Jay already had a post up. But I decided a picture, and a link to the University of Chicago obituary were in order.
Her most important contribution was the 1980 book Free to Choose, which she co-wrote with her husband, and the accompanying 10-part PBS series. Both were highly successful— the book topped the best-seller list for five weeks — and had a profound impact on public discussions of freedom. At a time when the nation’s confidence was at an all-time low, Free to Choose helped restore America’s faith in liberty[.]
One reason these times are as bad as they are is that even good people are terribly ignorant about freedom, including economic freedom, and what it means, and how it works, and what it means to lose it. Revisiting the popular work of Milton and Rose Friedman, and introducing other people to it who were not even born when Free to Choose was on television, could do a lot of good.
Eric Holder wants the American people, a nation of cowards, as he calls us, to have a national conversation about race.
I propose instead that the American people have a national conversation about freedom.
Amazingly, the entire Free to Choose TV show, all ten episodes, is available for free, here.
You can get a used paperback copy of the book for a penny (+ postage).
I am going to re-read it before the turn of the year.
I propose instead that the American people have a national conversation about freedom.
Great idea. Perhaps such a conversation is, or is on the verge of, beginning.
Let’s hope so. We can have part of it right here.
Absolutely.
Free to Choose is a great show, I watched it on YouTube a few months ago. The best parts are the discussions at the end of the episodes when Milton Friedman would take apart the arguments of his opponents in that gentle and polite style that I have seen very few be able to pull off.
I have an even better idea, why not draw up a document declaring your independence, one which points out that we all have inalienable rights which include life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?