Institute for Liberal Studies (Czech Republic)
Professional services
UnclaimedA Prague-based Czech public-policy think tank promoting classical liberal, libertarian, and free-market ideas.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
The Institute for Liberal Studies is a Czech public-policy think tank based in Prague. Operating under the Czech name Institut Liberálních Studií, it promotes classical liberalism and related traditions of free-market economics, limited government, private property, competition, and the rule of law. Its policy work commonly addresses taxation, regulation, public spending, the size and role of the state, European integration, and economic freedom. In more recent work, the institute has also expressed support for a range of social liberties, including immigration, same-sex marriage, abortion, and freedom of speech. The organization in its current form was established in July 2020 by Tomáš Pajonk, continuing the institutional tradition of the earlier Liberal Institute founded in 1990. It has used its current name since August 2024. Martin Pánek, previously director of the Liberal Institute, leads the present organization. The institute describes itself as independent of public grants and subsidies and participates in international networks associated with economic freedom and classical liberal policy, including the Economic Freedom of the World Network and 4liberty.eu. Its activities combine research, publishing, educational programs, public events, and humanitarian work. The institute and its predecessor have organized summer schools for secondary-school and university students since 1991. It also stages a Czech Tax Freedom Day event intended to illustrate the level and cost of government spending, and it annually hosts a lecture by an internationally recognized advocate of liberty and free competition, accompanied by an award recognizing contributions to private property, the rule of law, and liberal ideas. Publishing has been an important part of the institute's legacy. Its publications include the journals Terra Libera and Laissez Faire, as well as Czech editions of influential works such as Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations and The Theory of Moral Sentiments, Henry Hazlitt's Economics in One Lesson, Murray Rothbard's Man, Economy, and State, and Milton and Rose Friedman's Free to Choose. Contributors and translators associated with the earlier institute also worked on Czech editions of works by Ludwig von Mises, Frédéric Bastiat, Mancur Olson, Milton Friedman, Gary Becker, and other economists and political thinkers. The institute has also undertaken humanitarian activity connected with Russia's invasion of Ukraine. On 25 February 2022, under the direction of Vít Samek, it launched Operation Kyseláč, a humanitarian mission whose name has remained intentionally satirical. The operation initially delivered aid to the Slovak-Ukrainian border and transported refugees to Prague and other destinations. From April 2022, it worked closely with the First Volunteer Surgical Hospital in Lysets near Ivano-Frankivsk. The mission has organized fundraising, medical and humanitarian deliveries, and public activities for Ukrainian refugees and children in the Czech Republic. Although its principal identity remains that of a liberal policy institute, the Ukraine mission has become one of its most visible practical initiatives.
History
The Institute for Liberal Studies is the successor to a Czech liberal-policy tradition that emerged during the political transformation surrounding the Velvet Revolution. In 1989, Jiří Schwarz, Tomáš Ježek, and Miroslav Ševčík established the F. A. Hayek Liberal Association. The organization was registered on 6 February 1990 as the Liberal Institute, making it one of the early Czech institutions devoted to classical-liberal economic and political thought after the end of communist rule. The Liberal Institute developed a profile centered on limited government, free markets, deregulation, competition, private property, and the rule of law. Its work included policy analysis, educational programs, public lectures, translation, and periodical publishing. Since 1991, it and its institutional predecessors have organized summer schools for high-school and university students. The organization also became associated with Tax Freedom Day events, which use a public-facing calendar concept to show how much of the year taxpayers work before their income theoretically covers government expenditure. Several people connected with the Liberal Institute later became influential in Czech economic and public life. Former fellows served as economic advisers to Czech governments, including Jiří Schwarz and Miroslav Zámečník during the Topolánek Cabinet, and Dominik Stroukal, Mojmír Hampl, Aleš Rod, and Libor Dušek during the Fiala Cabinet. Mojmír Hampl later became vice-governor of the Czech National Bank and president of the Czech National Budget Council. Petr Mach, who had edited the institute's Laissez Faire magazine, later served as a Member of the European Parliament. Other associated figures, including Jiří Schwarz and Josef Šíma, subsequently led higher-education institutions. The earlier institute experienced internal and reputational controversy around Miroslav Ševčík. He was removed as director in 2013 and later expelled following controversy connected with his tenure as dean of the Faculty of Economics at Prague University of Economics and Business. Ševčík sued the institute in an effort to regain his position. The dispute belongs to the history of the predecessor organization rather than to a separate corporate scandal involving the present institute. In July 2020, Tomáš Pajonk re-established the organization in its current form. Martin Pánek, who had previously directed the Liberal Institute, became its first director and remains its current leader. The re-established institute retained the predecessor's emphasis on classical liberalism while also giving greater attention to social-liberty questions such as migration, same-sex marriage, abortion, and freedom of expression. It states that it does not receive or solicit public grants or subsidies and is connected to international liberal think-tank networks including the Economic Freedom of the World Network and 4liberty.eu. The institute's activities expanded beyond research and advocacy after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. On 25 February 2022, Vít Samek, a former Prague paramedic, launched Operation Kyseláč. The mission first focused on humanitarian deliveries to the Slovak-Ukrainian border and refugee transport. From April 2022, it worked with the First Volunteer Surgical Hospital in Lysets near Ivano-Frankivsk. The operation later supported medical and humanitarian logistics, fundraising, and public events for Ukrainian children in the Czech Republic. In April 2023, an event at Prague's DOX Gallery included painting a relief van with Ukrainian motifs. The institute has reported delivering more than one million dollars' worth of aid, although that claim is not independently quantified in the available reference material. The organization has used the name Institute for Liberal Studies since August 2024. Its present identity therefore combines the historical legacy of the 1990 Liberal Institute with a newer legal and organizational form focused on classical-liberal research, public education, advocacy, publishing, and humanitarian action.
- 2024
Current name adopted
[1]The organization has operated under the name Institute for Liberal Studies since August 2024.
- 2022
Operation Kyseláč launched
[1]The institute began humanitarian operations connected with the war in Ukraine on 25 February 2022.
- 2020
Current institute re-established
[1]Tomáš Pajonk founded the organization in its present form, with Martin Pánek as director.
- 2013
Miroslav Ševčík removed as director
[1]Ševčík was deposed as director of the Liberal Institute and was later expelled amid controversy connected with his university deanship.
- 1991
Summer-school program begins
[1]The institute and its predecessors began organizing recurring summer schools for high-school and university students.
- 1990
Liberal Institute registered
[1]The association was formally registered as the Liberal Institute on 6 February 1990.
- 1989
F. A. Hayek Liberal Association established
[1]Jiří Schwarz, Tomáš Ježek, and Miroslav Ševčík founded the association during the political changes of the Velvet Revolution.
Products and positioning
An independent Czech classical-liberal think tank combining free-market policy research, educational activity, publishing, public advocacy, and humanitarian relief.
Journal
Terra Libera
A journal associated with the institute's classical-liberal publishing program. It presents arguments and analysis concerning economic freedom, public policy, markets, and the role of government.
Magazine
Laissez Faire
A magazine linked to the Liberal Institute and its network of contributors. It has served as a platform for Czech discussion of free-market economics and liberal policy, and was edited by figures who later held public positions.
Books and translations
Czech translations of classical liberal works
The institute and associated translators published Czech editions of influential works including The Wealth of Nations, The Theory of Moral Sentiments, Economics in One Lesson, Man, Economy, and State, and Free to Choose, alongside works by Mises, Bastiat, Olson, Friedman, and Becker.
Controversies
2013
Dispute involving former director Miroslav Ševčík
Miroslav Ševčík was removed as director of the Liberal Institute and later expelled following controversy associated with his tenure as dean of the Faculty of Economics at Prague University of Economics and Business. He subsequently sued the institute seeking reinstatement.
Marketing campaigns
- 2022Operation Kyseláč
Ukraine · Slovakia · Czech Republic
A humanitarian mission launched after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It initially delivered supplies to the Slovak-Ukrainian border and transported refugees, then worked with a volunteer surgical hospital near Ivano-Frankivsk.
Outcome. The operation continued humanitarian and medical support, fundraising, and refugee-related activities; the institute also organized public events for Ukrainian children in the Czech Republic.
- 1991Liberal summer schools
Czech Republic
The institute and its predecessors began recurring educational summer schools for high-school and university students, combining lectures and discussion around liberal political and economic ideas.
Outcome. The program became a long-running educational activity, although attendance and specific annual results are not provided.
- Tax Freedom Day
Czech Republic
An annual public-relations and advocacy event intended to communicate the scale of government spending and its implied cost to Czech taxpayers.
Outcome. The event became one of the institute's recurring public-policy activities.
Brand decisions
2024
Adoption of the Institute for Liberal Studies nameStrategyBackground
The re-established organization had continued the Liberal Institute tradition since 2020.
Action taken
The organization began operating under its current English and Czech identity in August 2024.
Aftermath
The current name distinguishes the active organization while preserving its connection to the historical Liberal Institute.
2022
Expansion into humanitarian reliefStrategyBackground
Russia's invasion of Ukraine created urgent needs for refugee transport, humanitarian supplies, and medical support.
Action taken
The institute launched Operation Kyseláč under Vít Samek and developed aid and medical-support activities connected with Ukraine.
Aftermath
The mission became a continuing practical arm of the institute, including cooperation with the First Volunteer Surgical Hospital in Lysets and public fundraising.
2020
Re-establishment as the current Institute for Liberal StudiesStrategyBackground
The earlier Liberal Institute had a long-standing Czech classical-liberal tradition dating to 1990, while the current organization was formed as a new continuation in 2020.
Action taken
Tomáš Pajonk re-established the organization and appointed Martin Pánek as its director.
Aftermath
The organization continued research, publishing, educational events, and public advocacy under a renewed institutional structure.
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