A brief overview of the Mont Pelerin Society
The Mont Pelerin Society (MPS) was founded in 1947 in Switzerland by a pioneering and multidisciplinary group of liberal thinkers brought together by Friedrich Hayek. Hayek believed that Western civilization was in danger of disappearing, and to rescue humanity, the best liberal minds needed to identify dangers and new solutions. These innovative scholars set out to discuss the state and possible fate of liberalism in thinking and practice. Four of the thirty-nine, including Hayek, would go on to win the Nobel Prize.
The Mont Pelerin Society exists as a series of meetings run by member volunteers around the globe. It is the largest academic gathering of liberals in the world. In a nutshell, it provides "for the mutual education, support and benefit of its members." Members are "people who believe in the power of ideas to change the world and who support the idea of a free society."
The society emphasizes the core values of Western civilization: limited government, private property, rule of law, free markets, free movement of people and capital, freedom of expression and thought, the sacredness of truth and opposition to all forms of totalitarianism (from either Right or Left). Its overarching goal is "to safeguard international peace, liberty, and trade."
MPS is an intellectual endeavor. It espouses no official views, formulates no policies, publishes no manifestos, aligns itself with no party, and accepts no political or public funds. It is not a think tank but rather a scholarly society whose membership is composed of individuals sharing a commitment to free societies and market economies.
The 2018 General Meeting of the Mont Pelerin Society is being held in Gran Canaria, Spain — September 30 to October 6, 2018. The theme is "Competition, Discovery, and the Pursuit of Happiness."
This event taps into the symbolism, history and location of the Canary Islands, Columbus's last port-of-call in the known world of Europe and a free port for centuries thereafter. The Canary Islands provide an evocative setting to address modern issues, such as competition, separatist movements, cryptocurrencies, overlapping jurisdictions, and the free movement of people, goods, and capital.
Our aim is to contribute to making classical liberal philosophy relevant to contemporary concerns. We encourage all comers—speakers, participants, and guests—to think beyond what we already know, and to engage in an adventure of discovery.
While fewer and fewer tyrannies remain standing, many societies with outward expressions of liberty suffer from a "regulated, mild and peaceful servitude" that hampers, suppresses, undermines, smothers and dazes people, restricting a person's ability to take advantage of opportunities and thrive in life.
The Organizing Committee is composed of members of the Mont Pelerin Society. The local organizer is the Universidad Francisco Marroquín and the OMMA Business School in Madrid.
