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The Machinery of Freedom: Guide to a Radical Capitalism
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The Machinery of Freedom: Guide to a Radical Capitalism Customer Reviews
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A most disappointing text
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Before reading the book, I did not know what a libertarian was beyond a vague idea that he was some kind of extreme right winger. After reading The Machinery of Freedom I still don't know what a libertarian is except for the fact that it is someone whose ideas are a terrific muddle: an anarchist who believes in institutions; an altruist who does not realize that he is an altruist (utilitarian); an anarchist who wants to organize a political party to end all political parties and the list goes on. Apparently a libertarian does not realize that all rights stem from the use of force or the threat of use of force -- if all else fails.
Why Friedman has such a hard time understanding the ownership of land is also a muddle. Land, by itself, is valueless. Value is created by the use and exploitation of the land. The value is created by the work done to it and on it. I believe the legal term for it in English is "improvement" (bienhechurA a in Spanish). Once you have made an improvement to the land, the land and the improvement become inseparable and that is how the improver acquires ownership of the land. Imagine an artist walking down a deserted beach in search of driftwood or shells or pebbles with which to create a work of art. How does he acquire ownership of these items? Simply by picking them up because no one else is claiming them. If there were more that one scavenger on the beach, they would have to agree on how to divide up the loot. Hernando de Soto describes in "[[ASIN:0465016154 The Mystery of Capital: Why Capitalism Triumphs in the West and Fails Everywhere Else]]" how this was achieved in early America. David, read that book and discover how you become owner of virgin land.
The discussion of money with a basket of commodities to back it is also a terrific muddle. Again, money is something quite simple that even the simple minds understand. It is only learned people who have such a hard time understanding money. Money is a contract often breached but usually honored. Another book recommendation for David is "[[ASIN:0735100705 Money: Whence It Came, Where It Went]]" by John Kenneth Galbraith.
Anarchy has been tried before, by socialists in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was an utter failure, the Communists gained the upper hand. I'm an anarchist at heart (a right wing anarchist) but my brain tells me it does not work. A third book suggestion for David: "[[ASIN:1904859259 No Gods No Masters]]" by Daniel Guerin, a anthology of anarchism.
In summary, The Machinery of Freedom is a most disappointing text. |
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