The Power of Choice: The Life and Ideas of Milton Friedman

Milton Friedman (1912-2006) is remembered as one of America's foremost champions of a free market philosophy. This PBS-aired documentary, narrated by David Ogden Stiers, presents a comprehensive career tribute to an economist whose influence was felt not just in the White House, but also in former Communist countries experimenting with free enterprise, and elsewhere throughout the world. Noted for his famous maxim “there's no such thing as a free lunch,” Friedman's thinking was influenced by Adam Smith's seminal The Wealth of Nations, the challenges brought about by the 1929 stock market crash, and the rise of the Communist "Iron Curtain" following World War II. Friedman was always a strong believer in the "power of choice," whether regarding controversial topics such as school choice vouchers or an all volunteer armed forces. Throughout his long career, Friedman advocated lower taxes and less government intervention in the lives of citizens (leading some critics to scorn him as a "one cause, one cure" thinker), and he always sought new outlets for his ideas, including a PBS series, an interview in Playboy, and a long-running syndicated column (on a personal level, the documentary notes Milton's longtime marriage and professional partnership with fellow economist Rose Friedman). At heart, University of Chicago mainstay Friedman remained a teacher committed to making complex theories understandable through his considerable communication skills. Combining archival footage and stills with interview clips, The Power of Choice offers testimony and tributes from noted economists such as Paul Samuelson and Alan Greenspan, along with the occasional critical potshot. DVD extras include a bonus interview with Friedman. Aside from being occasionally marred by a hagiographic tone, this is a solid, in-depth portrait of a legendary Nobel Laureate economist. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (S. Rees)