Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions

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The Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions in Santa Barbara, California was an important liberal think tank from 1959 to 1969, declining in influence thereafter. It was considered to be part of the New Left.

It was founded in 1959 by Robert M. Hutchins.

Fellows of the Center included: Stringfellow Barr, from 1959 to 1969; education philosopher Frederick Mayer ("History of the Educational Thought"); Linus Pauling, from 1963 to 1967; Bishop James A. Pike, from 1966 to 1969, and Harvey Wheeler. Elizabeth Mann Borgese was the only woman to be a Fellow.

In 1969 Hutchins reorganized the center. Many associates departed. New appointees included, among others, Alexander Comfort, later to attain fame as the author of [[The Joy of Sex]]; Bertrand de Jouvenel; Stanford biologist Paul R. Ehrlich, author of The Population Bomb.

In 1977 with the death of Hutchins the Center found increasing difficulties in raising funds. It became affiliated with the University of California at Santa Barbara, which sold its real estate.

Harry Ashmore was its president from 1969 to 1974.