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Freedom Book of the Month
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Free-Market.Net's F r e e d o m B o o k o f t h e M o n t h
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Edited by Thomas L. Knapp. To subscribe or unsubscribe to this and
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September, 2001
THE ADVENTURES OF JONATHAN GULLIBLE
by Ken Schoolland
Small Business Hawaii 2001
paperback, 118 pp.
One of my hobbies is procuring, as possible, books like Rose and Milton
Friedman's "Free to Choose," R.W. Grant's "The Incredible Bread Machine,"
and Henry Hazlitt's "Economics in One Lesson." I find them at garage sales
and used book stores; I hand them out to friends who just don't "get"
free-market economic ideas.
The average reader is simply not going to wade through "Human Action," at
least without first being provided with a good reason to do so. There
exists a great need for books that introduce the basic concepts of
capitalism in a friendly, unthreatening, but logical manner. "The
Adventures of Jonathan Gullible" is such a book, and it has the virtue of
being an entertaining yarn as well.
Originally released in 1981, "Jonathan Gullible" has been published in more
than twenty languages and is now available in a new, revised and expanded,
edition. It's written at the level of junior high or high school readers,
and encompasses the story of a young man, lost to the sea and swept ashore
in a foreign land. Gullible wanders the island of Corrumpo, talking with
people and learning some basic truths as he goes.
Over the course of 39 short chapters, Gullible encounters workers,
politicians, tenants and businessmen and sees every economic fallacy
imaginable, described in language that exposes its basic flaws. Schooland's
storytelling is rich and humorous.
Excerpt:
"Your program. What's your plan for next year?" asked the reporter
impatiently.
"Of course," said the High Lord, pausing to draw deeply from his cigar.
"Uh huh. Ahem. Well, I believe that it is appropriate for me -- to take
the opportunity of this special press conference -- to announce that
next year
we plan to pay everyone on the great island of Corrumpo not to produce
anything."
There was a collective gasp from the audience. "Everyone?" "No kidding."
"Wow, that'll cost a fortune." "But will it work?"
"Work?" said Lord Ponzi, shaking himself out of his torpor.
"Will it stop people from producing?"
"Oh sure," he said, barely concealing a yawn. "We've had a pilot project
in our
front agency for years, and" said the Lord, a note of sleepy pride crept
into
his voice, "We've never produced anything."
With school back in session, it's worth picking up a copy of "The
Adventures of Jonathan Gullible" for the student in your home. It's just
what the doctor ordered to combat the damage done by the government
schools' versions of Economics 101. Adults will find it an equally
worthwhile read, and discussion groups would do well to consider placing it
alongside other introductions to free-market ideas.
o Order "The Adventures of Jonathan Gullible" from Laissez Faire ($15.95):
http://www.laissezfairebooks.com/product.cfm?op=view&pid=CH8495&aid=FM
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