Word: friedmanism
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...Friedman is clearly writing for college students and the young. He constantly addresses the New Left and points out many of its faults. A major shortcoming of the student left, he notes, is that they seem unable to understand how a free society without authoritative regulation or control could possibly work. As Friedman writes, "They have not grasped, emotionally or intellectually, the concept of non-coercive cooperation, of a society that lets everyone get what he wants." The purpose of Friedman's book is to describe such a free society and how it would work...
Private property is the machinery of freedom. That is the thesis of Friedman's book. He begins by describing private property institutions, why they are necessary, and how they work. He centers this framework around a basic libertarian ideal--each person should be free to run and control his own life. How Friedman applies these ideas to specific problems shows why he is definitely radical, but defies left-right labels...
LIKE ALL GOOD libertarians, Friedman takes stands which are considered left wing on some issues and right wing on others. He writes, "A libertarian society would have no laws against drugs, gambling, or pornography--and no compulsory seat belts on cars. We also reject the idea that people have an enforceable claim on others for anything more than being left alone. A libertarian society would have no welfare, no social security system...
...example of one of Friedman's left-wing stands is the chapter entitled "Is William F. Buckley a contagious disease?" In it he refutes brilliantly Buckley's attempt to justify jailing narcotics users. Buckley argues that narcotics addiction is a contagious disease because most addicts acquire the habit by associating with other addicts. It is the government's responsibility, therefore, to incarcerate these addicts just as it would quarantine small pox carriers during a plague. But Friedman argues that this is an invalid parallel. Someone who catches a contagious disease is an unwilling victim. Someone who takes up dope after...
...Friedman also takes a hard line against industrial polluters. Libertarians see polluters in the same category as muggers and rapists. A person who pollutes the air another breathes is just as forceful and violent as a mugger who breaks another man's leg. Friedman maintains solid support of all civil liberties and solid opposition to all victimless crime laws. He is against the draft, military intervention, aid to Saigon, and the very existence...