This article was published in the April 1989 issue of The Freeman. $ $ $ Advocates of freedom often despair at the political inertia that must be overcome to achieve their goals. At times, it seems as if the freedom movement is progressing too slowly to reverse current political trends. In this regard, the American…
This article was published in the March 1989 issue of The Freeman. $ $ $ In recent years, the benefits of the free market have been demonstrated as governments around the world have turned to the private sector to provide services more efficiently. However, critics of the free market argue that these benefits are isolated…
While visitors often marvel at the skyscrapers that dominate downtown Houston, many are unaware of one of the city’s hidden gems. More than six miles of pedestrian tunnels run throughout the central business district. The tunnel system is filled with restaurants, banks, retail shops, and a host of other businesses. Perhaps most amazing is the…
This article was published in the February 1988 issue of The Freeman. $ $ $ Proponents of government regulation often overlook the many ways in which the free market itself polices producers, without the need for government involvement. Let us make a quick survey of these ways, in the hope that it will help us…
This article was published in the October 1987 issue of The Freeman. $ $ $ Since the Challenger Shuttle disaster effectively grounded America’s space program in January 1986, President Reagan has increasingly called for private businesses to enter the space industry. Space Services Inc., which made a successful test launch in 1982, plans to begin…
This article was published in the September 1987 issue of The Freeman. $ $ $ The last quarter of the nineteenth century was a turning point for American capitalism. Just when free enterprise seemed to be enjoying its greatest success—with technological advances creating many new industries, opportunities opening for millions of workers, and living standards…
This article was published in the June 1987 issue of The Freeman. $ $ $ During the 1970s Houston’s population grew by an average of 36,000 per year. This pace accelerated during the early 1980s as oil prices skyrocketed and Houston’s economy boomed. Jobs and opportunities were plentiful, which combined with the subtropical climate to…
This article was published in the April 1987 issue of The Freeman. $ $ $ Proponents of government programs often contend that the services provided by government could not be furnished by the private sector. It is in the public interest, they argue, that the government compel individuals to support these programs with their tax…