Hoover InstitutionStanford University
Collectivism after World War II

Published: March 25, 2021

Collectivist sentiment was popular after World War II. The role and power of the US government continued to grow dramatically until the 1980s, when intellectual opinions shifted in response to this expansion. As a result, Ronald Reagan was able to capitalize on the ideological shift and limit the role of the government.

Discussion Questions

  1. What is “big government?”
  2. Is the government spending the taxpayers’ money efficiently?

Additional Resources

  • In “Friedman on Capitalism and Freedom,” Russ Roberts talks to Milton Friedman about the radical ideas he put forward almost 50 years ago in Capitalism and Freedom. Available here.
  • Watch “How to Control Big Government,” by Milton Friedman. Available here.

Cast

Milton Friedman

Milton Friedman

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