When We Are Free - Sixth Edition - A collection of essays on liberty and economic freedom

Jul 30, 2026

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When We Are Free (Sixth Edition) presents a curated set of essays exploring human nature, incentives, freedom, property, and the proper limits of government. It advances the “Northwood Idea” through contributions from multiple authors, addressing economic organization, the role of markets, entrepreneurship, and intrapreneurship. The table of contents spans philosophical foundations, policy debates, welfare-state critiques, and historical reflections on civilizational rise and fall, culminating in the American political experiment and rights.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages588

Reading Time15 h 6 min

AccessFree to download

Welcome

Preface

Foreword

Introduction: The Northwood Idea

UNIT I: Human Nature and Property

The Only Kind of People There Are

The Role of Incentive

Freedom and Happiness

To Each His Due

Three Philosophical Approaches

Source of Rights

Of Property

Character and Government Policy

Tony Trivisano's American Dream

UNIT II: What About Government?

Property

Government: An Ideal Concept

The State

A Human Action Taxonomy

Democracy Would Doom Hong Kong

The Economic Responsibility of Government

Excerpts from On Liberty

When We AreFREE Timothy G.Nash·Dale C.MatcheckRichard M.Ebeling Foreword by Milton Friedman https://archive.org/details/whenwearefree0000dale ahsga 6 cD.A1ag # When We Are Free Sixth Edition Timothy G.NashDale C.MatcheckRichard M.Ebelingeditors and co-authors Northwood University PressMidland,Michigan 48640 FIRST EDITION◎1981 by Northwood Institute Press SECOND EDITION1986 by Northwood Institute Press THIRD EDITION◎1992 by Northwood Institute Press FOURTH EDITION2001 by Northwood University Press FIFTH EDITION◎2007 by Northwood University Press SIXTH EDITION◎2014 by Northwood University Press All rights reserved.Inquiries and requests for permission to reprint shouldbe addressed to the editors.Northwood University Press,Midland,Michigan48640. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data pending. ISBN 978-0-87359-096-9 TO # THE STUDENTS OF NORTHWOOD UNIVERSITYANDSTUDENTS OF LIBERTY EVERYWHERE Table of Contents Welcome— Keith A. Pretty……………………………………………………………………………………………………vii Preface — Timothy G.Nash, Dale C. Matcheck…………………………………………………………………xi Foreword— Milton Friedman…………………………………………………………………………………………………………xiv Introduction: The Northwood Idea—V. Orval Watts…………………………………………………xvi UNIT I:HUMAN NATURE AND PROPERTY 1. The Only Kind of People There Are— Roger J.Williams………………………4 2. The Role of Incentive—Lawrence W. Reed…………………………………………………………8 3. Freedom and Happiness— Bryan Caplan ………………………………………………………11 4. To Each His Due— Thomas Bethell………………………………………………………………………18 5. Three Philosophical Approaches: Individualism, Utilitarianism, and Collectivism— John Grether…………………………………………………………………………………………………33 6. Source of Rights—Frank Chodorov……………………………………………………………………39 7. Of Property— John Locke……………………………………………………………………………………44 8. Character and Government Policy—Dale E. Walsh…………………………………47 9. Tony Trivisano's American Dream— Frederick C. Crawford………………54 UNIT II: WHAT ABOUT GOVERNMENT? 10. Property— James Madison………………………………………………………………………………………62 11. Government: An Ideal Concept—Leonard E. Read…………………………………65 12. The State — Frédéric Bastiat………………………………………………………………………………………………………71 13. A Human Action Taxonomy— Dale M.Haywood………………………………79 14. Democracy Would Doom Hong Kong— John T. Wenders…………………82 15. The Economic Responsibility of Government— Milton Friedman………87 16. Excerpts from On Liberty— J.S. Mill……………………………………………………………………97 UNIT III:SYSTEMS OF ECONOMIC ORGANIZATION 17. The Free Market Versus the Interventionist State — Richard M. Ebeling…………………………………………………………………………………………………113 18.12 Cell Matrix— Dale M.Haywood………………………………………………………………124 19. Economic Freedom and Economic Growth—Randall G.Holcombe 138 20. Property Rights: The Key to Economic Progress — Timothy G. Nash, Keith A.Pretty…………………………………………………………………144 21. The Poor as First Victims of the Welfare State—Walter E. Williams 150 22. Bismarck and the Origin of the Modern Welfare State —Richard M.Ebeling………………………………………………………………………………………………160 23. Soviet Health Care— Anna Ebeling……………………………………………………………………164 24. Freedom vs. Non-Freedom: A View from Russia — Andrei Illarionov………………………………………………………………………………………………………………169 UNIT IV:THE ROLE OF THE MARKETPLACE 25. I, Pencil—Leonard E. Read……………………………………………………………………………………177 26. Liberty and the Domain of Self-Interest— Steven Horwitz………………183 27. The Market Didn't Do It— Dwight R.Lee ……………………………………………………191 28. In Defense of Markets and Misers — Candace Allen and Dwight R. Le…………………………………………………195 29. The Parable of the Parking Lots — Henry G.Manne…………………………202 30. The Use of Knowledge in Society—F.A.Haye……………………………………208 31. The Menace and Immorality of the Welfare State — Richard M. Ebeling………………………………………………………………………………………………221 UNIT V:CREATIVITY,ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INTRAPRENEURSHIP 32. Will Kellogg: King of Corn Flakes— Burton W. Folsom, Jr……………………228 33. The Arts and Business Partnersh

FAQs

What core themes does When We Are Free cover?

The book examines human nature, the role of incentives, freedom and happiness, property rights, and the limits of government. It also emphasizes market mechanisms, entrepreneurship, and critiques of the welfare state.

How is the book organized?

It is structured into units: human nature and property, government, systems of economic organization, the role of the marketplace, creativity and entrepreneurship, the rise and fall of civilizations, and the American experiment.

Which authors and viewpoints are represented?

The table of contents lists many contributors, including philosophers and economists such as Milton Friedman and J.S. Mill, alongside modern writers addressing policy and economic responsibility. The selections cover individualism, utilitarianism, and collectivism as well as market-based and interventionist perspectives.

Jul 30, 2026

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