Society for Individual Freedom
Encyclopedia
The Society for Individual Freedom (SIF) is a United Kingdom
-based association of libertarians
, classical liberals
, free-market conservatives
and others promoting individual freedom.
The website of the Society states that "The Society of Individualists was founded in 1942, with many of its leaders and supporters, including its first president Sir Ernest Benn, drawn from those associated with the remnant individualist wing of the Liberal Party
. In 1944 the Society of Individualists merged with the National League for Freedom, which itself had been formed from those associated with the explicitly anti-socialist wing of the Conservative Party
. The Society for Individual Freedom took on its present name in 1947."
In 1967 the Young Libertarians, the youth organisation of SIF, broke off to create the Libertarian Alliance
. There continues to be an overlap of members and officers between the LA - headed by Dr Sean Gabb
- and the SIF.
The SIF is independent of all political parties and relies entirely on voluntary subscriptions and donations.
The SIF advocates personal freedom
and less state control generally (e.g. it is opposed to censorship
and identity cards
), and a genuinely free enterprise
economy including low taxation and no state subsidies to industry. Its membership tends to be strongly Eurosceptic
.
The SIF is perhaps most notable for its campaign for the institution of the UK's Parliamentary Ombudsman
, beginning in 1959, and publication, in 1961, of the first English
language book on such institutions, Occasion for Ombudsman: Is a Grievance Man Necessary for Britain?, by noted journalist T. E. Utley
. The campaign for the Ombudsman system - for an unelected adjudicator
to help prevent bureaucratic maladministration
- eventually succeeded. In 1967 the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration was instituted.
In 1975 its chairman became John Monson, 11th Baron Monson
, a position he kept for the next 35 years.
Monson's most controversial campaign was against compulsory use of seat belts which eventually failed but led to accusations of irresponsibility.
In 1994 the SIF published The Power to Destroy, a study of the British tax system, by Professor D. R. Myddelton.
.
The SIF has two related campaigns. Tell-IT calls for information technology to be used to provide information on outcomes of drugs and treatments and to make it known and available to doctors and patients alike. Choice in Personal Safety (CIPS) campaigns against compulsion in seatbelt laws and other related matters.
The SIF also publishes a journal, The Individual
.
They are a member of Backlash
, which was formed in 2005 in order to oppose a new law criminalising possession of "extreme pornography
".
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-based association of libertarians
Libertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
, classical liberals
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
, free-market conservatives
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
and others promoting individual freedom.
The website of the Society states that "The Society of Individualists was founded in 1942, with many of its leaders and supporters, including its first president Sir Ernest Benn, drawn from those associated with the remnant individualist wing of 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...
. In 1944 the Society of Individualists merged with the National League for Freedom, which itself had been formed from those associated with the explicitly anti-socialist wing of 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...
. The Society for Individual Freedom took on its present name in 1947."
In 1967 the Young Libertarians, the youth organisation of SIF, broke off to create the Libertarian Alliance
Libertarian Alliance
The Libertarian Alliance comprises two libertarian think tanks in Great Britain that promote free-market economics and civil liberties...
. There continues to be an overlap of members and officers between the LA - headed by Dr Sean Gabb
Sean Gabb
Dr Sean Gabb is the director of the Libertarian Alliance, a British free market and civil liberties think-tank..-Career:...
- and the SIF.
The SIF is independent of all political parties and relies entirely on voluntary subscriptions and donations.
The SIF advocates personal freedom
Freedom (political)
Political freedom is a central philosophy in Western history and political thought, and one of the most important features of democratic societies...
and less state control generally (e.g. it is opposed to censorship
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
and identity cards
British national identity card
The Identity Cards Act 2006 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It provided for National Identity Cards, a personal identification document and European Union travel document, linked to a database known as the National Identity Register .The introduction of the scheme was much...
), and a genuinely free enterprise
Free enterprise
-Transport:* Free Enterprise I, a ferry in service with European Ferries between 1962 and 1980.* Free Enterprise II, a ferry in service with European Ferries between 1965 and 1982....
economy including low taxation and no state subsidies to industry. Its membership tends to be strongly Eurosceptic
EuroSceptic
EuroSceptic is the second album of British singer Jack Lucien. It was released in October 2009.Due to being an album influenced by Europop, it features songs with parts in different languages...
.
The SIF is perhaps most notable for its campaign for the institution of the UK's Parliamentary Ombudsman
Ombudsman
An ombudsman is a person who acts as a trusted intermediary between an organization and some internal or external constituency while representing not only but mostly the broad scope of constituent interests...
, beginning in 1959, and publication, in 1961, of the first English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
language book on such institutions, Occasion for Ombudsman: Is a Grievance Man Necessary for Britain?, by noted journalist T. E. Utley
T. E. Utley
Thomas Edwin 'Peter' Utley CBE was an English High Tory journalist.Utley, blind since his childhood, went to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, where he achieved a double first in History. During the Second World War, he was a Times leader writer and then worked for the Observer and the Sunday Times...
. The campaign for the Ombudsman system - for an unelected adjudicator
Adjudicator
An adjudicator is someone who presides, judges and arbitrates during a formal dispute. The term adjudicator essentially means a judge, without invoking the legal term. An ombudsman is a type of adjudicator in local government in the United Kingdom....
to help prevent bureaucratic maladministration
Maladministration
Maladministration is a political term which describes the actions of a government body which can be seen as causing an injustice.The law in the United Kingdom says Ombudsman must investigate ‘maladministration’...
- eventually succeeded. In 1967 the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration was instituted.
In 1975 its chairman became John Monson, 11th Baron Monson
John Monson, 11th Baron Monson
John Monson, 11th Baron Monson was a British hereditary peer and crossbench member of the House of Lords. He was one of the ninety hereditary peers elected to remain in the House after the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999...
, a position he kept for the next 35 years.
Monson's most controversial campaign was against compulsory use of seat belts which eventually failed but led to accusations of irresponsibility.
In 1994 the SIF published The Power to Destroy, a study of the British tax system, by Professor D. R. Myddelton.
SIF activities
The Society for Individual Freedom regularly offers public meetings with notable speakers, and holds occasional luncheons at the Houses of ParliamentParliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
.
The SIF has two related campaigns. Tell-IT calls for information technology to be used to provide information on outcomes of drugs and treatments and to make it known and available to doctors and patients alike. Choice in Personal Safety (CIPS) campaigns against compulsion in seatbelt laws and other related matters.
The SIF also publishes a journal, The Individual
The Individual
The Individual is the journal of the Society for Individual Freedom.-External links:*...
.
They are a member of Backlash
Backlash (pressure group)
Backlash is an umbrella group formed in 2005 to coordinate opposition to the “Consultation on the possession of extreme pornographic material” issued in the UK jointly by the Home Office and the Scottish Executive...
, which was formed in 2005 in order to oppose a new law criminalising possession of "extreme pornography
Extreme pornography
Section 63 of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 is a piece of legislation in the United Kingdom that criminalises possession of what it refers to as "extreme pornographic images". The law was enacted from 26 January 2009...
".
External links
- Society for Individual Freedom official site
- Ombudsman.org.uk - Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (UK)