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September 14, 2006
Milton on Fire
Russell Roberts
In this post, I mentioned the incredible reasoning and rhetorical skills of Milton Friedman in an old video clip.
I love the internet. I found the transcript. Turns out it's from 1975, not the '60s. It's wonderful. Read it.
Here's one highlight:
HEFFNER: Yes, but it interests me that you just said that mankind is selfish and greedy. And that has always been the battle cry of those who have said; therefore, we must impose controls upon them.
FRIEDMAN: Therefore, we have to put power into the hands of other selfish and greedy men. Now I want to apologize for what I said. The great bulk of mankind. There are always conspicuous exceptions, not everybody. And also for each person there is an exception. People are selfish and greedy in one aspect of their activity. They are unselfish and generous in another.
HEFFNER: No, I understand that, but -
FRIEDMAN: I don't mean to be making a -
HEFFNER: I understand, but again that is the philosophic basis of the argument that government must step in.
FRIEDMAN: But it's a false argument, because it assumes somehow that government is a way in which you put unselfish and ungreedy men in charge of selfish and greedy men. But government is an institution whereby the people who have the greatest drive to get power over their fellow men, get in a position of controlling them. Look at the record of government. Where are these philosopher kings that Plato supposedly was trying to develop?
If you want to watch the video, this page has some nice choices and the version I pulled up is a little bit more in sync than the version I posted before.
Posted by Russell Roberts in Politics, Regulation | Permalink
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Comments
In my mispent youth, I became a capitalist after reading "Capitalism and Freedom." Friedman deals with the crucial issues head on, and his rhetorical style is very effective at blunting the anti-capitalist's emotional appeals. Nice post, Russell.
Posted by: Jeff Younger | Sep 14, 2006 2:33:04 PM
I watched the entire video, brilliant! A very clear thinker.
Posted by: Chris Meisenzahl | Sep 14, 2006 8:49:55 PM
After watching that video I searched for more. Have you seen "Milton Friedman Choir"? It's hilarious....
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6407847019713273360&q=%22milton+friedman%22&hl=en
Posted by: DSC | Sep 16, 2006 1:20:55 AM
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