Darcy Allen

Darcy Allen is a Research Fellow with the Institute of Public Affairs, Editor of the IPA Review, and is in the final stages of a PhD in economics. He is particularly interested in the economics of entrepreneurship.

Allen’s IPA research, opinion pieces and comments have appeared in The Australian, Australian Financial Review, Herald Sun, Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Canberra Times, The West Australian, and The Weekly Times, as well as other regular appearances in the media.

Allen has appeared as an expert witness before the Senate Standing Committee on Economics, Senate Committee on Red Tape, and the Victorian Standing Committee on Economy and Infrastructure. 

His scholarly contributions—focusing on the economic theory of entrepreneurship and self-governance—have featured in peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and conference papers.

Allen came to the IPA through his interest in Austrian economics—including the work of F. A. Hayek and Ludwig von Mises—as well as the theory of political economy.

Allen is in the final stages of his doctorate in economics, which develops a new institutional approach to innovation economics, focusing on entrepreneurial discovery over new technologies. His thesis is that the early stages of entrepreneurial discovery occurs in polycentric governance structures he calls the ‘innovation commons’ which are developed privately though collective action.

Darcy grew up in Geelong and attended St Joseph’s College, before going on to university and receiving a first class honours degree majoring in economics and finance.

While completing his studies Darcy worked as a copywriter.

Follow him on Twitter @DarcyWEAllen.