John Milton on Liberty
4 June 2006
The Editor, The Economist
25 St James's Street
London SW1A 1HG
United Kingdom
SIR:
Gayle Weber says that America's "so-called representative government has forced free trade...down our throats," allegedly against the wishes of the majority (Letters, June 3).
Overlook Weber's verbal deceit of labeling as "force" a relaxation of force - in this case, an easing of government-imposed restrictions on consumer choice. Even if the minority has forced free trade on the majority, that's far better than the majority forcing protectionism on the minority. As John Milton wisely observed: "More just it is...if it come to force, that the less number compel a greater to return...their liberty than a greater number...compel a less most injuriously to be their fellow slaves."*
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Chairman, Department of Economics
George Mason University
* Quoted in Will & Ariel Durant, The Age of Louis XIV (1963), p. 233.
The Editor, The Economist
25 St James's Street
London SW1A 1HG
United Kingdom
SIR:
Gayle Weber says that America's "so-called representative government has forced free trade...down our throats," allegedly against the wishes of the majority (Letters, June 3).
Overlook Weber's verbal deceit of labeling as "force" a relaxation of force - in this case, an easing of government-imposed restrictions on consumer choice. Even if the minority has forced free trade on the majority, that's far better than the majority forcing protectionism on the minority. As John Milton wisely observed: "More just it is...if it come to force, that the less number compel a greater to return...their liberty than a greater number...compel a less most injuriously to be their fellow slaves."*
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Chairman, Department of Economics
George Mason University
* Quoted in Will & Ariel Durant, The Age of Louis XIV (1963), p. 233.
Posted by Don Boudreaux on
Sunday March 18, 2007 at 2:47pm