The Institute is a UK-based think tank that champions the ideas of free market policy. In January 2010 the Adam Smith Institute was named among the top 10 think tanks in the world outside of the US. The Institute is highly influential in UK public policy, and was a pioneer of privatisation in the UK and elsewhere.

His talk was entitled "Problems with Modern Economics" and took aim at current polices being suggested by both Labour and Conservative governments. His strong views prompted many excellent questions from the packed auditorium and he has certainly left us with many more questions to be raised in the coming weeks in class. It was a simulating evening and we are enormously grateful for Dr Pirie’s time.