School of Economic Science

The School of Economic Science (SES), also known as the School of Philosophy and the School of Practical Philosophy, is a worldwide organisation based in London. By its own account, the meetings it provides "are not academic courses." Its teachings are principally influenced by Advaita Vedanta, an orthodox philosophical system of Hinduism, as interpreted by SES leader Leon MacLaren (1910-1994), a lawyer. It has a controversial reputation and is seen by some commentators as a cult or new religious movement.

The SES advertises introductory courses in what it terms "Practical Philosophy", involving a mental process known as 'The Exercise' and discussion of European philosophers such as Plato and Marsilio Ficino as well as Advaita. Those who continue involvement beyond 2–3 years mainly study Advaita; they are required to take up meditation and to undertake voluntary work to help with the running of the group, and to attend residential programmes. It has a guru, Sri Vasudevananda Saraswati. The SES's main source of income is from wills, it has a large real estate portfolio including several mansions, and its British branch alone has cash reserves of £22,630,000.

The SES says it has a total of around 2300 participants in the UK branch and (as of 2012) a total of around 20,000 in the up to 80 branches worldwide. Operating under various names, there are branches in America, Canada, Venezuela, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Trinidad, Belgium, Cyprus, Greece, Holland, Malta, Spain, Ireland, Hungary, Germany, Israel and Argentina. The head of all of these branches is what the SES calls its 'Senior Tutor', MacLaren's successor, Donald Lambie, who is also a lawyer.

It has also founded the fee-paying, general education St James Independent Schools for children that incorporate SES doctrine.

The School of Economic Science was founded in 1938 by Andrew MacLaren MP under the name Henry George School of Economics. The school was an "economics study group" that expounded the economic theories of the American economist Henry George.Leon MacLaren "inherited" the school from his father, Andrew, and changed the school's focus to "the study of natural laws governing the relations between men in society." Some references cite Andrew MacLaren as the founder of the School of Economic Science, who was barred from the organisation's meetings after his son Leon took it over a few years later.

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