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Freedom Manifesto: Why Free Markets Are Moral and Big Government Isn't
From Steve Forbes, the iconic editor in chief of Forbes Media, and Elizabeth Ames coauthors of How Capitalism Will Save Us —comes a new way of thinking about the role of government and the morality of free markets.
Americans today are at a turning point. Are we a country founded on the values of freedom and limited government, as envisioned by the founding fathers in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution? Or do we want to become a European-style socialist democracy? What best serves the public good—freedom or Big Government?
In Freedom Manifesto , Forbes and Ames offer a new twist on this historic debate. Today’s bloated and bureaucratic government, they argue, is anything but a force for compassion. Instead of assuring fairness, it promotes favoritism. Instead of furthering opportunity, it stifles economic growth. Instead of unleashing innovation and material abundance, its regulations and price controls create rigidity and scarcity. Not only are Big Government’s inefficient and ever-expanding bureaucracies ill-equipped to deliver on their promises—they are often guilty of the very greed, excess, and corruption routinely ascribed to the private sector .
The only way to a truly fair and moral society, the authors say, is through economic freedom—free people and free markets. Throughout history, open markets have helped the poor and everyone else by unleashing unprecedented creativity, generating wealth, and raising living standards. Promoting trust, generosity, and democracy, economic freedom has been a more powerful force for individual rights, self-determination—and humanity—than any government bureaucracy.
Freedom Manifesto captures the spirit of a new movement that is questioning old ideas about the morality of government and markets for the first time since the Great Depression. Going beyond the familiar explanations and sound bites, the authors provide a fully developed framework of “first principles” for a true understanding of the real moral and ethical distinctions between more and less government. This timely and provocative book shows why free markets and liberty are the only way to a better future and a fair and humane society.
Americans today are at a turning point. Are we a country founded on the values of freedom and limited government, as envisioned by the founding fathers in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution? Or do we want to become a European-style socialist democracy? What best serves the public good—freedom or Big Government?
In Freedom Manifesto , Forbes and Ames offer a new twist on this historic debate. Today’s bloated and bureaucratic government, they argue, is anything but a force for compassion. Instead of assuring fairness, it promotes favoritism. Instead of furthering opportunity, it stifles economic growth. Instead of unleashing innovation and material abundance, its regulations and price controls create rigidity and scarcity. Not only are Big Government’s inefficient and ever-expanding bureaucracies ill-equipped to deliver on their promises—they are often guilty of the very greed, excess, and corruption routinely ascribed to the private sector .
The only way to a truly fair and moral society, the authors say, is through economic freedom—free people and free markets. Throughout history, open markets have helped the poor and everyone else by unleashing unprecedented creativity, generating wealth, and raising living standards. Promoting trust, generosity, and democracy, economic freedom has been a more powerful force for individual rights, self-determination—and humanity—than any government bureaucracy.
Freedom Manifesto captures the spirit of a new movement that is questioning old ideas about the morality of government and markets for the first time since the Great Depression. Going beyond the familiar explanations and sound bites, the authors provide a fully developed framework of “first principles” for a true understanding of the real moral and ethical distinctions between more and less government. This timely and provocative book shows why free markets and liberty are the only way to a better future and a fair and humane society.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 13, 2012
There are few writers who have the clarity of thought and purpose of Steve Forbes. Combine his talent for writing with a deep understanding of economic, government, and business issues and you get a book that should be required reading for every voter. What the main stream media is unable or unwilling to explain to voters, Forbes addresses directly: We can have a big government leviathan or freedom/prosperity. We can't have both. We have to choose. He explains why this choice is so important - especially with this election.
There are lots of reviews of the book available online. There are even some videos about the book out there. I found this facebook page to be a helpful "one stop shop" for added comments and content about the book: http://www.facebook.com/freedommanife...
There are lots of reviews of the book available online. There are even some videos about the book out there. I found this facebook page to be a helpful "one stop shop" for added comments and content about the book: http://www.facebook.com/freedommanife...
October 31, 2012
This book should be required reading for every free market capitalist AND every leftist, big government regulation-is-the-answer believer in America. It succinctly illuminates clear thinking and debunks the emotional fuzziness of the "Disney People".
November 8, 2023
I only saw false dichotomy here.
May 8, 2015
The book points out that capitalism is moral because of generally better and wider-reaching positive results than social democracies. As we'd expect from Forbes, he points out that capitalism calls for a mutual exchange which fosters mutual benefit. He compares that to products and services that are supplied by government, which are by the nature of the one-sided exchange, either taking or "giving" coercive. He also writes a lot about the facelessness of large bureaucracies. A person in the private sector is responsible for exchanging their time for their wages or their product for their customers’ money. For people who spend their life in government employ, being fired is rare and there is no penalty for failing. That doesn’t mean all government employees are bad or with poor intentions, but that those that are rarely face the penalty that is meted out daily in the private sector.
Forbes also takes issue with the demonization of capitalism versus the public sector in the media. the media typically takes the stance that government and the people in it are good, with their good intentions praised even when getting horrible results. He writes a lot about where capitalism has created entire new types of businesses and services while centrally planned business activity does not allow for that economic creativity.
One factoid i really enjoyed:
A Hallmark card that includes a sound chip has more computing power than the U.S. Air Force had in 1960. This was part of the chapter pointing out that the Internet and computer revolution would not have evolved in a controlled economy.
Forbes also takes issue with the demonization of capitalism versus the public sector in the media. the media typically takes the stance that government and the people in it are good, with their good intentions praised even when getting horrible results. He writes a lot about where capitalism has created entire new types of businesses and services while centrally planned business activity does not allow for that economic creativity.
One factoid i really enjoyed:
A Hallmark card that includes a sound chip has more computing power than the U.S. Air Force had in 1960. This was part of the chapter pointing out that the Internet and computer revolution would not have evolved in a controlled economy.
August 23, 2014
The book was concisely put together, even if a bit dry at times. It was long on examples of efficiency but short on examples on morality. I only bring this up because it is part of the subtitle.
It seems to me almost immoral to sell a moral argument and then ignore it. That's just me though. There is a small portion of moral arguments towards the end but it feels like an afterthought and most is centered around a biased comparison between Reagan and Obama. I like Reagan and I am not a fan of Obama; but we can look back at Reagan through history, while Obama is still in office and history hasn't yet been written let alone decided.
If you are looking for a collection of comparisons of free-markets versus state-corporatism this is a good book to have.
It seems to me almost immoral to sell a moral argument and then ignore it. That's just me though. There is a small portion of moral arguments towards the end but it feels like an afterthought and most is centered around a biased comparison between Reagan and Obama. I like Reagan and I am not a fan of Obama; but we can look back at Reagan through history, while Obama is still in office and history hasn't yet been written let alone decided.
If you are looking for a collection of comparisons of free-markets versus state-corporatism this is a good book to have.
December 16, 2012
What a great succinct read on why free markets trump big government state-ism. Loaded with historical, financial, and political examples of what free markets will engender as to what re-distribution will cause. This should be read by both sides of the argument. And folks, the current movie playing in DC has been on before. Much of the rationale for big government intervention today played out in the Great Depression to no good finale.
December 10, 2012
I love Steve Forbes. He makes very solid arguments for Free Markets and why it is the best way for everyone to prosper. Also an easy read-
March 6, 2013
points very well made
December 28, 2018
Goodreads told me to do this
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews