Aims

The Economic Study Association was established in 1966 for the purposes of economic research and the formulation of advice to government. It was led by its Director, Ronald Burgess, for thirty years until his retirement in 1996. Since then, past and present members of the association have continued to meet on an informal basis. In 2015 the association began a programme of collecting together and re-publishing the work of Ronald Burgess. This includes the publications, lectures and recordings listed here.

The aims of the association at the present time are to carry forward these principles and insights one step further, and to formulate proposals for the economy of the United Kingdom as it is today.

History

The Economic Study Association Ltd. was formed on 22nd February 1966. The initial members of the board were Harry Neil (Chairman), Peter Giles, and Ronald Burgess. It was registered as a charity in the United Kingdom on 23rd March 1966 (No. 247321), and removed from the charity register on 17th June 1992, at which time the registered address was at Goodramgate, in York.

Its first Research Paper, An Enquiry into Prices and Incomes, was published in March 1968 with the encouragement of Colin Clark and the support of Antony Fisher at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA). It was published from 14 Essex Street, London, WC2, in an area of Westminster with a traditional connection with publishing houses, and not far from the head office of Macmillan & Co. The second Research Paper on Local Government Finance was published in January 1970 from 7-8 Norfolk Street, London, WC2, a short distance from Essex Street.

After the departure of Colin Clark in 1969, and with the assistance of Professor Jack Wiseman, Ronald Burgess re-located to the University of York. The members of the board were now Harry Neil, Ronald Burgess and Jennie MacGeorge. Research Papers No. 3 and No. 4 were published from 60 York Road, in the Acomb district of the City of York. Following the death of Jack Wiseman in 1991, Ronald Burgess retired to an address on Goodramgate. With the support of the members of the Economic Study Association, Public Revenue Without Taxation was published in 1993.