It causes many problems and should be examined thoroughly. Inflation is a major problem in Chapter 9. The solutions for these problems are also presented. In Chapters 6-8, the Friedmans focus on specific government projects-schools, consumer protection and worker benefits-and how they exemplify the bloat and waste of programs that tend to enrich special interests.

The government then continued to grow over the years and took on new roles such as reducing inequality between rich and poor. The book talks about how the Great Depression led to more government control over people’s lives, as a way of protecting them from bad events. We learn that voluntary cooperation brings prosperity, while price distortions caused by side effects of government projects can hamper prosperity. They also argue why voters allow this to happen, which is because people have changed their minds about what government should do over time.Ĭhapters 1 and 2 explain how free markets work, and how government programs tend to hinder the smooth functioning of the marketplace. The Friedmans provide historical evidence for their claim. The Friedmans believe that the increasing complexity and cost of our lives comes from government programs that are initially well intentioned but then grow out of control. This book explains those ideas in simple terms, which can help fix many of the issues that plague modern governance. Milton Friedman is a Nobel Prize-winning economist who has many innovative ideas about economics. It also explores the idea of paying more for goods and services while filling out forms, getting licenses, etc.

The book Free to Choose is an attempt to answer questions about why government programs fail and how children can do better in school. 1-Page Summary of Free to Choose Overall Summary

Freedom to choose friedman