Legatum Institute

The Legatum Institute is a London-based think-tank with a global vision: to see all people lifted out of poverty. Our mission is to create the pathways from poverty to prosperity, by fostering open economies, inclusive societies and empowered people.

We do this in three ways:

Our Centre for Metrics creates indexes and datasets to measure and explain how poverty and prosperity are changing.
Our research programmes analyse the many complex drivers of poverty and prosperity at the local, national and global level.
Our practical programmes identify the actions required to enable transformational change.

The Legatum Institute’s research is framed by its view of how prosperity is created. Informed by the insights generated by our annual Prosperity Index, we believe that a truly flourishing and prosperous society relies on economic and social wellbeing working together.

This view is also informed by our core beliefs:

We believe everyone has potential: People of all nations have immense personal worth, dignity, and value. They should be given the opportunity to realise their potential.
We believe transformation is possible: Prosperity is created by transforming lives, not by maintaining the status quo.
We believe prevention is better than cure: Preventing problems is the most effective way to put people on the pathway from poverty to prosperity.
We believe in engagement beyond government: Problems are being solved all over the world by individuals, charities, businesses, and communities.

The world today faces many challenges, which transcend domestic politics, pay no attention to national borders, and have little regard for established norms or traditions. More than ever, people are calling for authentic new leadership to deliver social and economic wellbeing, while businesses, communities and politicians across the world are searching for effective new responses to the deepest problems in society.

The Legatum Institute exists to provide both the leadership and the vision to address these challenges; to shape the values, ideas, and policies which will transform society and see all people prosper, creating the pathways from poverty to prosperity.

Our understanding of the challenges faced by this generation is rooted in the data which informs our research, ensuring the solutions we propose are able to drive the most effective policy interventions. Our programmes include: