Report

Spontaneous order: Analysis and implications

This report from UK think tank the Institute of Economic Affairs analyses spontaneous order and its implications.

Spontaneous order is crucial for understanding fundamental human institutions (e.g. language and the law, morals, markets and money) and for defending individual liberty. But its operation is often overlooked.

Empirical studies have confirmed that spontaneous order has been better than coercive regulation at generating economic growth, managing natural resources and providing key public services, and better than imposed rules at detecting fraud and disease.