Freedom Quotes by Milton Friedman

Political freedom means the absence of coercion of a man by his fellow men.

— Milton Friedman

Every person shall be free to do good ' at his own expense.

— Milton Friedman

There's no such thing as a free lunch.

— Milton Friedman

History suggests that capitalism is a necessary condition for political freedom

— Milton Friedman

The fall of the Berlin Wall did more for the progress of freedom than all of the books written by myself or…

— Milton Friedman

If freedom were not so economically efficient it certainly wouldn't stand a chance.

— Milton Friedman

I think almost every economist would agree that government gets itself in trouble when it tries to interfere with voluntary behavior.

— Milton Friedman

Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself.

— Milton Friedman

To the free man, the country is the collection of individuals who compose it, not something over and above them.

— Milton Friedman

Humility is the distinguishing virtue of the believer in freedom; arrogance, of the paternalist.

— Milton Friedman

The excuse for the destruction of liberty is always the plea of necessary ' that there is no alternative

— Milton Friedman

The preservation of liberty, not the promotion of efficiency, is the primary justification for private property. Efficiency is a happy, though not…

— Milton Friedman

Freedom means diversity but also mobility. It preserves the opportunity for today's disadvantaged to become tomorrow's privileged and, in the process, enables…

— Milton Friedman

I think that nothing is so important for freedom as recognizing in the law each individual’s natural right to property, and giving…

— Milton Friedman

I want people to take thought about their condition and to recognize that the maintenance of a free society is a very…

— Milton Friedman

Freedom in economic arrangements is itself a component of freedom broadly understood, so economic freedom is an end in itself ... Economic…

— Milton Friedman

The heart of the liberal philosophy is a belief in the dignity of the individual, in his freedom to make the most…

— Milton Friedman

The most unresolved problem of the day is precisely the problem that concerned the founders of this nation: how to limit the…

— Milton Friedman

If freedom led to wider inequality, I would prefer that to a world in which I got artificial equality at the expense…

— Milton Friedman

A society that puts equality - in the sense of equality of outcome - ahead of freedom will end up with neither…

— Milton Friedman

The free man will ask neither what his country can do for him nor what he can do for his country. He…

— Milton Friedman

A society that puts equality — in the sense of equality of outcome — ahead of freedom will end up with neither…

— Milton Friedman

The rule of law does not guarantee freedom, since general law as well as personal edicts can be tyrannical. But increasing reliance…

— Milton Friedman

What most people really object to when they object to a free market is that it is so hard for them to…

— Milton Friedman

To the free man, the country is the collection of individuals who compose it, not something over and above them. ... He…

— Milton Friedman

A free society releases the energies and abilities of people to pursue their own objectives. It prevents some people from arbitrarily suppressing…

— Milton Friedman

“Economic freedom is an essential requisite for political freedom. By enabling people to cooperate with one another without coercion or central direction,…

— Milton Friedman

“John Stuart Mill,   The sole end for which mankind are warranted, individually or collectively, in interfering with the liberty of action…

— Milton Friedman

“In a much quoted passage in his inaugural address, President Kennedy said, "Ask not what your country can do for you --…

— Milton Friedman

“A thoroughgoing paternalist who holds it cannot be dissuaded by being shown that he is making a mistake in logic. He is…

— Milton Friedman

“Because we live in a largely free society, we tend to forget how limited is the span of time and the part…

— Milton Friedman

“The fecundity of freedom is demonstrated most dramatically and clearly in agriculture. When the Declaration of Independence was enacted, fewer than 3…

— Milton Friedman

A society that puts equality before freedom will get neither. A society that puts freedom before equality will get a high degree…

— Milton Friedman

If you do not force political freedom, economic freedom will be stymied sooner or later.

— Milton Friedman

Making prohibition work is like making water run uphill; it's against nature.

— Milton Friedman

A free man will ask neither what his country can do for him nor what he can do for his country.

— Milton Friedman

A society based on the freedom to choose is better than a society based on the principles of socialism, communism and coercion.

— Milton Friedman

Economic freedom is ... an indispensable means toward the achievement of political freedom.

— Milton Friedman

Freedom is a rare and delicate plant. Our minds tell us, and history confirms, that the great threat to freedom is the…

— Milton Friedman

Personal freedom has grown greatly within China, and that will provoke ever more points of conflict between the individual and state.

— Milton Friedman