The Big Myth: How American Business Taught Us to Loathe Government and Love the Free Market

The Big Myth examines the decades-long campaign by business interests and free-market advocates to promote anti-government sentiment in American society. Through historical analysis and documentation, Oreskes traces how corporate leaders and economists worked to reshape public opinion about the role of government regulation and oversight. Drawing on archival materials and corporate records, the book reveals the networks, funding sources, and messaging strategies used to advance free-market ideology in media, academia, and policy circles. The narrative spans from the New Deal era through the present, documenting key figures and organizations that helped establish current attitudes toward government intervention in markets. The work analyzes how theories of market self-regulation gained widespread acceptance despite contrary evidence, and explores the lasting impact on American political discourse. Through case studies in areas like environmental protection, worker safety, and financial regulation, Oreskes demonstrates how anti-government perspectives came to dominate public debate. This historical investigation raises fundamental questions about the relationship between private enterprise and public interest in American democracy. The book contributes to ongoing discussions about economic policy, corporate power, and the role of government in addressing societal challenges.

Readers note the book's detailed research into how pro-business groups shaped public opinion against government regulation. Many appreciate the historical documentation of PR campaigns and policy shifts from the 1930s through 1980s. Positives from reviews: - Clear connections between corporate funding and anti-government messaging - Well-sourced examples of business influence on academia and media - Thorough explanation of how free market ideology spread Common criticisms: - Writing can be repetitive and dry - Some readers found it too academic in tone - Arguments occasionally lack balance, with limited perspective from business advocates Ratings: Goodreads: 4.3/5 (482 ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (156 ratings) Representative review: "Meticulously researched but could be more concise. Important history that explains a lot about current attitudes toward government." - Goodreads reviewer Multiple readers mention the book's relevance to current debates about regulation and free markets, while noting it requires patient reading through dense historical detail.

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🔹 Author Naomi Oreskes is a Professor of the History of Science at Harvard University and previously worked as a consultant for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 🔹 The book traces the origins of free market fundamentalism to the 1930s, when business leaders began actively opposing FDR's New Deal policies through coordinated messaging campaigns. 🔹 The term "free enterprise" was deliberately chosen over "capitalism" by business groups in the 1940s because it tested better with the American public in surveys. 🔹 The book reveals how tobacco companies pioneered many of the tactics used to create doubt about government regulation, later adopted by other industries to fight environmental and safety rules. 🔹 The research for this book builds on Oreskes' previous work "Merchants of Doubt" (2010), which exposed how some of the same scientists who helped tobacco companies also worked to cast doubt on climate change.