The Show-Me Institute is a research and educational institute dedicated to improving the quality of life for all citizens of Missouri by advancing sensible, well-researched solutions to state and local policy issues. The institute’s scholars study public policy problems and develop proposals to increase economic opportunity for ordinary Missourians. It then promotes those solutions by publishing studies, briefing papers, and other educational materials, which help policymakers, the media, and the general public gain a better understanding of the issues. The work of the institute is rooted in the American tradition of free markets and individual liberty. The institute’s scholars seek to move beyond the 20th-century mindset that every problem has a government solution. Instead, they develop policies that respect the rights of the individual, encourage creativity and hard work, and nurture independence and social cooperation. By applying those principles to the problems facing the state, the Show-Me Institute hopes to build a Missouri with a thriving economy and a vibrant civil society — a Missouri that leads the nation in wealth, freedom, and opportunity for all.