December

THEFREE IDEAS ON LIBERTY 460 My FamilyLife as a Socialist ThomasJ. Bray Lessonsfrom under the Christmastree. 462 Hurricane Hugo: Price ControlsHinder Recovery RussellShannon The market can harnessthe forcesof self-interestto alleviatesufferingcausedby nature. 464 Womenand the Market: Are They Made for Each Other? Jean L. Baker Economicfreedom,not coercivelegislation,is a woman'sbest friend. 470 Will More DollarsSavethe World? WilliamH. Peterson Four decadesafter its firstenunciation,the questionis stillvalid. 472 Religionin China GeoffreyKain What'sbehind the apparent opennessand tolerance? 477 China'sGreat Leap Backward DianeD. Pikcunas Politicalpowercan defeat the most spectaculareconomicadvances. 481 Ecorse'sGrand Experiment GregKaza Privatizationsavesa cityteetering on the brink of bankruptcy. 483 The ArtificialInftationof Natural Rights Antony Flew Option rightsand welfarerights. 485 BasicRightsand Meta-Rights WilliamB. Irvine Waivingand transferringour basicrights.

487 "I'm Here to Help You" Stu Pritchard Some reflectionson prior restraint. 488 Argent!naat the Crossroads RichardA. Cooper A return to classicalliberalismor venturingfurther down the road to serfdom? 492 Book Reviews John Chamberlain reviews The Survival of the Adversary Culture by Paul Hollander. Also featured: Prosperityand Poverty: The CompassionateUse of Resourcesin a World of Scarcity by E. Calvin Beisner, Economics:Between PredictiveScienceand Moral Philosophy by James M. Buchanan, and Liberty, Property, and the Foundationsof the American Constitution edited by Ellen Frankel Paul and Howard Dickman. 498 Index for 1989 Compiled by Bettina Bien Greaves CONTENTS DECEMBER 1989 VOL. 39 NO. 12 THEFREEMAN IDEASON LIBERTY Published by The Foundation for Economic Education Irvington-on-Hudson, NY 10533 President of The Board: Bruce M. Evans Vice-President: Robert G. Anderson Senior Editors: Beth A. Hoffman Brian Summers Contributing Editors: Bettina Bien Greaves Edmund A. Opitz Paul L. Poirot Copy Editor: Deane M. Brasfield The Freeman is the monthly publication of The Foundation for Economic Education, Inc., Irvington-on-Hudson, NY 10533 (914) 591 7230. FEE, founded in 1946 by Leonard E.

Read, is a nonpolitical educational champion of private property, the free market, and limited government. FEE is classified as a 26 USC 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt organization. Other officers of FEE's Board of Trustees are: Thomas C. Stevens, chairman; Ridgway K. Foley, Jr., vice chairman; Paul L. Poirot, secretary; Don L. Foote, Treasurer. The costs of Foundation projects and services are met through donations. Donations are invited in any amount. Subscriptions to The Freemanare available to any interested person in the United States for the asking. Additional single copies $1.00;10 or more, 50 cents each. For foreign delivery, a donation of $15.00 a year is required to cover direct mailing costs. Copyright © 1989 by the Foundation for Eco nomic Education, Inc. Printed in the U.S.A. Permission is granted to reprint any article in this issue, except "My Family Life as a Social ist," provided appropriate credit is given and two copies of the reprinted material are sent to The Foundation.

Bound volumes of The Freemanare available from The Foundation for calendar years 1969 to date. Earlier volumes as well as current is sues are available on microfilm from University Microfilms, 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, MI48106. The Freemanconsiders unsolicited editorial submissions, but they must be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Our au thor's guide is available on request. FAX: (914) 591-8910 PERSPECTIVE Letterfrom China Editors'Note: The followingletter was receivedfrom a student at The People's Universityof China in Beijing. In light of current conditions in China, we are withholdingthe student'sname. August 3, 1989 Dear Sir: As a postgraduate student specializingin histo ry of economic thought, I have been devoting my mind to the causes and development of various schools of thought for several years; especially concentrating my attention on development of thought of the Austrian school, from the great founder, Carl Menger (1840-1921),to the promi nent thinker, Friedrich A. Hayek (1899-). The extensive and profound thought of the Austrian school is a great contribution to the world of hu man thought in general.

It is for me the greatest pleasure that I recently have learned that your foundation is enthusiastic in promoting the study and propagation of liber alism economics [free market economics], espe cially the economic thought of the Austrian school. So I am writing to you to ask your advice. I should be greatly obliged if you could send me some recent books or materials on the study of liberalism economics or the thought of the Aus trian school and give me further information about your foundation. Thank you very much. I look forward to hear ing from you soon. Sincerely yours, We respondedby letterand senta packet of ma terials. OurFriendsin Argentina For more than 30 years, FEE has worked closely with leading classical liberals in Argenti na. FEE staff members and Trustees have spo ken before Argentine audiences, and Argentine students travel to Irvington to attend FEE semi nars. Thus, we are especially pleased to present Richard Cooper's article, "Argentina at the Crossroads" (p. 488),which describes the work of many of our Argentine colleagues.

FetixMorleyPrizeWmners Six young Freeman authors have been hon ored in the 1989 Felix Morley Memorial Writing Competition sponsored by the Institute for Hu mane Studies. Congratulations to David Bern stein, Christopher L. Culp, Matthew Hoffman, David Hood, John Hood, and Greg Kaza. The FreedomPhilosophy Every person has an inherent right to life and liberty, and to the self-enrichment of his life com mensurate with his aspirations, dedication, and abilities. PERSPECTIVE Every person has the right to create, acquire, hold, use, and dispose of his property, limited only by the prohibition against infringing the rights of others. People have the right to form governments whose only responsibility and authority is to pro tect the rights of individuals against violence, threats, and fraud. Governments have no right to violate the in herent rights of individuals through majority vote, legislativepower, or other means.

Individuals have the right to produce and trade goods and services throughout the world, unen cumbered by government intervention, subject only to the prohibition against violating the rights of others. -G. F: MAUGHMER Escondido, California 460 THEFREEMAN IDEASON LIBERTY My Family Life as a Socialist by Thomas J. Bray T he Christmas season always reminds me that I am something of a socialist. No, I am not a fan of Karl, Vladimir, Mao, and Mikhail. Socialism, and particularly its virulent communist form, is crackpot stuff. When it comes to family, however, most of us exhibit distinctly socialist tendencies. Think about it when you're divvying up the presents under the tree on Christmas morning. The kids, who usually have contributed least to family income, usually wind up getting the most packages. Mom and Dad usually come out about equal with each other, even if one has contribut ed more to family income than the other. Rela tives and in-laws all get their fair sh~re.