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One would probably have a hard time

would lead to more cronyism and corporate

finding any economist who was more persis-

welfare. Her only argument begs the ques-

tent than Friedman in warning about how

tion--it has happened in countries that have

corporations and capitalists conspire against

been led by people she considers Friedmanite,

the public to get special privileges, subsidies,

and we know they are Friedmanite because

and protection. As Friedman pointed out:

they enrich companies when they have a

chance.

Business corporations in general are

The idea seems to be that Friedman and

not defenders of free enterprise. On the

other libertarians like corporations, so if gov-

contrary, they are one of the chief

ernments give corporations contracts, subsi-

sources of danger. . . . Every business-

dies, protection and privileges, that must be

man is in favor of freedom for every-

Friedmanite--to the core. At times it seems like

body else, but when it comes to himself

she thinks that any policy is neoliberal if pri-

that's a different question. We have to

vate companies are involved--if a private com-

have that tariff to protect us against

pany produced the eavesdropping devices, for

competition from abroad. We have to

example. If her misunderstanding of neocon-

have that special provision in the tax

servatism is the result of ignorance, this confu-

Libertarians have

code. We have to have that subsidy.73

sion is the result of her being seduced by classi-

always been

cal leftist rhetoric. Libertarians have always

been accused by their opponents of wanting to

Friedman called this search for favors "the

accused by their

enrich corporations, so if something enriches

suicidal impulse of the business communi-

opponents of

ty," which was the title of a lecture he gave

corporations, it must be libertarian.

wanting to enrich

Here is Klein's interpretation of Friedman's

several times. It was a constant theme in

viewpoint:

Friedman's works. In the first episode of his

corporations.

classic TV series Free to Choose, it is almost as

What he understood was that in normal

if Friedman takes aim at Klein's depiction of

circumstances, economic decisions are

Friedman himself:

made based on the push and pull of

competing interests--workers want jobs

I do not believe it's proper to put the

situation in terms of industrialist ver-

and raises, owners want low taxes and

relaxed regulation, and politicians have

sus government. On the contrary, one

to strike a balance between these com-

of the reasons why I am in favor of less

peting forces.72

government is because when you have

more government industrialists take it

This is why Friedmanites need crises,

over, the two together form a coalition

because they suspend "normal circum-

against the ordinary worker and the

stances" and make it possible to benefit own-

ordinary consumer. I think business is

ers and implement their agenda when people

a wonderful institution provided it has

are busy thinking about other things. Klein's

to face competition in the marketplace

words sound like a summary of something

and it can't get away with something

Friedman said, but she never explains where

except by producing a better product

he "understood" this. There is no footnote.

at a lower cost; and that's why I don't

The reason is that this is not Friedman's

want government to step in and help

the business community.74

point of view. On the contrary, he argued

that "jobs and raises" were the long-term

results of "low taxes and relaxed regulation."

Friedman's description of how the system

But he also thought that corporate lobbying

works is very close to Klein's: "Big Govern-

interests frequently tried to destroy those

ment joins forces with Big Business to redis-

tribute funds upward."75 The difference, of

beneficial effects.

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