About Us

About The Pax Americana Institute (PAI)

PAI is a think tank devoted to research and analysis of political, philosophical, economic, social, and cultural issues from a uniquely Midwestern perspective. We are grounded in the principles of classical conservatism, which has roots in the very foundation of Western civilization and the classical period.

Vision & Values

Our vision of the world is one shared by American citizens and leaders since we set foot in the Western Hemisphere. John Winthrop, governor of the Massachusetts Bay Company, vowed in 1630 that America would “be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us.”

Early presidents dreamed of building an American “empire of liberty.” Ever since, our people have sacrificed their treasures and their blood in pursuit of a world order consistent with the demands of natural law and led by the only civilization founded on the “non-negotiable demands of human dignity.”

Our Mission

Our mission is to advance the virtues and values of classical conservatism in Wisconsin, the Midwest, the United States, and the world by offering policy solutions that advance liberty and personal initiative.

Thus it is our natural obligation to conserve and promote the values of the American Revolution.

As conservative defenders of these values, we are dissatisfied that others, who have lost sight of this vision, have self-labeled their own cause as “liberal” and “progressive.” There is no mission more ultimately liberal than the vision of an American empire of liberty. Nor is there a quest more progressive than our constant march through history in pursuit of this happiness.

How We Aim to Accomplish Our Mission

PAI was founded in Madison, WI, in 2005, to engage with the general public and the policy-making communities at federal, state, and local levels. We conduct scholarly research and publication, analyze existing government policy, and recommend future action in all of the following fields: foreign policy and international affairs, security issues, domestic politics, campaigns and elections, education, religion, privacy and property, society and culture, and philosophy.

Campaigns and elections

are not the zenith of civic activity, nor are their victors paramount to the perpetuity of our Republic. Men and women come and go; ideas live on forever. The Pax Americana Institute is in the business of ideas. Please don’t be a short-sighted conservative who believes the most influential impact you can have is by supporting a political candidate. Support the development, debate and refinement of the noble ideas that will carry those candidates, and the conservative movement itself, forward. Support The Pax Americana Institute.

We are dedicated to producing publications, lectures, briefings, conferences, seminars, media programs, and educational outreach in order to influence a broad audience. Our experts are highly regarded leaders in scholarly circles across the country and in civic organizations just across the street. With our headquarters in Wisconsin, we are well-situated on the front line of the battle of ideas where we can accurately represent the values of America’s Heartland.

What Is the Pax Americana?

The Pax Romana, or “Roman Peace,” was a famous era in history that spanned about 200 years, during which time the mighty Roman empire governed the civilized world.  On the standards carried into battle by the Legions and above the doors of government buildings during that era were inscribed the letters SPQR, which stood for the motto Senatus Populusque Romanus, meaning “For the People and Senate of Rome.”  In those days, all of civilization enjoyed the peace guaranteed by Roman power and the prosperity that resulted from Roman influence.

The Pax Americana Institute stands for the people and the constitutional republic of the United States.  Our nation is blessed to be in a position of influence in the world with power even greater than Rome held, and it is our obligation to wield this power to preserve and extend the new era of “American Peace.”

Democracy around the world relies on the Pax Americana. The future of society relies on American security and the prosperity of democracy through American allies. The triumph of America is a success for democratic allies and the world as a whole. Therefore, just as the Legions once did, we march behind a standard emblazoned with a symbol that at once represents American power and global prosperity.

The Pax Americana Institute is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and private foundation. Charitable donations are fully tax-deductible.