Milton Friedman (1912-2006)

A Libertarian economist who proposed the idea of school vouchers in 1955. Friedman believed that the free market system should be the provider of schooling. He also believed that Social Security should be shut down because it created welfare dependency, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should be eliminated and that the licensing of doctors should be abolished.

In this video entitled “The Enemies of School Choice,” Friedman claims that vouchers “would solve all of the critical problems” faced by schools. According to Friedman, school vouchers would eliminate discipline problems, eliminate segregation and solve the problem of school busing. He presented no evidence, just claims based on his disdain for any government regulation.

Friedman referred to public schools as government schools. He and his wife Rose founded the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, rebranded as EdChoice.