The close association between capitalism and freedom set up by «Austrian» neo-liberals since the end of World War II proves to be an intellectual scam —this is, in a nutshell, the argument put forward in this paper. If three versions of capitalism (commercial, industrial and financial) and three conceptions of freedom (negative, positive and republican) are distinguished, such an argument applies even to the last financial version of capitalism as well as to the negative conception of freedom vindicated by Neo-liberals. The paper is organized as follows. First, a definition of «capitalism» and «freedom» is provided. Second, the origins of contemporary neo-liberalism are identified in a reading of the liberal tradition that opposes classical liberalism and liberalism without further qualification. Third, an interpretation of current economic science as a technique without science is provided —all the economists, regardless of what school they belong to, only produce more or less effective tools to promote different and even opposing policies. Fourth, among the causes of the wild development of financial capitalism are found the Austrian doctrines of deregulation of financial markets, or more exactly of a different, private regulation. Fifth, the results of neo-liberal doctrines are identified in their perhaps unintended consequences, namely the accumulation of an enormous amount of power in the financial corporations and institutions favored by deregulation. Sixth, from this brief analysis only one conclusion can be drawn —the neo-liberal doctrines have not favored but damaged the same individual and negative freedom they claim to promote.