This passage, among others, led Ayn Rand to write a letter to the publisher, Leonard Read, complaining that the pamphlet "advocates the nationalization of private homes." It's also probably why Rand never recommended anything Friedman or Stigler ever wrote, a serious failing on her part. But although Rand was incorrect in saying Friedman and Stigler advocated nationalizing homes, she had a point: Friedman and Stigler never mentioned that rent controls violate landlords' property rights. In 1971, by contrast, Friedman was to call price controls "immoral."
Was the omission of morality in 1946 due to Stigler, who was never comfortable talking about rights? Did Friedman think that he couldn't discuss rights in the intellectual environment of the time? Quite possibly the latter, because, as Friedman has often said, in the late 1940s the intellectual world was substantially more hostile to freedom than it has been since. Also, Friedman was a Jew without tenure, and anti-Semitism at the University of Wisconsin before the war had cost him his job. Indeed, before World War II, strange as it now sounds, Jews were almost nonexistent in academia. Friedman may have been justifiably wary of defending property rights forthrightly. Context is important. Unfortunately, neither Milton nor Rose gives the context.
Still, Two Lucky People has many strengths. One is the pithy comments it offers on various people. As a Treasury economist, for example, Friedman was assigned to explain national income accounts to Sen. Robert A. Taft, the famous conservative known as "Mr. Republican." Writes Friedman: "He proved to be an apt student. I would rank him with Richard Nixon as one of the intellectually ablest political figures with whom I have had close contact. He would have been an outstanding member of any university." About George Bush, by contrast, Milton writes, "I believe that Reagan made a mistake when he chose Bush as his vice-presidential candidate--indeed, I regard it as the worst decision not only of his campaign but of his presidency."
The book's other main strength is that it shows the Friedmans going through life enjoying themselves and keeping their fame in perspective. So many famous people expected to be treated better than those of us who are not famous. Through the whole book, you never get the idea that this is the Friedmans' view. One of my favorite stories is Rose's telling of their being thoroughly searched by a U.S. Customs official on their return from traveling abroad. While rifling through Milton's wallet, the official found Milton's business card and suddenly became "respectful rather than overbearing. We were as annoyed by his change in demeanor on recognizing Milton's name as by being singled out for close examination without being informed what if anything we were suspected of," writes Rose. How refreshing that the two Friedmans care, not about their own privileges, but about everyone's rights.
In 1983, three years after the series Free to Choose was shown on television, the Friedmans met Queen Elizabeth at a party on her yacht, Britannia. Rose, instead of oohing and aahing about royalty in her account, shows the Friedmans and the queen with their feet on the ground. Rose writes, "When it came Milton's turn to be introduced to the queen while going through the receiving line, she remarked, "I know you. Philip is always watching you on the telly.'"
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