Professor Milton Friedman: The Power of Choice

Source:Idea Channel- Economics Professor Milton Friedman in 1979 or 80.

"An excerpt from the biography of Nobel Prize winner Milton Friedman."

Source:Idea Channel

The power of choice is a huge power and the most important and powerful tool we have as people no matter where we live in the world. Whether we live in a liberal democracy like America or social democracies like in Canada, Europe, Australia, or the democracies in Asia, or whether we live in authoritarian states. 

The power of choice is the most important power we have as people and in a way the only power we have as individuals. Because without it, we don't have any other powers as people, because choice it powers everything. We do as people and it's always there for us as well, as long we have power over our minds and bodies we have choice. 

In a free society some people will always have more than others, but we always have choice as long as we control our minds and bodies. Power of choice is the power to make good decisions or the power to make bad decisions. And with every decision we make as people, there are consequences that come from the choices that we make good and bad.

There's no such thing as a socialist utopia or paradise. There may be some countries that are closer to this vision than others, but that's exactly what it is. A vision of what life would be like if everything is perfect. So it's not a question of whether have have a perfect society, or not but what's the best society that we can build for ourselves that's better than all of the alternatives. 

Myself as a Liberal Democrat (meaning someone who believes in liberal democracy) that society would be a society where the power of choice is running rampant, where individuals have the power to govern themselves, as long as they aren't hurting innocent people with what they are doing. Which is what liberal democracy is about. 

As a Liberal and as an individualist, I believe in personal freedom, responsibility, and education. The ability for people to get a good education and then use that power to make the best decisions for themselves and the people that are dependent on them. And then be held accountable for all of their decisions for good and bad. And these are the values that Professor Milton Friedman also believed in.