WFHB Bloomington Community Radio
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In his new book Capitalism vs. Freedom, Rob Larson goes after the high priests of Capitalism, those deep thinkers such as Friedrich Hayek, Ludwig von Mises, and Ayn Rand. But more directly and pointedly, Milton Friedman, the Nobel Prize Winning economist, and debate society pugilist who did the heavy PR work for Reagan era deregulation and who offered the Right Wing Business Roundtable rationale for corporate power and greed.
In Larson’s new book he quotes liberally from Friedman’s own 1962 volume Capitalism and Freedom, as well as the book Friedman penned with his wife Rose, Free to Choose, which was also made into a ten-part television series in 1980.
Using their own words to condemn them, Larson exposes these intellectual opportunists for what they are: defenders of cruel power systems. Men and women such as these once supported slavery, the divine right of kings, and Nazism and Rob Larson puts the Libertarian defense of Capitalism on this same list.
Capitalism is indefensible as a system that promotes freedom, no matter how folks like Milton Friedman define that word. And as we careen toward climate disaster with no political will to take action we must find a way to speak with one voice and declare that money is not freedom and that power is not the ultimate aim of every man or woman. That is the call of the Capitalists, and they are ruthless. Further we must be very clear about what can offer us a path forward even if the best we might do now is marginally mitigate impending catastrophe. For Rob Larson, Socialism is that path.
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GUEST
Rob Larson is a professor of economics at Tacoma Community College in Washington State and author previously of Bleakonomics: A Heartwarming Introduction to Financial Catastrophe, the Jobs Crisis and Environmental Destruction.
MUSIC
“Miss America” by David Byrne
“Money Machine” by James Taylor
“Kiss Me, Son of God” by They Might Be Giants
“When the Idle Poor Become the Idle Rich” written by Yip Harburg (Finian’s Rainbow)
“After the Gold Rush” by Neil Young
CREDITS
Producer & Host: Doug Storm
Studio Engineer: Wes Martin
Executive Producer: Wes Martin
