In his effort to discredit the very idea of centralized government, which also tends to destroy the confidence the people of this nation have in their union and the effectiveness of their collective action, Friedman makes one of the more preposterous statements in his book. We wonder if Mr. Friedman has heard of space exploration, nuclear energy, computers and the internet. Those are just four examples out of a countless number of great advances that would never have occurred but for the support and financing by a centralized government. John excuse me, mr. friedman, but i believe the greatest works of architecture in the world were ordained, as it were, by centralized government. Surely there is nothing profound in taking for granted the fundamental and indispensable relationships that exists between the various members of the society.
Ideologues invariably do that, however, when they have an ideological agenda that they are pushing.
And anyone can overlook these connections in their effort to support a theory. John this sounds good. Man is a zoon politikon in the most literal sense, not only a social animal, but an animal that can be individuated only within society. But Mr. Friedman must have in mind some sophistical manipulation of the concepts involved, because his conclusions make no sense. Every advance is initiated by some interested individual or group.