The big myth how American business taught us to loathe government and love the free market

In the early 20th century, business elites, trade associations, wealthy powerbrokers, and media allies set out to build a new American orthodoxy: down with "big government" and up with unfettered markets. With startling archival evidence, Oreskes and Conway document campaigns to rewrite te...

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Main Authors: Oreskes, Naomi (Author), Conway, Erik M., 1965- (Author)
Format: Books Print Book
Language: English
Published: New York : Bloomsbury Publishing, 2023.
Subjects:
Summary: In the early 20th century, business elites, trade associations, wealthy powerbrokers, and media allies set out to build a new American orthodoxy: down with "big government" and up with unfettered markets. With startling archival evidence, Oreskes and Conway document campaigns to rewrite textbooks, combat unions, and defend child labor. They detail the ploys that turned hardline economists Friedrich von Hayek and Milton Friedman into household names; recount the libertarian roots of the Little House on the Prairie books; and tune into the General Electric-sponsored TV show that beamed free-market doctrine to millions and launched Ronald Reagan's political career.
Physical Description: ix, 565 pages : illustration ; 25 cm
Bibliography: Includes bibliographical references (pages 430-546) and index.
ISBN: 9781635573572
1635573572
Author Notes: Naomi Oreskes is Professor of the History of Science at Harvard University. Her opinion pieces have appeared in the New York Times , the Washington Post , the Los Angeles Times , and many other outlets. Her TED talk, "Why We Should Trust Scientists," was viewed more than a million times. Erik M. Conway is a historian of science and technology and works for the California Institute of Technology. He is the author of seven books and dozens of articles and essays.