When I first entered the Adam Smith Institute world 8 weeks ago, I believed my thoughts on how markets and the government should operate were fairly stable – I grew up in a staunchly liberal (in the American Democrat sense) family. Over the course of the weeks, through vast amounts of reading and discussion with my fellow co-workers, my previously held opinions shifted and rearranged until I discovered myself completely embracing the views of Adam Smith.
Interning with the ASI has certainly been an experience – erecting a statue in Edinburgh, writing my first publicly viewed blogs, learning British phrases (for ages when I asked Steve if he wanted tea and he replied ‘go on then’ I never could figure out if he was saying yes or no) and realizing that I took the relatively liberal (in the classical sense) laws of the United States completely for granted. I’ll now forever be grateful for our lower taxes, first amendment, freer stance on markets and, after a flatmates experience with the NHS, our healthcare.
Thank you to everybody I’ve encountered who has helped me along in developing true libertarian beliefs. I’ve enjoyed my time here thoroughly and look forward to continuing the fight for open economies, free markets and less involvement of the government in citizens’ lives back in the good ol’ US of A.
