The Institute has throughout its history considered race relations in a far broader sense. Future race relations in South Africa depend far more on the country adopting policies to promote economic wellbeing and increasing standards of living than it does on addressing occasional incidents of racist behavior. Indeed the Institute believes racial prejudice in our society, while undesirable, is not a cause for significant concern. Most societies are forced to contend with a degree of racial, ethnic, or religious animosity.

Successful societies are those that manage such tensions effectively. Key to such effective management is to ensure that the subconscious prejudices common to all societies are not in turn mirrored by practical, social, or economic inequalities that could generate political tension.  

Economic growth and effective governance more than any other social or other factors are a necessary condition to manage such tensions. It is to this end that much of the Institute’s research work is directed. It is also why the scope of our research work is as wide as it is.

The Institute publishes widely on education, the economy, business, employment, crime, demographics, health, welfare, and politics. The bulk of the material published is based on hard factual data and not on the personal opinions of the authors. In doing so the Institute considers a uniquely wide spectrum of the factors that contribute to the current state of South Africa. Unlike other research organizations the Institute is able to draw connections between at first unrelated issues. The Institute also does not view the state of South Africa simply as a moment in time but more importantly as the product of years of data trends. This also allows the Institute to speculate in an informed manner about future scenarios.

Most importantly the factual foundation of our work allows the Institute to deliver informed comment about government policy proposals and legislation. The direct and indirect consequences and background to such policy proposals can be accurately and quantitatively assessed. Failed policy can be flagged and amendments proposed while successful policy can be supported against ill informed criticism.

Societies that have successfully grown from being generally poor to being generally middle class appear to have three things in common. Firstly, they benefit from effective government. Secondly, they display remarkably effective public education systems. Thirdly, they promote policies to promote private investment.

South Africa is no different to many other societies that have grown out of poverty to become productive, peaceful, and middle class.  Yet it is arguable whether any of the three conditions listed above is applicable in South Africa today.

It is our intention not merely to analyse the development of South Africa but also to promote policies that may bring about success and lobby against those policies likely to undermine success.  Very few organizations or businesses have had the courage to openly and regularly call in question policy decisions made by the post-1994 government. In many cases the complete opposite has been true as contradictions between the ‘dinner party’ and the ‘public’ opinions of many leading South Africans attest. 

We do not criticise in order to undermine the efforts of the government but to ensure that the necessary scrutiny is applied to proposals to ensure that they will work. At the same time we have on several occasions come to the defence of government, particularly on the question of economic policy, and remain the only major independent organization to quantitatively confirm the success of the government’s service delivery efforts.

The Institute today therefore plays a dual role - both tangible and intangible. We provide the best data and analysis on almost every area of South Africa’s development. We in turn use that expertise as a foundation upon which to campaign for South Africa’s success.  

Subscribers to the Institute receive access to the data which places them at a definite strategic advantage to their competitors. Subscribers also have an indirect hand in allowing the Institute to play its perhaps more important lobbying and policy role, the benefit of which is distributed to all South Africans. These efforts contribute to ensure that South Africa remains a free and open society.