Why Government Is the Problem

Quick, though a bit dated (the speech is from 1991 and updated in 1993; Friedman didn't foresee the Clinton/Gingrich era economic boom). But the philosophical underpinnings are pure Friedman, and good. For instance, why does government not do good when they have good intentions? Friedman says (p. 11): "The self-interest of people in government leads them to behave in a way that is against the self-interest of the rest of us. [...] I say that there is a reverse invisible hand: People who intend to serve only the public interest are led by an invisible hand to serve private interests which was no part of their intention."

Good if you can get it cheap.

Short and clear argument against bureaucracy

This is a short essay in which Friedman makes the standard libertarian case against the size of government — that bureaucracy has several drivers which push it inevitably to grow, and that government misallocates resources, even when the people in the government are themselves good.

This is simply a transcript of a speech he gave. It also includes several questions and answers following the speech.

For the well read Friedman fan or anyone who has watched some of the videos available on YouTube, this pamphlet offers nothing new. As an introductory read to Milton Friedman, it is useful. It is concise and well presented.