founded in 1955, styles itself the UK's pre-eminent free-market think-tank. Its mission is to improve understanding of the fundamental institutions of a free society by analysing and expounding the role of markets in solving economic and social...
, founder president - Mont Pelerin SocietyMont Pelerin SocietyThe Mont Pelerin Society is an international organization composed of economists , philosophers, historians, intellectuals, business leaders, and others who favour classical liberalism...
, vice-president - Hayek SocietyHayek SocietyThe LSE Hayek Society supports classical liberalism, free market economics and free trade. It is a campus society and is named in honour of Nobel Laureate Friedrich Hayek, who lectured at the London School of Economics from 1931 until 1950.The Society was founded in 1996 by Hector Birchwood and...
, global advisory council - Locke Institute, editorial director
In the media
Seldon's widow Marjorie was interviewed about his work at the IEA and the rise of ThatcherismThatcherism
Thatcherism describes the conviction politics, economic and social policy, and political style of the British Conservative politician Margaret Thatcher, who was leader of her party from 1975 to 1990...
for the 2006 BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
TV documentary series Tory! Tory! Tory!
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.-Production:...
.
External links
- http://www.thelockeinstitute.org/seldon.html
- http://www.arthurseldon.org