--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every man aims at avoiding what causes…" description: "\"Every man aims at avoiding what causes him pain; the activities of government ultimately consist in the infliction of pain. All great achievements of m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aba/ludwig-von-mises-364_achievement_every-man-aims-at-avoiding-what-causes-h_2534205.png" --- # Every man aims at avoiding what causes him pain; the… ![“Every man aims at avoiding what causes him pain; the activities of government ultimately consist in the infliction of pain. All great achievements of mankind were the product of a spontaneous effort on the part of individuals; government substitutes coercion for voluntary action.” quote by Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aba/ludwig-von-mises-364_achievement_every-man-aims-at-avoiding-what-causes-h_2534205.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aba/ludwig-von-mises-364_achievement_every-man-aims-at-avoiding-what-causes-h_2534205.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aba/ludwig-von-mises-364_achievement_every-man-aims-at-avoiding-what-causes-h_2534205.png) > “Every man aims at avoiding what causes him pain; the activities of government ultimately consist in the infliction of pain. All great achievements of mankind were the product of a spontaneous effort on the part of individuals; government substitutes coercion for voluntary action.” [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Government replaces voluntary cooperation with coercion, causing pain; true progress comes from individual initiative. **In simple terms:** Government coercion causes pain; individuals drive progress. Key Takeaway Promote voluntary action. Themes economics politics individualism Mood critical thoughtful Type economic philosophical When to use this quote - business entrepreneurship - policy reform - civil society - community projects Key Concepts coercion spontaneous order pain government policy Questions to Reflect On - When is coercion justified? - How can voluntary systems address public needs? A Different Perspective Some government actions protect vulnerable groups. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Achievement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achievement/) [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Activities Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activities-government-945656/) [Activity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activity/) [Aim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim/) [Avoiding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoiding/) [Causes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/causes/) [Coercion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coercion/) [Coercion Voluntary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coercion-voluntary-1373607/) [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Effort Individuals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort-individuals-1373609/) [Every man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-man/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Ultimately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-ultimately-274849/) [Great achievement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-achievement/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Individuals Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individuals-government-1373608/) [Infliction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infliction/) [Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Products](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/products/) [Spontaneous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spontaneous/) [Substitutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/substitutes/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) ## Related quotes > [Many of the greatest things man has achieved are not the result of consciously directed thought, and still less the product of a deliberately…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/many-of-the-greatest-things-man-has-achieved-are-not-the-result-of/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [Broadcasting is a team effort and two, or three, individuals not functioning as a team cannot be as effective as they can if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-ross/broadcasting-is-a-team-effort-and-two-or-three-individuals-not/) [Jim Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-ross/) > [The National Security Council's real role is to coordinate the various activities of the government of the United States in the furtherance of American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/the-national-security-council-s-real-role-is-to-coordinate-the/) [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) > [It is our duty to watch over the actions and activities of this government and to insist that, in words as well as in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-watson/it-is-our-duty-to-watch-over-the-actions-and-activities-of-this/) [Diane Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-watson/) > [The goal of some individuals in government is not to hear the voices of Black Americans at all. 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