Chris
08-01-2013, 01:46 PM
Milton Friedman: Father of the Tea Party? (http://www.salon.com/2013/07/31/milton_friedman_father_of_the_tea_party/) makes some sense, Friedman could be considered the father, or at least grandfather, of the Tea Party movement. And I think it's correct in saying the Tea Parties are libertarian populists and to favor the free market.
But the oped trips over its own feet when it begins it's criticism:
The problem is that markets, being amoral, are necessarily immoral.
Do a double take? At the doublespeak. How obvious a contradiction!
Markets are essentially utilitarian, they maximize “happiness,”...
Uh, no, utilitarianism is a liberal view whereby some few can calculate the common public good. The free market is based instead on the classical liberal view of liberty of each to pursue happiness.
But what happens when one man’s pleasure harms another?
Liberty is a responsibility to pursue happiness without harming others. We give up some liberty to government to protect liberty and enforce contacts and punish fraud.
Old Milton must be turning over in his grave the way modern liberalism has perverted classical liberalism.
Happy Birthday!
But the oped trips over its own feet when it begins it's criticism:
The problem is that markets, being amoral, are necessarily immoral.
Do a double take? At the doublespeak. How obvious a contradiction!
Markets are essentially utilitarian, they maximize “happiness,”...
Uh, no, utilitarianism is a liberal view whereby some few can calculate the common public good. The free market is based instead on the classical liberal view of liberty of each to pursue happiness.
But what happens when one man’s pleasure harms another?
Liberty is a responsibility to pursue happiness without harming others. We give up some liberty to government to protect liberty and enforce contacts and punish fraud.
Old Milton must be turning over in his grave the way modern liberalism has perverted classical liberalism.
Happy Birthday!