---
product_id: 1705065
title: "Free to Choose: A Personal Statement"
price: "A$54"
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reviews_count: 8
url: https://www.desertcart.com.au/products/1705065-free-to-choose-a-personal-statement
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region: Australia
---

# Free to Choose: A Personal Statement

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desertcart.com: Free to Choose: A Personal Statement: 9780156334600: Friedman, Milton, Friedman, Rose: Books

Review: If you read just one book on economics in your life, make it this one - Twenty-five years after its original publication as the book companion to a PBS series, Milton and Rose Friedman's "Free to Choose" (FTC) remains a highly relevant, easy to read, classic tome expounding the virtues of free market capitalism and the flaws and dangers of socialism and government control of the economy. The Friedman's brilliance in FTC is to continually demonstrate how government control inhibits personal freedom, whereas free market capitalism is what results when individuals have the right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness". The roots of the Friedman's arguments go all the way back to the Jeffersonian concept of liberty as defined in the Declaration of Independence. Modern-day liberalism, which still believes in the "right to choose" in many social arenas (in fact, these exact words are used by abortion rights supporters), does not believe in an individual's right to choose in economic manners (e.g. liberalism would say a woman can choose to have an abortion, but it should be provided by a doctor working in the government run healthcare system). When the Friedman's describe their ideal economic system and practices, they are describing the principles of classical liberalism, or libertarianism. In FTC, the Friedmans present the basic arguments of libertarianism in engaging, persuasive language using layman's terms. The Friedmans have obviously won many converts. Milton Friedman was one of the intellectual forces behind the Reagan revolution, and showed how to boost the U.S. economy by lowering marginal tax rates and reducing government regulation. He is the father of school vouchers, to give poor Americans the opportunity to choose the schools their children attend (this is described in FTC chapter six). He won a Nobel Prize for his monetary theories, and FTC includes an analysis of the monetary failures that Friedman claims both led to and prolonged the Great Depression. FTC covers many other important economic topics. The Friedmans present strong arguments in favor of free trade, which is constantly under attack in the halls of Congress. They describe the downsides of government regulation, and show how it can lead to the opposite of the intended effects. An entire chapter is devoted to the cause and cure for inflation, a problem that bedeviled the U.S. in the 1970s and that gave rise to the Reagan revolution. But I would cite chapter five, entitled "Created Equal", as the single most important chapter in the book. The Friedmans show how the concept of equality has changed since the country's founding, and show the dangers of "equality of outcome", which many misguided politicians and other leaders appear to want, although not individuals (else why do so few choose to live in communes?). I've heard it said that California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger hands out copies of this book as gifts. If so, he should be careful about passing out copies to his Kennedy in-laws, as this book just might cause Ted Kennedy's mind to blow if he ever bothered to read it. Someday, the last of the old guard socialists such as Castro and Ted Kennedy will pass on, thereby providing more opportunity for the "turning tide" towards economic freedom that the Friedmans describe in the last chapter of FTC to become even more prevalent.
Review: It really isn't about greed - This book presents a clear, thoughtful, and rational argument for maximizing free choice within the limits largely set by John Stuart Mill's "On Liberty" (that is, one may not use his or her liberty to harm another). Friedman sets out a strong case that when people are left to pursue their own interests, the whole becomes greater than the sum of the parts, and the commonwealth benefits more than when central planners try to orchestrate economies. That should be obvious now that nations like China and Vietnam, while retaining political repression, have given wide scope to free markets and thereby lifted millions out of poverty. Contrast that with Cuba or Venezuela, where central economic planning prevails, and the people are largely destitute. The book's argument is often attacked as an appeal to "greed," which is unfortunate as "self-interest" is not necessarily greed. I think mostly of one of my leftist friends in this regard who assails capitalism and whatnot, but who, due to his comfortable job in a government bureau, is able to pursue an acting and singing career after hours. Is he not, there, pursuing his self interest? And doesn't the larger public benefit from his ability to deploy his talents? I along with many have enjoyed many of his performances, and will continue to. It's just Friedman's thesis at work: we all benefit when everyone seeks his own interest. The book is often attacked as being anarchistic (or something like that) -- that is, that "limited government" or "less regulation" means "no government or "no regulation." Quite to the contrary, Friedman argues for a very clear and specific role for government in regulating natural monopolies, enforcing contracts, and taking many other actions to make sure that markets function openly. He clearly embraces regulation with the stipulation that when employed the benefits exceed the costs. And there's the rub with many government programs (say, agriculture subsidies): they favor entrenched interests rather than the commonwealth. His arguments about free trade convince me that it is the best way to help the poor in the world. I've read that the annual subsidy for one cow in Belgium rivals the annual salary of an African subsistence farmer. Take down that trade barrier benefiting the rich Belgian cow owner, and that farmer suddenly has a chance to present his goods on a world market. My point is, if you care about the poor, and if you care about social justice and all that, this might just be a crazy (and, for a change, effective) way to go. I don't fully agree with some of the book's policy prescriptions regarding environmental, education or monetary policy, but I suggest that Friedman's thoughts, formulated in the 1970s and published first in 1980, are far more likely to be successful than current ideas like "common core" or "quantitative easing." Overall, this is a thought-provoking read no matter what your political stripe is. Check it out.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #28,084 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #9 in Free Enterprise & Capitalism #17 in Theory of Economics #69 in Economic History (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.7 out of 5 stars 1,821 Reviews |

## Images

![Free to Choose: A Personal Statement - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61Zhy-hiepL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you read just one book on economics in your life, make it this one
*by C***1 on January 5, 2006*

Twenty-five years after its original publication as the book companion to a PBS series, Milton and Rose Friedman's "Free to Choose" (FTC) remains a highly relevant, easy to read, classic tome expounding the virtues of free market capitalism and the flaws and dangers of socialism and government control of the economy. The Friedman's brilliance in FTC is to continually demonstrate how government control inhibits personal freedom, whereas free market capitalism is what results when individuals have the right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness". The roots of the Friedman's arguments go all the way back to the Jeffersonian concept of liberty as defined in the Declaration of Independence. Modern-day liberalism, which still believes in the "right to choose" in many social arenas (in fact, these exact words are used by abortion rights supporters), does not believe in an individual's right to choose in economic manners (e.g. liberalism would say a woman can choose to have an abortion, but it should be provided by a doctor working in the government run healthcare system). When the Friedman's describe their ideal economic system and practices, they are describing the principles of classical liberalism, or libertarianism. In FTC, the Friedmans present the basic arguments of libertarianism in engaging, persuasive language using layman's terms. The Friedmans have obviously won many converts. Milton Friedman was one of the intellectual forces behind the Reagan revolution, and showed how to boost the U.S. economy by lowering marginal tax rates and reducing government regulation. He is the father of school vouchers, to give poor Americans the opportunity to choose the schools their children attend (this is described in FTC chapter six). He won a Nobel Prize for his monetary theories, and FTC includes an analysis of the monetary failures that Friedman claims both led to and prolonged the Great Depression. FTC covers many other important economic topics. The Friedmans present strong arguments in favor of free trade, which is constantly under attack in the halls of Congress. They describe the downsides of government regulation, and show how it can lead to the opposite of the intended effects. An entire chapter is devoted to the cause and cure for inflation, a problem that bedeviled the U.S. in the 1970s and that gave rise to the Reagan revolution. But I would cite chapter five, entitled "Created Equal", as the single most important chapter in the book. The Friedmans show how the concept of equality has changed since the country's founding, and show the dangers of "equality of outcome", which many misguided politicians and other leaders appear to want, although not individuals (else why do so few choose to live in communes?). I've heard it said that California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger hands out copies of this book as gifts. If so, he should be careful about passing out copies to his Kennedy in-laws, as this book just might cause Ted Kennedy's mind to blow if he ever bothered to read it. Someday, the last of the old guard socialists such as Castro and Ted Kennedy will pass on, thereby providing more opportunity for the "turning tide" towards economic freedom that the Friedmans describe in the last chapter of FTC to become even more prevalent.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ It really isn't about greed
*by J***N on December 24, 2014*

This book presents a clear, thoughtful, and rational argument for maximizing free choice within the limits largely set by John Stuart Mill's "On Liberty" (that is, one may not use his or her liberty to harm another). Friedman sets out a strong case that when people are left to pursue their own interests, the whole becomes greater than the sum of the parts, and the commonwealth benefits more than when central planners try to orchestrate economies. That should be obvious now that nations like China and Vietnam, while retaining political repression, have given wide scope to free markets and thereby lifted millions out of poverty. Contrast that with Cuba or Venezuela, where central economic planning prevails, and the people are largely destitute. The book's argument is often attacked as an appeal to "greed," which is unfortunate as "self-interest" is not necessarily greed. I think mostly of one of my leftist friends in this regard who assails capitalism and whatnot, but who, due to his comfortable job in a government bureau, is able to pursue an acting and singing career after hours. Is he not, there, pursuing his self interest? And doesn't the larger public benefit from his ability to deploy his talents? I along with many have enjoyed many of his performances, and will continue to. It's just Friedman's thesis at work: we all benefit when everyone seeks his own interest. The book is often attacked as being anarchistic (or something like that) -- that is, that "limited government" or "less regulation" means "no government or "no regulation." Quite to the contrary, Friedman argues for a very clear and specific role for government in regulating natural monopolies, enforcing contracts, and taking many other actions to make sure that markets function openly. He clearly embraces regulation with the stipulation that when employed the benefits exceed the costs. And there's the rub with many government programs (say, agriculture subsidies): they favor entrenched interests rather than the commonwealth. His arguments about free trade convince me that it is the best way to help the poor in the world. I've read that the annual subsidy for one cow in Belgium rivals the annual salary of an African subsistence farmer. Take down that trade barrier benefiting the rich Belgian cow owner, and that farmer suddenly has a chance to present his goods on a world market. My point is, if you care about the poor, and if you care about social justice and all that, this might just be a crazy (and, for a change, effective) way to go. I don't fully agree with some of the book's policy prescriptions regarding environmental, education or monetary policy, but I suggest that Friedman's thoughts, formulated in the 1970s and published first in 1980, are far more likely to be successful than current ideas like "common core" or "quantitative easing." Overall, this is a thought-provoking read no matter what your political stripe is. Check it out.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Should be required reading for all Americans
*by B***E on January 30, 2010*

Okay, first of all, this is a different kind of book. Although Milton Friedman is known as an economist, he's actually much more than that...his writings weave together ideas on morality, politics, freedom, liberty - and of course, a strong underpinning of economics. But somehow, he manages to do this weaving in a relatively effortless way, so that you see the connection from natural law and economics all the way up. I find his approach markedly different from, say, a Paul Krugman - who seems to start with a preconceived idea of what results he wants to have, and then he tries to connect it to the economics...he (and others like him) always seem to be making convoluted, contorted cases that really don't bear close scrutiny. Milton Friedman, on the other hand, seems able to connect the dots with clarity, and you come away feeling that rather than expressing opinions, he's almost revealing sacred and irrefutable truths. The book is a close cousin to a 1980's PBS TV series of the same name - also available on DVD (some - but not all - of it is also available on Google Video). The TV series was gripping in its day, although even though much of the content is identical, the book has somewhat of a different and to me, more authoritative "feel". Still, if you like the book, I highly recommend viewing the TV series as well. It was updated in the early 1990s with each section narrated by some big names in entertainment and politics, including Ronald Reagan. As for the content of the book, it's hard to find fault with any of it, and it remains as applicable today as when it was first written 30 years ago. In that way, it's similar to Adam Smith and others that wrote about some of these same ideals hundreds of years ago, yet they remain eerily relevant, even today. The book speaks about the power of the free market and the tyranny socialism leads to. Pity that our leaders (and fellow Americans) refuse to learn these lessons. This is one book that should be required reading for all Americans.

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