Society for Individual Freedom

Over 60 years old and needed more than ever! The SIF is an association of libertarians, classical liberals and others who seek to promote responsible individual freedom.

The Society of Individualists was founded in 1942, with many of its leaders and supporters, including its first president Sir Ernest Benn, drawn from those associated with the remnant individualist wing of the Liberal party. In 1944 the Society of Individualists merged with the National League for Freedom, which itself had been formed from those associated with the explicitly anti-socialist wing of the Conservative party. The Society for Individual Freedom took on its present name in 1947. Today the SIF is independent of all political parties, and relies entirely on voluntary subscriptions and donations.

The SIF is the heir of an earlier period of “unafraid liberalism”. We campaign for more personal freedom, so we are opposed to censorship and compulsory ID cards. We campaign for more economic freedom, so we support non-state provision of healthcare, welfare and education and also a genuine free enterprise system instead of collusion between the state and big business.

Amongst other achievements, in 1959 we launched the campaign for an Ombudsman to protect the individual against bureaucratic maladministration, success coming in 1967 with the creation of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration. In 1994 the SIF published a book, The Power to Destroy, a study of the British tax system, by Professor David Myddelton, which was distributed free to universities throughout the UK.

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