Oct 3, 2019
Many conservative politicians have used the term “free enterprise”
as a rallying cry during the past few elections. Yet, the exact
meaning of the phrase is unclear. Where did this idea come from?
What did it mean in different time periods? And what are the stakes
in how we define it? Lawrence Glickman joins Julian Zelizer in this
episode to discuss these questions, which he addresses in his new
book, “Free Enterprise: An American History.” The book examines how
the idea of free enterprise has changed over the past few decades,
covering its origins in 1832, its growth as an oppositional
ideology to the New Deal, and its role in American politics now.
Glickman is the Stephen and Evalyn Professor of American Studies at
Cornell University. He has authored four books, including “Buying
Power: A History of Consumer Activism in America.” Prior to joining
the Cornell faculty in 2014, Glickman was the Carolina Trustee
Professor and chair of the Department of History at the University
of South Carolina. He has written on public affairs for Boston
Review, Dissent, and other publications.