Readers' Forum

-JOHN S. P. ROBSON Austin, Texas To the Editors: As a Jew and a libertarian, I read with interest Milton Friedman's essay, "Capitalism and the Jews" (The Freeman, October 1988). Dr. Friedman admitted to having no answer for the question of why intellectuals, and Jews in par ticular, tend to dislike capitalism. I think I have one. Judaism stresses education, and college de grees are common among Jews. But before we conclude that Jews' anti-capitalist beliefs were instilled by their professors, we must analyze this argument. It assumes that the professors in question, in their tum, were radicalized by their professors, and so on. So where did the original radical professors come from? While there is ample truth in the assertion that professors tend to radicalize students, we must reject it as an other chicken-vs.-egg argument. I find it far more accurate to say that intel lectuals tend to feel guilty about not being poor or not feeling as though they belong to the working class, as it were. And if one did feel such guilt, would one support a system that al lows citizens to work for their own benefit (cap italism), or would one support a system that demands that citizens do penance by working for the benefit of others (socialism)? Leftist and egalitarian beliefs, not surprisingly, have al ways figured prominently in the lives of those who have the most guilt to relieve, and this puts intellectuals in the same category with film stars, poets, and writers even though the intel lectuals may not be wealthy. One's surname need not be Rockefeller or Fonda to regret not being poor; all one need do is not be poor.

Educated people, in many cases, have the same sort of vulnerability, since their education re lieves them of the necessity of performing man ual labor. Since most Jews fall into this cate gory, they can be expected to favor guilt relieving (egalitarian) politics to any other kind. For those who are working to win over bright minds to. our side, I therefore recommend, along with the usu~l reliance on facts and logic, an equal emphasis on promoting pride and self-respect--or anything else that might suc cessfully combat guilt. -ALLAN LEVITE Dallas, Texas (Readers are invited to share their opinions on ideas appearing in The Freeman.) 39 Private Property and the EnvironUlent: Two Views by Jane S. Shaw and John Hospers Editors' Note: In the May 1988 issue of The Freeman we published John Hospers' review of Property Rights and Eminent Domain by Ellen Frankel Paul. In thefollowing essays, Jane S. Shaw and John Hospers exchange views on some issues raised in that review.