Forty Years After Friedman: What is the Proper Role of Business in Society?

Sep 20, 2010

In 1970 Milton Friedman published an article entitled "The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase Its Profits." In light of current business problems, such as the BP oil spill,what is the social responsibility of companies today?

In 1970, Milton Friedman published an article in The New York Times Magazine entitled "The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase Its Profits."

Forty years later, business has grown in scale and scope, lifting billions of people out of poverty but in some cases causing harm to people and the planet. In light of the financial crisis and the BP oil spill, what is the appropriate role of business today?

[Audio only]

This event is part of the Council's second annual SEPTEMBER SUSTAINABILITY MONTH, which kicks off a year of events and resources on sustainability. Generous funding of the Carnegie Council's 2010-2011 sustainability programming has been provided by Hewlett-Packard and by Booz & Company.

You may also like

AUG 6, 2025 Podcast

Living a Moral Life in a Catastrophic World, with Philosopher Travis Rieder

Moral philosopher Travis Rieder joins "Values & Interests" to explore how we might pursue ethical lives in an era of global crisis.

United States Capitol at sunrise. CREDIT: Andy Feliciotti/Unsplash.

AUG 5, 2025 Report

Illiberal Narratives and Shifting Values: Examining Competing Visions of the U.S. and its Role in the World

This report examines the rise of illiberal narratives and the recent dismantling of U.S. soft power institutions

JUN 17, 2025 Podcast

Empowerment, Ownership, & Agency: Building an Inclusive AI Future, with Jimena Viveros

Lawyer and AI expert Jimena Viveros explores why bridging the digital divide between the Global South and North is both a moral and economic imperative.

未翻译

此内容尚未翻译成您的语言。您可以点击下面的按钮申请翻译。

要求翻译