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 enlarge | Authors: Milton Friedman, Rose Friedman
Publisher: Harvest Books
Category: Book
List Price: $15.00
Buy Used: $5.00
You Save: $10.00 (67%)
New (38) Used (42) Collectible (5) from $5.00
Rating:  79 reviews
Sales Rank: 4532
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 360
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 7.9 x 5.3 x 1
ISBN: 0156334607
Dewey Decimal Number: 330.122
EAN: 9780156334600
ASIN: 0156334607
Publication Date: November 26, 1990
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Thank You Milton October 11, 2005
7 out of 10 found this review helpful
The absolute best thing about this economics book is that it is easy to read. If you ever wanted to know the conservative (or classic liberal) point of view on the topics of the day (social security, welfare, minimum wage, etc.), but did not feel like trudging through "The Wealth of Nations", this is the book for you. Whether you agree or disagree with the arguments, they are proposed in easily accessible language.
I think that the most important chapter is the one which gave the history of bank runs and the creation of the Federal Reserve. I knew about what the Fed did/did not do up until the crash, but did not know about all of the prior bank runs. If you do not know this history, learn about it here or from other sources because it will change the way you view the Fed and their ability to manipulate the economy.
This book is dated so be forewarned. However, the overall approach of synthesizing policy, thesis and antithesis is a fantastic. For those without any background in this area, it will be an "Atlas Shrugged" kind of reading.
A Classic Work July 25, 2005
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
Milton Friedman clearly defines his ideology in this classic work. He provides plenty of evidence of the problems he's trying to correct. Any good book of this nature takes the time to do more than criticize the competition though. Milton lays out proposed solutions every step of the way along with detailed support for why they will work. Probably the most impressive aspect is the amount of compromise found within his proposals. He may write at length about abolishing mandatory schooling and public schools in general but his solution (voucher programs) allows for public funding and could be used within a mandatory schooling environment (for one example).
As with any ideological book, you'll find plenty of 1-star reviews from people who disagree. It's a shame there's no way to rank down the conclusions while providing the due credit that this Nobel-prize winning economist deserves. Love or hate the ideas, they're well presented.
 A classic, but approach with caution April 20, 2005
16 out of 22 found this review helpful
Without disagreeing with the previous reviewer, let me just note a few problems with this work. Friedman approaches every issue from the perspective that government is everywhere and always the cause of problems, not the solution. While I sympathize with this perspective, he takes it a bit too far in some cases.
For example, Friedman doesn't believe in the Food and Drug Administration. He considers it an unwarranted intrusion in the market, arguing that instead people will avoid buying products that may be unsafe or unsanitary. However, he ignores the fundamental problem that most individuals do not have all information available to them at all times (for more on that, read anything by another libertarian, F.A. Hayek). It's impossible to expect every person to know about every brand or every drug and its relative safety. The pre-FDA America wasn't a pleasant one for people working in the food and drug industries, or for consumers.
In other words, sometimes government regulation can lead to a public good. Even conservatives like myself have to acknowledge that.
Fun March 26, 2005
4 out of 23 found this review helpful
I used to read this book when I was little. I didn't know what it meant, but my dad had told me that it was a very good book, so I read parts[or as jacob would say] of it to enhance my smartness[or as jacob would say, ya know].
The best way for an economy to work February 9, 2005
4 out of 6 found this review helpful
I have never particularly loved Economics as a subject. Therefore I found it difficult to be tremendously excited by this book. But the arguments made in it , concerning the wisdom of basing our economic life primarily on decisions of individuals, and not on government regulation do make sense to me. Also the whole tone of the work which is a gently persuasive one rather than one which harshly and angrily casts into the lower world all opposition, appealed to me.
Finally. It is clear that in providing opportunity to its citizens to realize their own potential and pursue their own happiness, the economies of the West, and most especially of the United States have done far better than those of the East including that of the now defunct Soviet Union.
It is important to note however that this system today is not simply a laissez - faire one which allows for an endless war of all upon all, but is modified by social welfare measures.
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