Norberg has given us an insightful, joyous case that individuals should be
able to live free, without interference from the government or anybody else. The
book reminds me of spirited super-sellers like The
Incredible Bread Machine. Norberg writes passionately about the moral
superiority of capitalism. A free market, he says, is simply what you get when
people are free.
He discusses the vital links between free markets and civil liberties. He
wields his gifted pen like a gallant swordsman, knocking down one odious
objection after another that has been leveled against capitalism. Inequality?
"If everyone is coming to be better off," he asks, "what does it
matter that the improvement comes faster for some than for others?
Only those who consider wealth a greater problem than poverty can find a
problem in some becoming millionaires while others grow wealthier from their own
starting points." He declares that the most serious type of inequality is
inequality of capitalism. Starving, war-ravaged people in Africa desperately
need more capitalism.
You'll enjoy seeing how Norberg deftly handles other many other issues like
war, pollution, taxes, racism, welfare, child labor, unemployment and the
oppression of women. Refreshing.
"Suppose you have two nephews. One is a student of economics or a
beginner in financial markets. . . . Your other nephew is an arts
student or works in publishing or journalism. He has no aspirations to
economic expertise but is convinced that global capitalism is making the rich
richer and the poor poorer. You in your turn want to give them both a serious
Christmas book. Here are ideal gifts.
In Defence of Global Capitalism is written by a 27-year-old former
anarchist, Johan Norberg, who now believes that capitalism is a force for
freedom. . .
The author is astonished that people who call themselves radicals should
oppose the opening of borders and the dismantling of controls. In affluent
countries free imports of goods and capital may seem a luxury. But in the
Third World global capitalism can help deliver the masses from 'an existence
in abject poverty, in filth, ignorance and impotence, always wondering where
the next meal is coming from and whether the water you have walked so many
miles to collect is lethal or fit to drink'. . .
But he goes beyond these generalities. Giving clear and verifiable sources, he
nails one by one the fallacies and selective statistics that are used by the
anti-capitalist protesters."
--Samuel Brittan, Financial Times December 17, 2001
"A song of praise to capitalism and free trade, full of facts. At
times a brilliant collection of arguments against the commonest allegations of
globalisation's pernicious effects on the poorest of the world's
inhabitants."
--Dagens Industri, Sweden's biggest business newspaper, June 7, 2001.
"This book is a swingeing attack on anti-globalism . . .
required reading for everyone attending the EU Summit in Gothenburg, on both
sides of the crowd control barriers."
--Svenska Dagbladet, Sweden's biggest conservative daily, June 5, 2001.
"A manifesto for all of us optimists who are convinced that the world
is getting better. . . . Norberg fights back against the moaning
Minnies of the globalisation debate. Just for once, here is a liberal who is
not an economist but a humanist. . . . Norberg supplies necessary
arguments for refuting all those who try to kid us that things were better in
the old days. Hardly anything was better in the old days, save possibly the
quality of their pessimism."
--Peppe Engberg, Vision, June 7, 2001.
"The first thing that needs to be said is that this book has
everything. Every imaginable tiny part of the consequences of the market
economy and globalisation is discussed on its 260 pages. No question goes
unanswered. No criticism of capitalism gets past Norberg's
counter-barrage."
--Joakim Nilsson, Smålandsposten, June 25, 2001.
"Johan Norberg has written an agreeable book in defence of capitalism
and globalisation. . . . Even in labour movement discussion circles
I think it would repay close study."
--Torbjörn Tännsjö, Swedish socialist and Professor of Philosophy.
"Norberg doesn't mince matters. He approves of capitalism and free
markets. He loves globalisation. He is committed, indeed impassioned. He
writes plainly and personally. His book contains any amount of data on
economics and trade, living standards and life expectancy, education and
development, but at the same time it is highly readable. With powerful empathy
he criticises the critics of world capitalism. But the best thing about his
book is that it builds on extensive knowledge, on close studies of research
and debate. He punctures many myths about capitalism and globalisation, though
not by the usual means of clichés and doctrinal tenets, but by presenting
data and systematically scrutinising assertions and declarations."
--Ingemar Mundebo, former Swedish Finance Minister.
"In chapter after chapter the author systematically hammers home his
theses, supported by stringent analysis and references to a vast body of
literature and statistics from any number of quarters… So how do we get a Göran
Persson (Swedish Prime Minister) and a Leif Pagrotsky (Swedish Minister of
Trade) to spend five reflective hours with this book?"
--Marian Radetzki, Economics Professor
"In spite of everything, Norberg's book isn't wretched through and
through. There is certainly a need for criticism of left-wingers who speak of
constantly growing inequalities, who utter doomsday prophecies of the earth's
destruction and devote themselves to a fairly diffuse and destructive
criticism both of free trade and of global economic institutions. Norberg is
right in claiming that the global distribution of incomes has on the whole
become more equal. Capitalism's ousting of feudalism, coupled with the
abolition of a number of trade restrictions, has on the whole, and with
certain exceptions, helped to bring about this equalisation."
--Johan Lönnroth, Economic spokesman for the Swedish Left Party (the
former communists)
