Skip to content

Government Quotes by Harry Browne

49 Government quotes by Harry Browne

All Government quotes Harry Browne’s page

An agency of coercion is how the author describes government, comparing it to the Mafia. He argues that letting people use their own money creates more good than big government programs. He also warns that asset forfeiture ignores the presumption of innocence and expands federal power.

Rate this collection: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

Government cripples you, then hands you a crutch and says, 'See, if it wasn't for us, you couldn't walk.'

Image

Since no one but you can know what's best for you, government control can't make your life better.

Image

In almost all matters, the real question should be: why are we letting government handle this?

Image

Can you think of a single area of government in which George Bush hasn't already made things worse than Bill Clinton did?

Image

The government's War on Poverty has transformed poverty from a short-term misfortune into a career choice.

Image

A little government involvement is just as dangerous as a lot - because the first leads inevitably to the second.

Image

If you ask the government to impose morality, then moral questions will be decided by whoever has the most political power.

Image

Give government the weapons to fight your enemy and it will use them against you.

Image

You can't give the government the power to do good without also giving it the power to do bad - in fact,…

Image

The coercive power of government is always a beacon to those who want to dominate others -- summoning the worst dregs of…

Image

Government is a parasite-a cancer that by nature tries to spread deeper into society. Those who want to run others' lives won't…

Image

The press is hostile to the idea of liberty. Most people in the press are for big government. Most people think that…

Image

Once upon a time, government budgets were balanced, our money was sound, the streets were safe, and taxes imposed by all levels…

Image

Libertarians understand a very simple fact of life: Government doesn't work. It can't deliver the mail on time, it doesn't keep our…

Image

Government doesn't work. You work, I work, Federal Express works, Microsoft works, the Salvation Army works, Alcoholics Anonymous works, but government doesn't.

Image

I am running for President because it is obvious that no Democrat or Republican is ever going to stop the relentless growth…

Image

The bad consequences of a government program usually don't show up immediately. And the delay may be long enough to hide the…

Image

Once we realize that government doesn't work, we'll know that the only way to improve government is by reducing its size -…

Image

I found that I was getting a warm reception for my message of freeing you from the income tax, releasing you from…

Image

Asset forfeiture is a mockery of the Bill of Rights. There is no presumption of innocence, no need to prove you guilty…

Image

The American heritage was one of individual liberty, personal responsibility and freedom from government ... Unfortunately ... that heritage has been lost.…

Image

Conservatives say the government can't end poverty by force, but they believe it can use force to make people moral. Liberals say…

Image

The seeds of today's runaway government were planted when it was decided that government should help those who can't help themselves. From…

Image

Government is force, pure and simple. There's no way to sugar-coat that. And because government is force, it will attract the worst…

Image

[Before the Civil Rights Act of 1964], many governments in southern states forced people to segregate by race. Civil rights advocates fought…

Image

Democratic politicians want to solve the crisis of poor education by taking more of your money and using it to reduce classroom…

Image

...The Bill of Rights is a literal and absolute document. The First Amendment doesn't say you have a right to speak out…

Image

The free market punishes irresponsibility. Government rewards it.

Image

A welfare state is frightened of every poor person who tries to get in and every rich person who tries to get…

Image

Whatever the issue, let freedom offer us a hundred choices, instead of having government force one answer on everyone.

Image

I want a government small enough to fit inside the Constitution.

Image

Government doesn't work. That's the first lesson we must learn if we want to improve society.

Image

I am running for president because it is obvious that no Democrat or Republican is ever going to stop the relentless growth…

Image

So what is government?... Very simply, it is an agency of coercion. Of course, there are other agencies of coercion - such…

Image

Social Security is a fraudulent scheme in which the government collect money from you for your retirement - and immediately spend the…

Image

It's important to realize that whenever you give power to politicians or bureaucrats, it will be used for what they want, not…

Image

Government seems to operate on the principle that if even one individual is incapable of using his freedom competently, no one can…

Image

Everything we know about human nature and about government tells us that individuals using their own money will achieve far more good…

Image

Some people object to libertarian ideas because there are too many irresponsible people in the world - people who will cause trouble…

Image

Our government, taxes, and ideas of freedom are already duplicates of the Old World. Our politicians determine how we should live our…

Image

Other authors on Government

More by Harry Browne

If younger people see older people who haven't planned ahead and have to rely on charity, the young will be more likely to provide…

Everything we know about human nature and about government tells us that individuals using their own money will achieve far more good for themselves…

You don't have to buy from anyone. You don't have to work at any particular job. You don't have to participate in any given…

The American way was for commerce, personal relationships, and religion to be voluntary. No one was forced to participate in something he didn't want.

Conservatives say the government can't end poverty by force, but they believe it can use force to make people moral. Liberals say government can't…

Everyone will experience the consequences of his own acts. If his act are right, he'll get good consequences; if they're not, he'll suffer for…

Whatever the price, identify it now. What will you have to go through to get where you want to be? There is a price…

The first step in freeing yourself from social restrictions is the realization that there is no such thing as a safe code of conduct…

Only free people have an incentive to be virtuous. Only people who bear the consequences of their own acts will care about those consequences…

So what is government?... Very simply, it is an agency of coercion. Of course, there are other agencies of coercion - such as the…

The Constitution isn't written in Chinese, Swahili or Sanskrit. It's in plain English.

The press is hostile to the idea of liberty. Most people in the press are for big government. Most people think that the solution…

There's nothing shameful in acknowledging that you don't have the answers to every question about life. Just accept the fact that you know only…

Forcing people to be generous isn't humanitarian, effective, compassionate or moral. Only acts that are truly voluntary for all concerned can be truly compassionate.

Democratic politicians want to solve the crisis of poor education by taking more of your money and using it to reduce classroom sizes in…