Introduction

An in-depth conversation with economist David Friedman, son of Milton Friedman, covering utilitarianism, collective action problems, and the case for anarcho-capitalism. Contrasting David's goal of enhancing systems with his father's emphasis on institutional improvement is highlighted.

Transcript

chevron_right

Play full episode

chevron_right

Transcript

Episode notes

This week on Upstream, Erik is joined by David Friedman for a deep dive on anarcho-capitalism, utilitarianism, and more. To get Brave: Head to https://brave.com/brave-ads/ and mention “MoZ” when signing up for a 25% discount on your first campaign.

Recommended Podcast: Company Breakdowns

Each episode of Company Breakdowns dives into S-1s and series B-and-beyond companies, interviewing founders and investors to break down the companies. First episode is on Rubrik - which just IPO'd. Coming up this season: Databricks, Reddit + more,

Spotify

Apple

Autopilot explores the adoption and rollout of AI in the industries that drive the economy and the dynamic founders bringing rapid change to slow-moving industries. From law, to hardware, to aviation, Will Summerlin interviews founders backed by Benchmark, Greylock, and more to learn how they're automating at the frontiers in entrenched industries.

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6YQZkKHN7EP2yWedAvSxBC?si=18377c69a2804333

Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/autopilot-with-will-summerlin/id1738163836

SPONSOR: BEEHIIV | BRAVE | SQUAD

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "UPSTREAM" for 20% off your first three months.

Get first-party targeting with Brave’s private ad platform: cookieless and future proof ad formats for all your business needs. Performance meets privacy. Head to https://brave.com/brave-ads/ and mention “MoZ” when signing up for a 25% discount on your first campaign.

💥 Access global engineering without the headache and at a fraction of the cost: head to choosesquad.com and mention “Turpentine” to skip the waitlist.

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(00:46) The Friedman Family's Intellectual Lineage

(03:18) Market Failures and Government Intervention

(06:11) Privatizating Everything

(09:33) The Mechanics of Anarcho-Capitalism

(12:47) Why David Isn't a Utilitarianism

(16:33) Midroll: Brave | Turpentine

(18:19) David's Moral Framework

(23:36) Is Global Coordination Possible?

(30:46) Privatizing Military and National Defense

(32:54) Addressing Poverty in an Anarcho-Capitalist World