米爾頓．佛利民（MiltonFriedman）
IfirstmetRonaldReaganin1967,shortlyafterhehadbecomegovernorofCalifornia.Wetalkedabouthisplansforhighereducationinthestate.Heclearlyunderstoodtheeconomicsofhighereducation-asysteminCaliforniawherebytheresidentsofWattssubsidizedthecollegeeducationofthechildrenfromBeverlyHills-andwasdeterminedtodosomethingaboutit.
Ifirstrealizedwhatatrulyextraordinarypersonhewasinearly1973whenIspentanunforgettabledaywithhimbarnstormingacrossCaliforniatopromotehisProposition1-anamendmenttothestateconstitutionthatwouldsetalimittotheamountthestatecouldspendinanyyear.Weflewinasmallprivateplanefromplacetoplaceandateachstopheldapressconference.Inbetween,Gov.Reagantalkedfreelyabouthislifeandviews.BythetimewereturnedtoourfinalpressinterviewinLosAngeles,Iwasabletogiveanenthusiasticyestoareporter'squestionwhetherIwouldsupportReaganforpresident.And,Imaysay,Ihaveneverbeendisappointedsince.
Proposition1wasnarrowlydefeatedbutitstartedamovementthatisstillverymuchalive,asevidencedbytherecentpassageofa"Prop1"look-alikeinColorado.Moreover,itwasonlyonewayofachievingonemajorcomponentofhispolicyfromthebeginningofhiscareer:holdingdownnon-defensegovernmentspendingasawaytolimitthesizeofgovernment.Defensespendingwasanotherthing.Thatfinanceda-or,the-basicfunctionofthefederalgovernment,andheuseditforhisgreatachievementofwinningtheColdWarbyoutspendingtheSovietUnionwithouthavingtooutfightthemonabloodybattlefield.
Figure1(above)depictsPresidentReagan'sextraordinarysuccessinchangingthecourseofnon-defensespending.ThetrendbeforeMr.Reaganisoneofgallopingsocialism.Haditcontinued,federalnon-defensespendingwouldbemorethanhalfagainwhatitisnow.Mr.Reaganbroughtthegalloptoaliteralstandstill.Hedidsointhreeways:
.First,byslashingtaxratesandsocuttingtheCongress'sallowance.
.Second,bybeingwillingtotakeasevererecessiontoendinflation.Inmyopinion,nootherpostwarpresidentwouldhavebeenwillingtobacktheVolckerFedinitstoughstancein1981-82.IcantestifyfrompersonalknowledgethatMr.Reaganknewwhathewasdoing.Heunderstoodthattherewasnowayofendinginflationwithoutmonetaryrestraintandatemporaryrecession.Asineveryarea,hestucktohisprinciplesandlookedatthelongterm.
.Third,andinsomewaystheleastrecognized,byattackinggovernmentregulations.Figure2(below)tellsasremarkableastoryasFigure1.ItplotsthenumberofpagesaddedtotheFederalRegistereachyear.TheFederalRegisterrecordsthethousandsofdetailedrulesandregulationsthatfederalagencieschurnoutinthecourseofayear.Theyarenotlawsandyettheyhavetheeffectoflawsandlikelawsimposecostsandrestrainactivities.Heretoo,theperiodbeforePresidentReaganwasoneofgallopingsocialism.TheReaganyearswereonesofretreatingsocialism,andthepost-Reaganyears,ofcreepingsocialism.
ToMr.Reagan,ofcourse,holdingdowngovernmentspendingwasameanstoanend,notanendinitself.Thatendwasfreedom,humanfreedom,therightofeveryindividualtopursuehisownobjectivesandvaluessolongashedoesnotinterferewiththecorrespondingrightofothers.Thatwashisendineveryphaseofhisremarkablecareer.
Westillhavealongwaytogotoachievetheoptimumdegreeoffreedom.ButfewpeopleinhumanhistoryhavecontributedmoretotheachievementofhumanfreedomthanRonaldWilsonReagan.
……………………………………………………
作者為一九七六年諾貝爾經濟學獎得主、美國胡佛研究所資深研究員
(ReprintedfromTheAsianWallStreetJournal?2004DowJones&Company,Inc.Allrightsreserved.)