The Library of Economics and Liberty
  • Articles
  • EconLog
  • EconTalk
  • Encyclopedia
  • Videos
  • Books
  • Guides
EconLog |
  • Blog
  • Browse by Author
  • Browse by Topic
  • Search EconLog
  • RSS
  • Subscribe

ECONLOG POST

May 25 2012

Economic Philosophy, Economics and Culture
< Prev
Next >

Friday Night Video: Markets Breed Virtue

2

By:

  David Henderson
Friday Night Video: Markets Breed Virtue
Categories: Economic Philosophy Economics and Culture

By David Henderson, May 25 2012

SHARE
POST:

< Prev
Next >


READER COMMENTS

  • READ COMMENT POLICY
Ken B
May 26 2012 at 12:34am

It’s an important point — but also a frustrating one. You can make people better with better societies with rules that make them — as David says — accountable. And you can’t go the other way: trying to improve society by making better people is always disastrous. Capitalism makes societies better, and that makes people better. It lets people choose to be better. This is the exact opposite of what most believe and I find it very difficult to persuade people.

I think you can make a good case — and Dinesh DeSouza did — that racial discrimination and slavery made racial animus much worse. It’s the flip side of David’s example. And again, I find most people just reject the notion out of hand.

MG
May 27 2012 at 9:38am

In this context, I had to relive Milton Friedman’s helping a youg woman see the validity of a similar point…even if in a slightly devilish way: “I am on your side…even of you are not.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsIpQ7YguGE

Comments are closed.

SHARE
POST:
Enter your email address to subscribe to our monthly newsletter:

COLLECTION: ECONOMIC PHILOSOPHY

The article you’re reading is part of Econlib’s Economic Philosophy collection. Explore other Economic Philosophy articles:
  • May 23 2022

    How Londoners Survive Without a Food Czar

    Pierre Lemieux
  • May 22 2022

    Hayek on Privilege

    David Henderson
  • May 20 2022

    The Role of Privilege

    David Henderson
  • May 20 2022

    Theory and empirical evidence

    Scott Sumner
The Library of Economics and Liberty

Econlib

The Library of Economics and Liberty

Home page Articles EconLog EconTalk CEE Books
Videos Guides Search About Econlib Contact Us

Enter your email address to subscribe to our monthly newsletter:

Contact Us Privacy Policy
Copyright @ 1999-2019 Liberty Fund, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
AdamSmithWorks Liberty Fund, Inc. Online Library of Liberty Law and Liberty