David D. Friedman

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For other persons of the same name, see David Friedman.
David Friedman discusses his forthcoming publication Future Imperfect at the Foresight Vision conference, November 3, 2007.
David Friedman discusses his forthcoming publication Future Imperfect at the Foresight Vision conference, November 3, 2007.

David Director Friedman (born February 12, 1945) is a writer who became a leading figure in the anarcho-capitalist community with the publication of his book The Machinery of Freedom (1973, revised 1989). He has also authored the books Price Theory: An Intermediate Text (1986), Law's Order (2000) and Hidden Order: The Economics of Everyday Life (1996).

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[edit] Life and work

David Friedman is the son of economists Milton Friedman and Rose Friedman. His son, Patri Friedman, has also written on anarcho-capitalism topics, particularly seasteading. David Friedman holds a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Chicago, although he is mostly known for his work in political theory and economics. He is currently a professor of law at Santa Clara University as well as a contributing editor for Liberty magazine. He is an atheist [1].

[edit] Anarcho-capitalism

In his book, The Machinery of Freedom, Friedman developed a form of anarcho-capitalism where all goods and services including law itself can be produced by the free market. This differs from the version proposed by Murray Rothbard, where a legal code would first be consented to by the parties involved in setting up the anarcho-capitalist society. Friedman advocates an incrementalist approach to achieve anarcho-capitalism by gradual privatization of areas that government is involved in, ultimately privatizing law and order itself.

This version of anarcho-capitalism has been called the "Chicago School" version[2]. Friedman's version of individualist anarchism is not based on the assumption of inviolable natural rights but rather rests on a cost/benefit analysis of state versus no state.[3]

[edit] Non-academic interests

Professor Friedman is also a longtime member of the Society for Creative Anachronism, where he is known as Duke Cariadoc of the Bow. He is known throughout the worldwide society for his articles on the philosophy of recreationism and practical historical recreations, especially those relating to the medieval Middle East. His work is compiled in the popular Cariadoc's Miscellany. He also founded the largest and longest-running SCA event, the Pennsic War; as king of the Middle Kingdom he challenged the East Kingdom, and later as king of the East accepted the challenge...and lost. Commentators on the war record that "He declared war on himself, and lost![who?]

He is a long-time science fiction fan, and has written a fantasy novel, Harald (Baen Books, 2006). He plays World of Warcraft.[4]

[edit] Bibliography

[edit] Nonfiction

[edit] Fiction

  • Harald, 2006
  • Salamander, forthcoming

[edit] References

  1. ^ Ideas: Atheism and Religion
  2. ^ Tame, Chris R. October 1983. The Chicago School: Lessons from the Thirties for the Eighties. Economic Affairs. p. 56
  3. ^ Morris, Christopher. 1992. An Essay on the Modern State. Cambridge University Press. p. 62.
  4. ^ Ideas: Wanted: The Inn Between the Worlds

[edit] External links

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