October

THEFREE IDEAS ON LIBERTY 364 Educationand the RacistRoadto Barbarism GeorgeReisman Western civilization can continue only insofar as its intellectual substance lives on in the minds of new generations. 371 WhereAre the Sonsof Liberty? NormanS. Ream Who will join in the struggle to restore our heritage of freedom? 374 The Politicsof Compassion WilliamB. Irvine It is a mistake to use a person's political beliefs as the litmus test of his compassion. 376 Manipulatingthe ThaditionalFamily PeterJ. Leithart An analysis of "tax manipulation" from the perspective of Christian political philosophy. 380 ComparableWorth:FeminismTurningto Paternalism Wendy McElroy What is the measure of worth, and who will judge it? 382 CableTV NeedsCompetition John Merline Competition among cable TV companies can bring about lower prices and better service to consumers. 387 On the Rightto Strike Charles~ Baird Examining the strike-threat weapon and the legitimacy of the so-called right to strike.

392 GovernmentIsn'tLivingUp to Its Contract RogerKoopman A look at the ways that government denies the individual his right to determine his contracts with others. 393 Readers'Fomm 395 Book Reviews John Chamberlain reviews Fightingthe War ofIdeas in LatinAmericaby John C. Goodman and Ramona MarotzBaden. Also featured: InsidePerestroika: The Futureofthe SovietEconomy by Abel Aganbegyan; PreferentialPolicies: An InternationalPerspectiveby Thomas Sowell; and SouthAfrica~ War Against Capitalismby Walter Williams. CONTENTS OCTOBER 1990 VOL. 40 NO. 10 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 champi on 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; Philip M. Spicer, vice-chairman; Paul L. Poirot, secre tary; Don L. Foote, treasurer. The costs of Foundation projects and services are met through donations. Donations are in vited in any amount.· Subscriptions to The Freemanare available to any interested per son in the United States for the asking. Addi tional 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 mail ing costs. Copyright © 1990 by The Foundation for Economic Education, Inc. Printed in the U.S.A. Permission is granted to reprint any article in this issue, except "Education and the Racist Road to Barbarism," 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 1971 to date. Earlier volumes as well as current is sues are available on microfilm from Univer sity Microfilms, 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48106.

The Freemanconsiders unsolicited editorial submissions, but they must be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Our author's guide is available on request. FAX: (914) 591-8910 Cover art: detail from "The Triumph of Time" by Peter Bruegel, the Elder. © Dover Publications. PERSPECTIVE The Politicsof Poverty Political competition depends on the skills and abilities of the competitors. How then can the poor, who lack the skills and abilities to compete successfully in the marketplace, compete in the political arena? They can't, and therefore they haven't. After all, if the poor had the skills and at tributes that are necessary for effective political action, they would not be poor. Certainly billions of dollars have flowed through government pro grams supposedly established to redistribute in come from the non-poor to the poor, but the poor did not structure these programs. The middle class bureaucrats who run these programs, the consultants and academics who study them, and the doctors, farmers, and construction contractors whose services are demanded by them-they are the ones who share welfare programs and receive the most benefit from them. For example, in 1984 the federal government spent $344 billion on transfer payments of which only $80 billion went to the poor.