The Structure of Social Change

Abstract Libertarian megadonors including Charles Koch have played a significant role pushing market fundamentalist ideas and policies and, in doing so, have fundamentally transformed American politics. These political efforts have proven so successful because they are organized around a clear political strategy, designed to produce policy at an industrial scale through a fully integrated political infrastructure. In this model, universities serve as the producers of “raw materials,” which think tanks refine into model legislation and elite support, and implementation groups advance among legislators and the wider public. The result is an integrated political/intellectual infrastructure. This strategy—known internally as the Structure of Social Change model—was formalized by Koch strategist Richard Fink and spread throughout the Koch-funded political operation. Appreciating the degree to which libertarian megadonors are guided by this political strategy makes it more likely that scholars, journalists, and citizens can understand the considerable success this small but well-organized group of market fundamentalist megadonors have had on American politics. It also helps explain why these donors have taken such a concerted interest in higher education.