The Economist

• 1. Founding And Free Trade Origins

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  James Wilson, a Scottish banker and businessman, launched The Economist in 1843 to campaign for the repeal of the British Corn Laws. These laws imposed tariffs on imported grain, raising food prices for the working class while protecting wealthy landowners. Wilson published a prospectus on the 5th of August 1843 that listed thirteen specific areas of coverage. He described his mission as taking part in "a severe contest between intelligence, which presses forward, and an unworthy, timid ignorance obstructing our progress". This phrase still appears on the publication's masthead today. Karl Marx later cited the paper in his 1852 work The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte. He called it "the European organ of the aristocracy of finance". Vladimir Lenin also referenced the journal in 1915, calling it a newspaper that speaks for British millionaires.

• 2. Evolution Of Format And Design

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  The publication began as a broadsheet but changed its physical form in 1971. Editors switched to a smaller magazine-style perfect-bound format that remains standard today. Reynolds Stone designed the current fire engine red nameplate in 1959. Before this change, the paper used a large broadsheet layout that dominated newsrooms until the early 1970s. Circulation figures show steady growth from 1,800 copies in 1844 to over 6,000 by 1920. By 1970, circulation reached 100,000 copies weekly. In 1981, the paper introduced a North American edition after publishing only the British version since 1843. Its circulation had increased more than tenfold by 2010. The Economist now prints at seven sites around the world and goes to press on Thursdays between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. GMT.

• 3. Anonymous Editorial Voice Tradition

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  Articles appear without bylines so the journal can speak with one collective voice. No editor's name appears in any issue except when they leave office. This tradition dates back to the founding year of 1843 and continues into the present day. Writers refer to themselves as "your correspondent" or "this reviewer" throughout their pieces. Michael Lewis criticized this practice in 1991, calling it a way to hide the youth and inexperience of writers. John Ralston Saul described the method as creating an illusion that the paper dispenses disinterested truth rather than opinion. An anonymous writer noted that four staff members share the initials J.P., which complicates total anonymity. Despite these challenges, editors argue that collective personality matters more than individual identities. Academic studies suggest this approach strengthens brand strength and newsroom management.

• 4. Global Expansion And Digital Presence

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  The newspaper maintains editorial offices in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington D.C. Half of all subscribers originate from the United States. Pearson plc held a 50% stake until August 2015 when they sold their shares to Exor, the Agnelli family's investment company. The sale price was £469 million (US$531 million). In January 2012, The Economist launched a new weekly section devoted exclusively to China. It was the first new country section since introducing one on the United States in 1942. Since July 2007, a complete audio edition has been available every Thursday at 9 p.m. London time. The audio version is produced by Talking Issues and recorded in MP3 format. A paid subscription service called Espresso launched in 2014 offering daily briefings except Sundays. In September 2023, the paper announced Economist Podcasts+, a paid subscription for its podcast offerings.

• 5. Economic Liberalism And Political Stance

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  The journal champions free markets, deregulation, and globalisation as core principles. It supports radical centrism and favors policies that maintain centrist politics. Adam Smith and David Hume represent the publication's foundational beliefs of laissez-faire economics. Walter Bagehot, the third editor, argued that central banks should support major banks facing difficulties. The paper has endorsed Labour Party candidates in 2005 and 2024 elections. It supported Conservative Party candidates in 2010 and 2015. The Economist also backed both Republican and Democratic candidates in U.S. presidential races. In 2008, it criticized Argentina's Cristina Fernández de Kirchner for leading her country into economic peril. The paper initially gave vigorous support for the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq but later called the operation bungled from the start. Bill Emmott, a former editor, stated that the philosophy has always been liberal not conservative.

• 6. Data Journalism And Indexes

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  The weekly published basic international trade figures and tables starting in 1843. Its first graphical model appeared in 1847 featuring an illustration of various coin sizes. A tree map visualizing coal field sizes in America and England was included in November 1854. This early adoption of data-based articles occurred about 100 years before modern data journalism emerged. Colored graphs first appeared in fire-engine-red during the 1980s then shifted to thematic blue in 2001. The Big Mac Index measures currency purchasing power using hamburger prices across different countries. It was first published in 1986 and now appears twice yearly since 2006. The Democracy Index evaluates the state of democracy worldwide through the Economist Intelligence Unit. The Glass Ceiling Index tracks female equality in workplaces while the Most Dangerous Cities Index ranks cities by homicide rates. In 2015, a dedicated data-journalism department formed to lead these efforts.