Can We Build a Culture of Opportunity? Lessons from America - Ep 4 - Land of Opportunity
In this fourth and final episode of the Land of Opportunity series, a partnership between the Institute of Economic Affairs and Land of Opportunity, former MP Sir Philip Davies speaks with Tim Phillips, former president of Americans for Prosperity. The conversation explores how Phillips and the Koch brothers built one of the most successful grassroots campaigns in American history—mobilizing millions of citizens to fight for economic freedom, lower taxes, and reduced regulation. Phillips explains how Americans for Prosperity was never about lobbying for specific industries, but rather building a genuine grassroots army for the ideals of economic freedom that would allow entrepreneurship and opportunity to flourish for Americans from any background. The organization pioneered community organizing on the right, recruiting and training activists at the local level to advocate for pro-growth policies across all fifty states.Phillips reveals the strategic decisions behind the movement’s success, including why they chose to be “for” prosperity rather than “against” something, how they defended policies by making economic arguments rather than moral ones, and why running entrepreneur candidates against incumbents proved so effective at changing political behavior. The discussion covers Americans for Prosperity’s role in the Tea Party movement, their fights for education reform and tax cuts including the 2017 Trump tax reforms, and how they overcame attacks of being “astroturf” by simply building undeniable grassroots strength with thousands at rallies and hundreds knocking doors every weekend. Phillips shares insights on federal competition between states, explaining how low-tax states like Texas and Florida are gaining congressional seats and political power while high-tax states like California and New York hemorrhage population—creating a feedback loop that rewards pro-growth policies with increased representation.The episode concludes with Phillips’s direct advice for Britain: the Conservative Party has lost its way by offering “pale pastels” instead of “bold colours” on issues like net zero and energy costs, where British entrepreneurs now pay four times what Texans pay for electricity. Phillips argues that prosperity must be created by culture and political philosophy, not just individual policies, and that Britain has all the ingredients—world-class talent, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit—but needs leaders willing to raise the banner for economic freedom. Davies and Phillips reflect on the key insight that human nature is universal: everywhere, people want to belong to something bigger, want their voices heard, and want to make a difference for their families and country. The challenge for Britain is adapting that universal truth to local culture and building a movement that celebrates aspiration, rewards success, and treats economic freedom as a bipartisan priority—just as America has with the American Dream. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit insider.iea.org.uk/subscribe
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