More Milton Friedman
17 November 2006
Editor, The Boston Globe
Dear Editor:
Milton Friedman was indeed a towering scholar and public intellectual ("Milton Friedman, 94," Nov. 17). He was also fearless in challenging his era's most dangerous romances. In 1962, when so many Americans were oohhing and aahhing over the rhetorical genius of John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Address, Friedman wrote the following in his great book "Capitalism and Freedom":
"President Kennedy said, 'Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country.'.... Neither half of that statement expresses a relation between the citizen and his government that is worthy of the ideals of free men in a free society."
Absolutely right.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Chairman, Department of Economics
George Mason University
Editor, The Boston Globe
Dear Editor:
Milton Friedman was indeed a towering scholar and public intellectual ("Milton Friedman, 94," Nov. 17). He was also fearless in challenging his era's most dangerous romances. In 1962, when so many Americans were oohhing and aahhing over the rhetorical genius of John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Address, Friedman wrote the following in his great book "Capitalism and Freedom":
"President Kennedy said, 'Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country.'.... Neither half of that statement expresses a relation between the citizen and his government that is worthy of the ideals of free men in a free society."
Absolutely right.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Chairman, Department of Economics
George Mason University
Posted by Don Boudreaux on
Saturday July 7, 2007 at 11:22am