米爾頓．傅利曼，二十世紀最具影響力的經濟學家，鼓吹自由放任的市場經濟，認為經濟在政府不干預的情況下運作得最好。他長期任教於芝加哥大學，領導「芝加哥學派」的壯大，1976年榮獲諾貝爾經濟學獎。 《選擇的自由》是傅利曼最具影響力、也最平易近人的著作，曾製播為同名的電視節目「選擇的自由」，1980年時在美國公共電視台（Public Broadcasting Service）連續播出十個星期，造成廣大的迴響。 在現代社會，自由的重要性往往被忽視，人們自以為是生活在自由社會。然而實際上，在台灣，大陸投資上限40%是不自由，政府管制油價也是一種不自由。結果，人們承受了經濟倒退的苦果。自由和人性有關，也和經濟學密切相關。 在本書裡，傅利曼夫婦要談的是經濟與人性自由的關係、市場的力量，還有政府權力擴大將會侵吞人們的自由和財富。出於一片好意的計畫，一旦有政府介入成為中間人，往往會帶來悲慘的結果。作者也提出這些經濟弊病的矯正方法──應該怎麼做，才能擴大我們的自由和促進經濟繁榮。書中的重要主題有： ※ 貿易關稅、物價管制會阻礙經濟成長。（第二章） ※ 社會福利應該怎麼做，才不會破壞人們為自己負責的誘因。（第四章） ※ 人生而平等，但必須釐清「機會平等」和「結果平等」的不同。（第五章） ※ 政府過度補助公立學校的害處，並提出「教育券」的構想。（第六章） ※ 為保護「消費者」和「勞工」而設的機構，其效果往往與心存善念的原始支持者的本意相反。（第七、八章） ※ 通貨膨脹是什麼？它如何發生？又該如何解決？（第九章） 相關資料： 1. 「選擇的自由」節目片段，可參考www.ideachannel.tv/ 2. 張五常追思傅利曼： 弗里德曼追思?：?五常演? qzone.blog.qq.com/622006057/blog/1194865297.htm blog.ce.cn/html/72/105972-54924.html 3. 林行止談弗利民(傅利曼)? linxingzhi.blog.sohu.com/63157610.html

Writing in the June 1965 issue of the "Economic Journal", Harry G. Johnson begins with a sentence seemingly calibrated to the scale of the book he set himself to review: 'The long-awaited "Monetary History of the United States" by Friedman and Schwartz is in every sense of the term a monumental scholarly achievement - monumental in its sheer bulk, monumental in the definitiveness of its treatment of innumerable issues, large and small ...monumental, above all, in the theoretical and statistical effort and ingenuity that have been brought to bear on the solution of complex and subtle economic issues'.Friedman and Schwartz marshaled massive historical data and sharp analytics to support the claim that monetary policy - steady control of the money supply - matters profoundly in the management of the nation's economy, especially in navigating serious economic fluctuations. In their influential chapter 7, "The Great Contraction" - which Princeton published in 1965 as a separate paperback - they address the central economic event of the century, the Depression. According to Hugh Rockoff, writing in January 1965: 'If Great Depressions could be prevented through timely actions by the monetary authority (or by a monetary rule), as Friedman and Schwartz had contended, then the case for market economies was measurably stronger.' Milton Friedman won the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2000 for work related to "A Monetary History " as well as to his other Princeton University Press book, "A Theory of the Consumption Function" (1957).

Free to Choose (1980) is a book and a ten-part television series broadcast on public television by economists Milton and Rose D. Friedman that advocates free market principles. Free to Choose: A Personal Statement maintains that the free market works best for all members of a society, provides examples of how the free market engenders prosperity, and maintains that it can solve problems where other approaches have failed. Published in January 1980, the 297 page book contains 10 chapters. Milton Friedman won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics in 1976. Contrary to normal practice the book was written after the TV series was produced, although the line "Basis for the acclaimed public television triumph" is written on the front cover, using the program transcripts as reference. The book was on the United States best sellers list for 5 weeks. PBS telecast the series, beginning in January 1980; the general format was that of Dr. Friedman visiting and narrating a number of success and failure stories in history, which Dr. Friedman attributes to capitalism or the lack thereof (e.g. Hong Kong is commended for its free markets, while India is excoriated for relying on centralized planning especially for its protection of its traditional textile industry). Following the primary show, Dr. Friedman would engage in discussion with a number of selected persons, such as Donald Rumsfeld (then of G.D. Searle & Company). The series was rebroadcast in 1990 with Linda Chavez moderating the episodes. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ronald Reagan, Steve Allen and others give personal introductions for each episode in the series. This time, after the documentary part, Friedman sits down with a single opponent to debate the issues raised in the episode.

How can we benefit from the promise of government while avoiding the threat it poses to individual freedom? In this classic book, Milton Friedman provides the definitive statement of his immensely influential economic philosophy—one in which competitive capitalism serves as both a device for achieving economic freedom and a necessary condition for political freedom. The result is an accessible text that has sold well over half a million copies in English, has been translated into eighteen languages, and shows every sign of becoming more and more influential as time goes on.

Basis for the Acclaimed Public Television Triumph