Friedman was vocal about these longterm goals when he engaged in discussion with ideological sympathizers, but he only rarely mentioned them when addressing a general audience. He was a radical idealist who constructed his public policy proposals with a deep and perceptive attention to strategy. Few public fi gures in modern history have matched a utopian social philosophy with such close attention to the maintenance of practical goals.

Angus Burgin, The Great Persuasion, loc. 495