During the 1960s Friedman became a forceful advocate for laissezfaire on the public stage, developing an argumentative framework that would provide the foundation for much of the Republican Party's policy platform in the de cades that followed. He transfi xed audiences, both in frequent public lectures and in increasingly ubiquitous appearances on the printed page, with his formidable rhetorical capabilities and the relentless consistency of his message. While his pre de ces sors in the Mont Pèlerin Society had approached their public roles with explicit reservations, Friedman embraced his with relish. Within months of the publication of Capitalism and Freedom he had commenced a rapid transition from academic economist to public policy advocate, and he enthusiastically devoted his full attention and energy to the cultivation of his emerging role.

Angus Burgin, The Great Persuasion, loc. 471