When something goes wrong, the natural tendency is to say, "By God, we need to pass a law and do something." — Milton Friedman Copy Share Image
A minimum-wage law is, in reality, a law that makes it illegal for an employer to hire a person with limited skills. — Milton Friedman Copy Share Image
I am convinced that the minimum-wage law is the most anti-Negro law on our statute books in its effect, not its intent. — Milton Friedman Copy Share Image
I think a major reason why intellectuals tend to move towards collectivism is that the collectivist answer is a simple one. If… — Milton Friedman Copy Share Image
The real tragedy of minimum wage laws is that they are supported by well-meaning groups who want to reduce poverty. But the… — Milton Friedman Copy Share Image
Legalizing drugs would simultaneously reduce the amount of crime and raise the quality of law enforcement. Can you conceive of any other… — Milton Friedman Copy Share Image
So the question is, do corporate executives, provided they stay within the law, have responsibilities in their business activities other than to… — Milton Friedman Copy Share Image
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 Copy Share Image
We economists don't know much, but we do know how to create a shortage. If you want to create a shortage of… — Milton Friedman Copy Share Image
The high rate of unemployment among teenagers, and especially black teenagers, is both a scandal and a serious source of social unrest.… — Milton Friedman Copy Share Image
Our emphasis here is based not only on the growing seriousness of drug-related crimes, but also on the belief that relieving our… — Milton Friedman Copy Share Image
The rule of law does not guarantee freedom, since general law as well as personal edicts can be tyrannical. But increasing reliance… — Milton Friedman Copy Share Image
There is no logical basis for the prohibition of marijuana. $7.7 billion is a lot of money, but that is one of… — Milton Friedman Copy Share Image
Our emphasis here is based not only on the growing seriousness of drug-related crimes, but also on the belief that relieving our… — Milton Friedman Copy Share Image
“The ICC [Interstate Commerce Commission] illustrates what might be called the natural history of government intervention. A real or fancied evil leads… — Milton Friedman Copy Share Image
The government solution to a problem is usually as bad as the problem. — Milton Friedman Copy Share Image
I believe the role that people like myself have played in the transformation of public opinion has been by persistently presenting a different point… — Milton Friedman Copy Share Image
To really understand something you've got to reduce it to its principles. — Milton Friedman Copy Share Image
It is a mark of how far we have gone on the road to serfdom that government allocation and rationing of oil is the… — Milton Friedman Copy Share Image
Economic freedom is an essential requisite for political freedom. By enabling people to cooperate with one another without coercion or central direction, it reduces… — Milton Friedman Copy Share Image
“The people in one district can choose not to reelect their member of Congress, but that will not change the composition of the government… — Milton Friedman Copy Share Image
When you have a time of crisis what happens depends on what ideas are floating around, and what ideas have been developed, and thought… — Milton Friedman Copy Share Image
The government doesn't have any money. The only power it has is to take from some and give to others. — Milton Friedman Copy Share Image
What would the people who sold us goods do with the money? They'd get dollars. What would they do with the dollars? Eat them?! — Milton Friedman Copy Share Image
World trade depends on differences among countries, not similarities. Different countries are in different stages of development. It is appropriate for them to have… — Milton Friedman Copy Share Image
Is there some society you know of that doesn't run on greed? You think Russia doesn't run on greed? You think China doesn't run… — Milton Friedman Copy Share Image
Well first of all, tell me, is there some society you know of that doesn't run on greed? You think Russia doesn't run on… — Milton Friedman Copy Share Image