--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can't imagine a free market coupled…" description: "\"You can't imagine a free market coupled with a dictatorship.\" — Li Lu" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/li-lu-18293_dictatorship_you-can-t-imagine-a-free-market-coupled_747149.jpg" --- # You can't imagine a free market coupled with a dictatorship. ![“You can't imagine a free market coupled with a dictatorship.” quote by Li Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/li-lu-18293_dictatorship_you-can-t-imagine-a-free-market-coupled_747149.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/li-lu-18293_dictatorship_you-can-t-imagine-a-free-market-coupled_747149.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/li-lu-18293_dictatorship_you-can-t-imagine-a-free-market-coupled_747149.jpg) > “You can't imagine a free market coupled with a dictatorship.” [Li Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-lu/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Free markets cannot function under authoritarian rule; liberty and control are mutually exclusive. **In simple terms:** Markets need freedom to work. Key Takeaway Promote economic freedom. Themes economics politics freedom Mood determined hopeful Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - business development - policy reform - civil society initiatives Key Concepts liberalism authoritarianism Questions to Reflect On - How does political structure affect economic growth? - What steps can protect market freedom? A Different Perspective Some hybrid systems claim limited freedom but still restrict markets. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dictatorship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dictatorship/) [Free market](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-market/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Investing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investing/) [Market](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/market/) ## Related quotes > [Because we can imagine, we are free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/because-we-can-imagine-we-are-free/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [Imagine how free we would feel and what we could accomplish if we could live without fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-l-taylor/imagine-how-free-we-would-feel-and-what-we-could-accomplish-if-we/) [Susan L. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-l-taylor/) > [“Imagine being the only two free humans in all the world”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-applegate/imagine-being-the-only-two-free-humans-in-all-the-world/) [Katherine Applegate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-applegate/) > [Without a free man, there is no free market. That's called exploitation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-lu/without-a-free-man-there-is-no-free-market-that-s-called-exploitation/) [Li Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-lu/) > [The ultimate consequences of the individualist spirit in economic life are those which you yourselves, Venerable Brethren and Beloved Children, see and deplore: Free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-pius-xi/the-ultimate-consequences-of-the-individualist-spirit-in-economic/) [Pope Pius XI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-pius-xi/) > [Dictatorships can exist with free markets - not that China is really a free market - especially in poor countries where the regime insists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/dictatorships-can-exist-with-free-markets-not-that-china-is-really-a/) [Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/) > [Planning leads to dictatorship because dictatorship is the most effective instrument of coercion and the enforcement of ideals and, as such, essential if central…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/planning-leads-to-dictatorship-because-dictatorship-is-the-most/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [The 'free market' is the product of laws and rules continuously emanating from legislatures, executive departments, and courts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reich/the-free-market-is-the-product-of-laws-and-rules-continuously/) [Robert Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reich/) > [Haitian rice farmers are quite efficient, but they can't compete with U.S. agribusiness that relies on a huge government subsidy, thanks to Ronald Reagan's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/haitian-rice-farmers-are-quite-efficient-but-they-can-t-compete-with/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [How do you expect people to actually join the military if, when they leave the military, they can't integrate back into the free market…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-kotick/how-do-you-expect-people-to-actually-join-the-military-if-when-they/) [Bobby Kotick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-kotick/) > [free market is a market in which groups and individuals are differently represented. Parity in prosperity and performance between differently able individuals and groups…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilana-mercer/free-market-is-a-market-in-which-groups-and-individuals-are/) [Ilana Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilana-mercer/) > [If President Obama has his way, you won't recognize the government, the free market system, or, frankly, America as you once knew it. His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-ehrlich/if-president-obama-has-his-way-you-won-t-recognize-the-government-the/) [Bob Ehrlich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-ehrlich/) > [The food system is not a free market. In this country, we impose reasonably high standards of animal welfare - but we haven't applied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zac-goldsmith/the-food-system-is-not-a-free-market-in-this-country-we-impose/) [Zac Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zac-goldsmith/) > [Everyone should be investing in our free market economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baiju-bhatt/everyone-should-be-investing-in-our-free-market-economy/) [Baiju Bhatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baiju-bhatt/) > [Fannie and Freddie made two-thirds of all subprime mortgages. That is not a free market institution. That entity, along with the Fed printing too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-brat/fannie-and-freddie-made-two-thirds-of-all-subprime-mortgages-that-is/) [Dave Brat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-brat/) ## More by Li Lu > [Everyone has blind spots, and even the brightest people are no exceptions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-lu/everyone-has-blind-spots-and-even-the-brightest-people-are-no/) [Li Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-lu/) > [Mao Zedong's way was to make people crazy. It was like a religious cult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-lu/mao-zedong-s-way-was-to-make-people-crazy-it-was-like-a-religious-cult/) [Li Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-lu/) > [Without a free man, there is no free market. That's called exploitation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-lu/without-a-free-man-there-is-no-free-market-that-s-called-exploitation/) [Li Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-lu/) > [All companies incur expenses, some of which are fixed and bear no relation to sales volumes. In this way, profits can grow at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-lu/all-companies-incur-expenses-some-of-which-are-fixed-and-bear-no/) [Li Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-lu/) > [I grew up in Communist China and never had much money to my name, and then, all of a sudden, I had giant student…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-lu/i-grew-up-in-communist-china-and-never-had-much-money-to-my-name-and/) [Li Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-lu/) > [A 'competence' that has no defined borders cannot be called a true competence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-lu/a-competence-that-has-no-defined-borders-cannot-be-called-a-true/) [Li Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-lu/) > [When I first came to Columbia University, I was dirt poor. I did not choose to come here - I just ended up here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-lu/when-i-first-came-to-columbia-university-i-was-dirt-poor-i-did-not/) [Li Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-lu/) > [Tiananmen did not fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-lu/tiananmen-did-not-fail/) [Li Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-lu/) > [Part of the game of investing is to come into your own. You must find some way that perfectly fits your personality because there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-lu/part-of-the-game-of-investing-is-to-come-into-your-own-you-must-find/) [Li Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-lu/) > [I was born and grew up in China during the 1960s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-lu/i-was-born-and-grew-up-in-china-during-the-1960s/) [Li Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-lu/) > [Investing is about predicting the future, and the future is inherently unpredictable. Therefore, the only way you can do better is to assess all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-lu/investing-is-about-predicting-the-future-and-the-future-is-inherently/) [Li Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-lu/) > [In my 40s, the two cultures finally came to peace with one other inside me, and I have come to identify myself as both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-lu/in-my-40s-the-two-cultures-finally-came-to-peace-with-one-other/) [Li Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-lu/) > [With free market and free man, if you remove one of them, it is not called capitalism in my dictionary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-lu/with-free-market-and-free-man-if-you-remove-one-of-them-it-is-not/) [Li Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-lu/) > [Politically, China suppresses its people, but because the government allows some freedom in economic matters, business has become the ultimate expression of individuality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-lu/politically-china-suppresses-its-people-but-because-the-government/) [Li Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-lu/) > [No dictatorship can be sustained within the context of an information revolution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-lu/no-dictatorship-can-be-sustained-within-the-context-of-an-information/) [Li Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-lu/) [Explore all 35 Li Lu quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-lu/) ## More Dictatorship quotes > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [Dictatorship is rule based directly upon force and unrestricted by any laws. The revolutionary dictatorship of the proletariat is rule won and maintained by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-lenin/dictatorship-is-rule-based-directly-upon-force-and-unrestricted-by/) [Vladimir Lenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-lenin/) > [I was born in Cuba. At the age of 14 years of age I was involved in a revolution. We were suffering from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-was-born-in-cuba-at-the-age-of-14-years-of-age-i-was-involved-in-a/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [The situation with Tibet has to change. China is one of the last huge dictatorships, holding on to these colonies, provinces. That has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-yauch/the-situation-with-tibet-has-to-change-china-is-one-of-the-last-huge/) [Adam Yauch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-yauch/) > [Motherland is our property and we have right to handle our properties as pleased. The jokes about death for the sake of the motherland…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/motherland-is-our-property-and-we-have-right-to-handle-our-properties/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [Your best friends are your principles, if you havent them, dont look for another friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/your-best-friends-are-your-principles-if-you-havent-them-dont-look/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [“. Despite the considerable horror they had felt when the SA men were bellowing crude anti-Semitic slogans, in retrospect the joke-tellers were very much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolph-herzog/despite-the-considerable-horror-they-had-felt-when-the-sa-men-were/) [Rudolph Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolph-herzog/) > [A strong saying is not afraid of criticism, because it includes all the answers to criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/a-strong-saying-is-not-afraid-of-criticism-because-it-includes-all/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [The dictatorship of the proletariat and the leadership of the Marxist-Leninist party are indispensable conditions for the triumph of the Socialist revolution and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikita-khrushchev/the-dictatorship-of-the-proletariat-and-the-leadership-of-the-marxist/) [Nikita Khrushchev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikita-khrushchev/) > [I never thought about becoming a politician. But during the military dictatorship, my grandfather was put in prison six times and my father twice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/i-never-thought-about-becoming-a-politician-but-during-the-military/) [George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/) > [ “\[...\] dictatorship, the most extreme form of tyranny, can never lead to social liberation.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/dictatorship-the-most-extreme-form-of-tyranny-can-never-lead-to/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I'm not a prophet, but I always thought it was natural for dictatorships to fall. I remember in 1989, two months before the fall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/i-m-not-a-prophet-but-i-always-thought-it-was-natural-for/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [In many ways, the media today makes dictatorship impossible. But it also makes democracy intolerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/in-many-ways-the-media-today-makes-dictatorship-impossible-but-it/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [“Your law always does more harm than crime, and your morality is a form of violence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bond/your-law-always-does-more-harm-than-crime-and-your-morality-is-a-form/) [Edward Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bond/) > [Something that comes to us, some gym shoe that comes to us as a result of child labor from a brutal dictatorship, where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/something-that-comes-to-us-some-gym-shoe-that-comes-to-us-as-a-result/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) [Browse all 793 Dictatorship quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dictatorship/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can't imagine a free market coupled with a dictatorship.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Li Lu" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-lu/you-can-t-imagine-a-free-market-coupled-with-a-dictatorship/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dictatorship" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-lu/you-can-t-imagine-a-free-market-coupled-with-a-dictatorship/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/li-lu-18293_dictatorship_you-can-t-imagine-a-free-market-coupled_747149.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/li-lu-18293_dictatorship_you-can-t-imagine-a-free-market-coupled_747149.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/li-lu-18293_dictatorship_you-can-t-imagine-a-free-market-coupled_747149.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can't imagine a free market coupled with a dictatorship.” — Li Lu", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Li Lu", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-lu/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You can't imagine a free market...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-lu/you-can-t-imagine-a-free-market-coupled-with-a-dictatorship/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-lu/you-can-t-imagine-a-free-market-coupled-with-a-dictatorship/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```