Freedom. Freedom from government meddling and taxation. Freedom of association. These freedoms are inseparable, and they are the engines of human progress. A simple idea? Perhaps. Yet this simple idea has been responsible for more human happiness than any other. In "The Joy of Freedom," David R. Henderson shines a light on freedom at work in every corner of human life, making the most powerful case for free markets since Milton and Rose Friedman's Free to Choose. Along the way, he demolishes the conventional "wisdom" that has justified government's role in environmental regulation, education, social security, and healthcare; and shows once and for all why government programs perpetuate poverty instead of eliminating it.
Forget the "dismal science": Economist Henderson writes with passion about the joyous science. You will always know where he stands: with freedom, and against tyranny-in any guise. Free and healthy, at half the costHow deregulation and the Internet can make healthcare more competitive-and less expensiveNature's best friend: property rights How property rights are protecting wildlife, from elephants to hawksInterviewing Ralph NaderNader defends regulations that kill thousands of people every yearGovernments promote racism and free markets combat itSome fascinating stories on South Africa, the United States, and Schindler's ListBeyond public schools: education in a free societyThe 10 most important things you've learnedFree markets: empowering the poor, worldwideProperty ownership: the best solution for abolishing hunger and poverty
The world's most powerful idea: for real joy, you need real freedom.The strongest arguments for free markets since MiltonFriedman's Free to Choose A personal manifesto from one of the world's leading economistsHow freedom unleashes extraordinary improvements in every area of human society
"The Joy of Freedom: An Economist's Odyssey" brings free market economics to life through stories of those who have discovered it in their own lives. David R. Henderson, one of the world's most vigorous advocates of free markets, celebrates those in American society-and around the world-who are fighting to get the government off their backs.
No writer has more masterfully illustrated the centrality of freedom and enlightened self-interest to a well-run economy--and a good society. Henderson demonstrates the power--and the potential--of free markets to improve the environment, education, health, community, culture, and every other aspect of life that matters. This plain-speaking book crystallizes the inherent contradictions between government and freedom, showing why even the most well-intentioned governments can deliver nothing but disaster.
For those who already believe in free markets, this book offers powerful ammunition; for those who are skeptical, it will be a revelation. "The Joy of Freedom is a quasi-autobiographical clarion call for a free society. It is passionate and eloquent, yet at the same time, thoughtful, informed, and profound. A splendid statement of the moral case for a free society, at the same time it is an informed and comprehensive survey of its practical virtues and of the harm done by widespread government intervention. "--Milton Friedman
Senior Research Fellow, Hoover Institution, and Nobel Laureate"Economics, like politics, has its 'great communicators.' David R. Henderson is oneof them. A superb lesson from one of the more masterly of our economic teachers." --Amity Shlaes,
Columnist on Political Economy, "The Financial Times""A dazzling intellectual memoir, a high-level lesson in market economics, a terrific read. "--Dan Seligman,
"Forbes" magazine "A can't-put-it-down read that engages you in story and events.... Here economic principles are not dry theories; they are events in Henderson's life. And we come to root for him as he struggles to see through one economic commonplace after another."--Shelby Steele,
author of "A Dream Deferred: The Second Betrayal of Black Freedom in America"
