This chapter explores the concept of prices as signals in free market economics and emphasizes the importance of not distorting prices to allocate resources efficiently. It discusses Milton Friedman's controversies regarding price control and opposition to rent control, as well as his collaborations with women economists and their contributions to his work.
Who was Milton Friedman? Jennifer Burns of Stanford University finds in her biography of Friedman that the answer to that question is more complicated than she thought. Listen as she and EconTalk's Russ Roberts discuss how the now-forgotten Henry Simons shaped Friedman's thought, the degree to which Friedman had a deep understanding and belief in the role of prices in a modern economy, and the influence of key women on Friedman's intellectual life. Finally, they explore whether or not Friedman's insights continue to affect public policy and the discipline of economics.