I can only guess at what you're talking about, but if you think for one second that government "interference" in the market doesn't affect your paycheck, you need to re-take Econ 101. As I suggested in my previous post, if it weren't for the gov't redistributing income downward, you'd be in the breadlines along with everyone else. I wonder what you'd say about your self worth then.

Guess what guys, I don't owe you anything. You have no claim on me. I work, I keep what I gain. If people think my work is worth more than yours, I get more than you do, and you have no right to complain. Not surprisingly, those who don't do anything that others find valuable find this offensive, since it _shows_ that they have minimal value. Their self-esteem is harmed, and they feel the need to seize by force what they can't get people to give them through equal exchange.

Problem with Friedmanism is he never understood someone has to run things and if it isn't government it will be organised crime.

Which is more or less what has happened since governments abdicated control of the global economy in favour of big business.

He's an economist like all the other economists. It's not a philosophy or a religion or an ethos which is what all the todies forgot. You are free to pick up or discard whatever aspects you like w/o having to drink the koolaid. Of course if libertarians and other fools want to bow and scrape, that's their deal.

Liberals and lefties do NOT consider Milton Friedman an 'enlightened adversary'. Where did you pick up this little piece of fascist drivel. Milton Friedman was one of the most morally bankrupt humans on the planet, and that pretty much goes for any Chicago school scumbag. These people blame the poor for being poor, wouldn't care one bit if 99% of the population lived in abject poverty, mostly wouldn't know a free market if it kicked them in the face and couldn't even describe the indicators that demonstrate whether or not the market is working. It is the philosophy of this filth that is the cause of 45 million Americans not having health insurance - not only doesn't the market work, it doesn't want to work. Income inequality is directly attributable to these bozos. Milton Friedman was an execrable excuse for a human being. He was the anti-enlightenment.

Sometimes the market is the most effecient way to allocate resources and sometimes it is not. Canada spends less per capita on health care and insures everyone in the country because it cuts out the kafkaesque beurocracy in our system. The scandivanian middle way - a blend of capitalism and socialism is, in my opinion the best possible form of economy.

but I've never understood how a 20th-century economist could fail to understand the vital role of government in making capitalism work. The redistributive effects of taxation and spending by governments are nothing less than necessary to keep capitalism from falling on its own sword. We've know this since Keynes and it is not optional. If you want capitalism to thrive, you want massive governmental interference in the market. Period.

And thank you for enlightening me on this very interesting man. I will immediately try to find his writings...I found myself agreeing with him throughout the article. Anyone who allows us to challenge ourselves and our beliefs is a treasure, indeed.