'The front lines in the battle for capitalism'

Education and health care are the two sectors on "the front lines in the battle for capitalism," Arnold Kling and Nick Schulz write in National Affairs.

At stake is not only an ideological or theoretical point, but also American prosperity. The historical record makes this clear: In the nations where it was practiced, government control of the old commanding heights of the economy made those industries less efficient and less innovative—bringing overall economic performance down with them.

Today, America risks following the same course. Looking to the coming decades, it will simply not be possible to maintain a genuine free market—or a thriving, innovative, growing economy—if our education and health sectors are controlled by the government. Champions of the market thus have their work cut out for them.