Saturday, November 21, 2015

Donald Trump Is a Friedmanite?

The Wall Street Journal reports on an interview they had with the "Can Do" man:

So who does Mr. Trump listen to on economics, where does he seek counsel? “Honestly, I feel that I have such a vast feeling for it that I really—you know, Milton Friedman was good—but I don’t really listen to anybody,” he says. “I just put it in and I have a feeling for, it’s almost common sense, it’s a business instinct.

Here is Friedman on free trade and retaliation. which isn't exactly Trump's view:




I hasten to add that in this clip Friedman, unfortunately, does get a little Keynesian and seems to imply that spending is somehow important to keep an economy going. Friedman was just bad on money, but overall he was good on trade and held views the exact opposite of Trump.

 -RW

1 comment:

  1. Robert,

    Did you happen to read through Chicagonomics, by any chance? I just finished it and I'd be eager to read some of your thoughts on the book. I thought a more fitting name for the title would have been "Chicagonomics: The Evolution of Chicago Egalitarianism."

    ~Best

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