Title: Free to Choose – The Classic Inquiry Into The Relationship Between Freedom and Economics
Year: Updated 1990 Series
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This 10 part video series was based on the classic work of Milton Friedman, which he later published in his book Free to Choose. In this film he advocates that free market principles works best for all members of a society, and provides examples of how the free market engenders prosperity, and maintains that it can solve problems where other approaches have failed.
PBS telecast the series, beginning in January 1980; the general format was that of Dr. Friedman visiting and narrating a number of success and failure stories in history, which Dr. Friedman attributes to capitalism or the lack thereof (e.g. Hong Kong is commended for its free markets, while India is excoriated for relying on centralized planning especially for its protection of its traditional textile industry). Following the primary show, Dr. Friedman would engage in discussion with a number of selected debaters drawn from trade unions, academy and the business community, such as Donald Rumsfeld (then of G.D. Searle & Company) and Frances Fox Piven of City University of New York. The interlocutors would offer objections to the proposals put forward by Friedman, who would in turn respond. After the final episode, Friedman sat down for an interview with Lawrence Spivak.
The series was rebroadcast in 1990 with Linda Chavez moderating the episodes. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ronald Reagan, Steve Allen and others give personal introductions for each episode in the series. This time, after the documentary part, Friedman sits down with a single opponent to debate the issues raised in the episode. (summary from wikipedia)
Volume 1 – The Power of the Market
Volume 2 – The Tyranny of Control
Volume 3 – Freedom & Prosperity
Volume 4 – The Failure of Socialism
Volume 5 – Created Equal
Volume 6 – What’s Wrong With our Schools
Volume 7 – Who Protects the Consumer?
Volume 8 – Who Protects the Worker
Volume 9 – How to Cure Inflation
Volume 10 – How to Stay Free
