Reason.tv: Free or Equal? - Johan Norberg Updates Milton & Rose Friedman's Free to Choose

Swedish economist Johan Norberg is the host of the new documentary Free or Equal, which retraces and updates the 1980 classic Free to Choose, featuring Milton and Rose Friedman. Like the Friedmans, Norberg travels the globe to look at the conditions under which prosperity and freedom flourish - and under what conditions they wither and die. Made by the same producer who created Free to Choose, Free or Equal will be appearing on PBS in 2011. For more information, a clip of the new documentary and the entire Free to Choose series, go here.

Norberg is the author of numerous books, including In Defense of Global Capitalism (2002) and Fiscal Fiasco (2009), a look at how the U.S. government's policies contributed to and have exacerbated the length and intensity of the Great Recession.

Reason's Nick Gillespie sat down with Norberg to discuss how the changes in the world since the Friedmans' earlier documentary effect their basic argument that individual economic freedom is a building block for a prosperous and open society. Overall, says Norberg, the Friedmans' basic insights hold true and some of the places they celebrated - such as Hong Kong, then under British protection and now part of the People's Republic of China - are still flourishing. But in countries and regions that continue to constrain economic and political liberties, reports Norberg, fear and privation still dominate.

About 6 minutes. Shot by Jim Epstein and Joshua Swain; edited by Swain.

Go to Reason.tv for downloadable versions, and subscribe to Reason.tv's YouTube Channel to receive automatic notifications when new material goes live.

For an earlier Reason.tv interview with Norberg (about his book Fiscal Fiasco), go here.

Comments

[Bill O'Reilly]

PBS: Pinheads or Patriots?

[Liberal]

We're not free unless we're equal!!!

[Doktor Kapitalism]

Three simple words. That's all it will take. Let your mind go, and just say them. It's so easy.

Freedom is slavery.

[Fiscal Meth]

In that case I choose slavery.

[John]

Please politicians continue to steal instead of spending a couple of billion dollars for a back up supply of transformers (oh and yes they are not made in the US anymore since the fucking EPA won't let them be made here) that could actually save our way of life.

http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2.....63979.html

[Joshua Corning]

spending a couple of billion dollars for a back up supply of transformers

I would support a plan to cut the defense budget by 300 billion then spending say 50 billion developing giant robots that can turn into cars and planes and dinosaurs and shit.

[Jerry]

What will its take be on public broadcasting?

[Doktor Kapitalism]

It's is really ironic.

[Joshua Corning]

This:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xd9OYJMX9t4

[erikjay]

"...how the changes in the world since the Friedmans' earlier documentary effect their basic argument..."

Nit to be picked: That should be "affect" instead of "effect." Nick "sat down with Norberg" for the reason-dot-tv thing, but I'm guessing he didn't write the blurb -- he has a PhD in English, after all, which makes for much more sophisticated errata.

Sophisticated Errata. Is that a David Byrne band? Album title? Sounds familiar...

[Jerry]

How can you 'affect' a basic argument?

[Zeb]

By doing something which changes it.

[Amakudari]

More noticeable was "Cato Institue" (3:38). Gotta proof these things, folks.

[Joshua Corning]

Sophisticated Errata. Is that a David Byrne band? Album title? Sounds familiar...

You are thinking of Affect Twin.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Az_7U0-cK0

[ME!]

The book is actually called Finacial Fiasco. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb.....an+norberg

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