Licence to be Bad by Jonathan Aldred Summary
Overview of Licence to be Bad
How economics became a moral poison - Cambridge economist Jonathan Aldred reveals how Friedman, Hayek, and others normalized selfishness as rational behavior. Praised by Ha Joon Chang as "going to change the way we understand economics, politics, and society."
Similar books to Licence to be Bad
Feel the book through the author's voice
Turn knowledge into engaging, example-rich insights
Capture key ideas in a flash for fast learning
Enjoy the book in a fun and engaging way
Key takeaways
When the Game Changed and We Didn't Notice
Think back to 1945. A dairy farmer named Antony Fisher picked up Friedrich Hayek's "The Road to Serfdom" and had an epiphany about free markets. But when he approached Hayek about entering politics, the economist gave him curious advice: don't bother with politics-influence the influencers instead. Fisher took this to heart, made millions introducing battery-chicken farming to Britain, then founded the Institute of Economic Affairs in 1955. This think tank would eventually arrange Margaret Thatcher's first meeting with Hayek, a moment so emotional that Hayek remarked, "She's so beautiful." What began with chicken farms transformed global politics. By 1981, Fisher's Atlas Economic Research Foundation had grown into a network of over 500 free-market organizations across 90 countries. This wasn't just about spreading ideas-it was about fundamentally rewiring how we think about human behavior, trust, fairness, and what we owe each other. The revolution succeeded not through force but through a gradual encroachment of economic thinking into every corner of our lives, until concepts like "everyone has their price" stopped sounding cynical and started sounding obvious.
The Prisoner's Dilemma and the Death of Real Trust
When Wealth Became More Important Than Justice
Why We Started Believing Government Is Always the Problem
When Not Contributing Became the Smart Choice
Markets in Everything - Including What Shouldn't Be for Sale
Reclaiming Our Humanity from Economic Logic
Quick Summary Mode - Read or listen to Licence to be Bad Summary in 9 Minutes
Break down key ideas from Licence to be Bad into bite-sized takeaways to understand how innovative teams create, collaborate, and grow.
Flash Card Mode - Top 10 Insights from Licence to be Bad in a Nutshell
Distill Licence to be Bad into rapid-fire memory cues that highlight Pixar’s principles of candor, teamwork, and creative resilience.
Fun Mode - Licence to be Bad Lessons Told Through 24-Min Stories
Experience Licence to be Bad through vivid storytelling that turns Pixar’s innovation lessons into moments you’ll remember and apply.
Personalize Mode - Read or listen to Licence to be Bad Summary in 0 Minutes
Ask anything, pick the voice, and co-create insights that truly resonate with you.
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
Get the Licence to be Bad summary as a free PDF or EPUB. Print it or read offline anytime.