Free Market Foundation
The Free Market Foundation (FMF) refers to itself as a classical liberal think tank located in Bryanston, Johannesburg, South Africa. Founded in 1975, the FMF was established to further human rights and democracy through the principles of an open society, the rule of law, personal liberty, and economic liberalism and press freedom. According to The Mercury editor Fikile-Ntsikelelo Moya, the FMF is a "libertarian think tank" wanting "unfettered capitalism" which "eschews all forms of state intervention in the life of the individual citizen". In 1987, Leon Louw, the FMF's co-founder and then-Executive Director, described the work of the foundation as follows:
- "We mobilise public opinion, we lobby, we fight government, any government, and make representations and submissions. Our objective is to create a climate of public opinion among politicians, radical groups and unions in favour of free markets."
| Founded | August 1975 |
|---|---|
| Founders | Leon Louw, FE Emary, M Lillard, Fred Macaskill, André Spies and Marc Swanepoel |
| Type | Policy institute |
| Focus | Economic freedom, classical liberalism |
| Location |
|
Area served | Southern Africa |
| Method | submissions, lectures, conferences, op-eds, multimedia, lobbying |
Key people | Chairman Rex van Schalkwyk, CEO David Ansara |
| Website | freemarketfoundation |
In 2017 the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program of the University of Pennsylvania ranked the FMF as the 123rd best think tank in the category "Top Think Tanks Worldwide – (U.S. and non-U.S.)," the 21st best think tank in Sub-Saharan Africa, and the 109th best "independent think tank" in the world, for the year 2016.
From 2012 until May 2014, businessman Herman Mashaba, who was the Executive Mayor of Johannesburg, served as chairman of the foundation's board. He stepped down from his position when he joined the Democratic Alliance as an "ordinary card-carrying member," citing the need for the foundation to remain politically impartial.
After a bitter power struggle over several years, Leon Louw, the face of the foundation for nearly five decades, was ousted from the organisation and resigned in July 2022. Louw said the FMF wanted to be more partisan while he wanted to retain its neutral stance. The executive committee said he refused "to work within the lawful structures of the Foundation and work with its executives."
As of November 2023, David Ansara is the chief executive officer and Rex van Schalkwyk is the chairman of the board.
The FMF is an Atlas Network partner.