Why Capitalism?
"A concise alternative to current economic policies for those who look with suspicion at the writings of economists and financial specialists...A lively, politically challenging contribution to a developing discussion on how to change international monetary arrangements." --Kirkus Reviews"Allan Meltzer'sWhy Capitalismis a thoughtful, historically-based analysis of the roles of government and free markets in a democratic society. Meltzer has thought deeply about the workings of both and has a good sense of which functions each best can be trusted to serve. His analysis of financial regulation in general and of the Dodd-Frank bill in particular is the best I have seen." --Robert Lucas, University of Chicago, 1995 Nobel laureate in Economics"If you want a realpolitik view of the world, Meltzer's your guy. You know right away that you are in for quite a ride when, in the introduction, he acknowledges the range of his influences, from Immanuel Kant (for example, human nature as 'crooked timber') to Karl Popper to Friedrich Hayek, and to Milton Friedman, among others. He takes you back in time and sketches from a broad perspective the old battle of capitalism versus communism and socialism, and extols the genius of the freedom of capitalism. For those interested in recounting the perils of government regulation and failed attempts at income distribution, it's a treasure, especially in the last chapter. There, the author describes the role of the Federal Reserve, particularly in moderating inflation, Meltzer's specialty."--Journal of Environmental Investing