Ideas for
Prosperity
Tomorrow’s leaders need better, bolder ideas about how to make our society freer and more prosperous. That’s why the Civitas Institute exists, plain and simple.
Through research, commentary, and public outreach, we explore all aspects of a free and vibrant society, including economic dynamism, individual flourishing, civic virtue, and constitutionalism.
The Civitas Institute is part of the University of Texas at Austin.
Independent thought, civil discourse, free speech, reasoned deliberation and intellectual curiosity are central to our ethos.
The Civitas Institute takes its name from The University of Texas at Austin motto, Disciplina Praesidium Civitatis, a condensed Latin rendering of Mirabeau Lamar’s famous statement that a “cultivated mind is the guardian genius of democracy.”
This origin reflects both the university’s institutional heritage and the Institute’s interest in the link between knowledge and liberty.
Our history
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Our team
We are dedicated to exploring the ideas and institutions that create flourishing societies.
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Selling America Short
What has enhanced America’s reputation are the sacrifices we have made for our long-term self-interest.
Trial Lawyers and the Future of Oil & Gas in the Bayou
Michael Toth reports on the Supreme Court case that will determine whether oil and gas companies can stop politically-connected Louisiana trial lawyers from fleecing them.
Trump's Troubling Economic Turn
How far will current economic regulations go in the Trump White House?
