LFMI

Competitiveness is a strange beast—always measured against outsiders, yet forged internally. In her annual address, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reminded us of a hard truth, one that “after Draghi and Trump” can no longer be ignored: competitiveness is not a game; it is a matter of survival.

The Lithuanian Free Market Institute (LFMI) marks its 35th anniversary—a milestone for an organization that began its work at the dawn of Lithuania’s independence and has since become one of the most influential incubators of public policy ideas in the region. Founded on November 20, 1990, the Institute laid the groundwork for individuals to live and create in a free market and for the state to act responsibly and efficiently.

Imagine two economists walking into a grocery store whose shelves are completely empty. One says: \"The problem is production — not enough goods are being created.\" The other one replies: \"No, the problem is demand — people aren’t spending, they’re saving. The state must stimulate consumption.\" This dispute still shapes how governments respond to crises, how they spend money, and how modern macroeconomic policy is justified.

The history of Thanksgiving\'s origins is instructive for modern times in several respects. It is widely known that the first Europeans to set foot in the Americas faced severe hardships. Nearly half of them starved to death as agriculture failed in their new lands. Today, we no longer confront the hunger endured by the first pilgrims.

This summer, the Lithuanian Free Market Institute (LFMI) joined Lithuania’s biggest discussion festival. Over the course of two days, LLRI hosted ten debates featuring more than forty speakers from various fields, including business, politics, academia, education, and culture. The lively exchanges showed that the ideas of freedom continue to unite communities and inspire action.

European policymakers and large exporters are increasingly uneasy about the euro’s rise — particularly against the U.S. dollar. But this concern is misplaced. Like arguments for tariffs, it mistakes accounting effects for economic damage. A stronger euro does not weaken Europe; it strengthens it.

The European Union finds itself in a paradoxical situation. The population is ageing, the economy is stagnating, and at the same time, vast sums of citizens\' savings are lying idle in bank deposits. According to the European Commission, 31% of Europeans\' savings are unused in bank accounts. In contrast, Americans put their money to work much more efficiently, keeping three times less cash under the mattress.

Imagine a world without money. No more wars, because resources belong to all of humanity. The government ensures equal and just distribution of goods. Competition, egoism, banks, and capitalist greed vanish. People work not for pay, but to serve one another. No more stress, debt, or struggle to make ends meet.

Children, parents, and teachers alike are increasingly questioning the school system. Ongoing reforms are gradually changing its face, yet often only superficially. The pupils suffer the most. Too much attention is paid to \"what?\" and too little to \"why?\". The lack of meaning compounds their fear of not knowing.

The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates would walk the streets of Athens, persistently asking people what concepts like virtue, justice, goodness, and happiness meant. The dialogue would continue until the respondent realized they did not truly know. But what if Socrates were to ask you what responsibility is – would you know how to answer?