--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How little one is justified in speaking…" description: "\"“How little one is justified in speaking in this connection of \"optimism\" and \"pessimism\" and how much the characterization of liberalism as \"optimisti..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/977/ludwig-von-mises-364_capitalism_how-little-one-is-justified-in-speaking_14625.jpg" --- # How little one is justified in speaking in this connection… ![“How little one is justified in speaking in this connection of "optimism" and "pessimism" and how much the characterization of liberalism as "optimistic" aims at surrounding it with an unfavorable aura by bringing in extrascientific, emotional considerations is best shown by the fact that one can…” quote by Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/977/ludwig-von-mises-364_capitalism_how-little-one-is-justified-in-speaking_14625.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/977/ludwig-von-mises-364_capitalism_how-little-one-is-justified-in-speaking_14625.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/977/ludwig-von-mises-364_capitalism_how-little-one-is-justified-in-speaking_14625.jpg) > ““How little one is justified in speaking in this connection of "optimism" and "pessimism" and how much the characterization of liberalism as "optimistic" aims at surrounding it with an unfavorable aura by bringing in extrascientific, emotional considerations is best shown by the fact that one can, with as much justice, call those people "optimists" who are convinced that the construction of a socialist or of an interventionist commonwealth would be practicable. Most of the writers who concern themselves with economic questions never miss an opportunity to heap senseless and childish abuse on the capitalist system and to praise in enthusiastic terms either socialism or inter ventionism, or even agrarian socialism and syndicalism, as excellent institutions.”” [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. The passage critiques the labeling of liberalism as optimistic and argues that calling proponents of socialism or interventionism optimists is equally justified, exposing bias in ideological rhetoric. **In simple terms:** Bias in political labeling Key Takeaway Ideological terms can be weaponized Themes political rhetoric ideology bias optimism vs pessimism economic theory Mood critical skeptical analytical Type philosophical political critical When to use this quote - academic debate on economic systems - political commentary - media analysis - policy advocacy - public discourse Key Concepts liberalism socialism interventionism syndicalism Practical Applications - critical analysis of political language - educational material on economic ideologies Questions to Reflect On - How does labeling affect public perception of economic policies? - What criteria should define 'optimism' in political discourse? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Capitalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism/) [Classical liberalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classical-liberalism/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Free market](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-market/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Optimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimism/) [Optimists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimists/) [Pessimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pessimism/) ## Related quotes > [The program of classical liberalism, condensed into a single word, would have to read: property.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-program-of-classical-liberalism-condensed-into-a-single-word/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [The program of liberalism if condensed into a single word, would have to read: property, that is, private ownership of the means of production.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-program-of-liberalism-if-condensed-into-a-single-word-would-have/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [“It is illogical to say, as many etatists do, that liberalism is hostile to or hates the state, because it is opposed to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/it-is-illogical-to-say-as-many-etatists-do-that-liberalism-is-hostile/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [“When, thirty-five years ago, I tried to give a summary of the ideas and principles of that social philosophy that was once known under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/when-thirty-five-years-ago-i-tried-to-give-a-summary-of-the-ideas-and/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [ Against what is stupid, nonsensical, erroneous, and evil, \[classical\] liberalism fights with the weapons of the mind, and not with brute force and repression. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/against-what-is-stupid-nonsensical-erroneous-and-evil-classical/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [... an essential feature of a decent society, and an almost defining feature of a democratic society, is relative equality of outcome - not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/an-essential-feature-of-a-decent-society-and-an-almost-defining/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“John Locke says that whatever other tasks a government undertakes—whether humanitarian or otherwise—its primary duty is to protect its own citizens from foreign and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinesh-d-souza/john-locke-says-that-whatever-other-tasks-a-government-undertakes/) [Dinesh D'Souza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinesh-d-souza/) > [“A free society cherishes nonconformity. It knows that from the non-conformist, from the eccentric, have come many of the great ideas of freedom. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-steele-commager/a-free-society-cherishes-nonconformity-it-knows-that-from-the-non/) [Henry Steele Commager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-steele-commager/) > [“Despite Gentile’s disagreement with Marx about historical inevitability, he has at this point clearly broken with modern conservatism and classical liberalism and revealed himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinesh-d-souza/despite-gentile-s-disagreement-with-marx-about-historical/) [Dinesh D'Souza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinesh-d-souza/) > [“I mean, contrary to the contemporary version of it, classical liberalism (which remember was pre-capitalist, and in fact, anti-capitalist) focused on the right of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-mean-contrary-to-the-contemporary-version-of-it-classical/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“The safest way to make laws respected is to make them respectable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-safest-way-to-make-laws-respected-is-to-make-them-respectable/) [Frédéric Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [“These ideas grew out of the Enlightenment; their roots are in Rousseau’s Discourse on Inequality, Humboldt’s Limits of State Action, Kant’s insistence, in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/these-ideas-grew-out-of-the-enlightenment-their-roots-are-in-rousseau/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“The free market system of capitalism enhances freedom in three ways. Traditionally freedom of exchange has been seen as a basic form of individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cudd-holmstrom/the-free-market-system-of-capitalism-enhances-freedom-in-three-ways/) Cudd/Holmstrom > [“The search for liberty is simply part of the greater search for a world where respect for the rule of law and human rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/the-search-for-liberty-is-simply-part-of-the-greater-search-for-a/) [Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/) > [Classical liberalism is the idea that individual freedom and limited government are the best way for humans to form a free society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-rubin/classical-liberalism-is-the-idea-that-individual-freedom-and-limited/) [Dave Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-rubin/) ## More by Ludwig von Mises > [If the members of parliament no longer consider themselves mandatories of the taxpayers but deputies of those receiving salaries, wages, subsidies, doles, and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/if-the-members-of-parliament-no-longer-consider-themselves/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Changes in human conditions are brought about by the pioneering of the cleverest and most energetic men. They take the lead and the rest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/changes-in-human-conditions-are-brought-about-by-the-pioneering-of/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [During the 2300 years since Plato, very little opposition has been registered to his ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/during-the-2300-years-since-plato-very-little-opposition-has-been/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Every step by which an individual substitutes concerted action for isolated action results in an immediate and recognizable improvement in his conditions. The advantages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/every-step-by-which-an-individual-substitutes-concerted-action-for/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [The capitalistic social order, therefore, is an economic democracy in the strictest sense of the word. In the last analysis, all decisions are dependent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-capitalistic-social-order-therefore-is-an-economic-democracy-in/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Without calculation, economic activity is impossible. Since under Socialism economic calculation is impossible, under Socialism there can be no economic activity in our sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/without-calculation-economic-activity-is-impossible-since-under/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [There is no kind of freedom and liberty other than the kind which the market economy brings about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/there-is-no-kind-of-freedom-and-liberty-other-than-the-kind-which-the/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Peace and not war is the father of all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/peace-and-not-war-is-the-father-of-all-things/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [What counts alone is the innovator, the dissenter, the harbinger of things unheard of, the man who rejects the traditional standards and aims at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/what-counts-alone-is-the-innovator-the-dissenter-the-harbinger-of/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [In reality no food is valued solely for its nutritive power and no garment or house solely for the protection it affords against cold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/in-reality-no-food-is-valued-solely-for-its-nutritive-power-and-no/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [All this talk: the state should do this or that, ultimately means: the police should force consumers to behave otherwise than they would behave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/all-this-talk-the-state-should-do-this-or-that-ultimately-means-the/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [The most successful businessmen were often uneducated when measured by the scholastic standards of the teaching profession. But they were equal to their social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-most-successful-businessmen-were-often-uneducated-when-measured/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Two hundred years ago, before the advent of capitalism, a man's social status was fixed from the beginning to the end of his life;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/two-hundred-years-ago-before-the-advent-of-capitalism-a-man-s-social/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Facts per se can neither prove nor refute anything. Everything is decided by the interpretation and explanation of the facts, by the ideas and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/facts-per-se-can-neither-prove-nor-refute-anything-everything-is/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [“Used to the conditions of a capitalistic environment, the average American takes it for granted that every year business makes something new and better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/used-to-the-conditions-of-a-capitalistic-environment-the-average/) [Ludwig Von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) [Explore all 637 Ludwig von Mises quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) ## More Capitalism quotes > [Don't let's lose sight of what creates wealth. It is open markets, it is capitalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/don-t-let-s-lose-sight-of-what-creates-wealth-it-is-open-markets-it/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [Crony capitalism is essentially a condition in which... public officials are giving favours to people in the private sector in payment of political favours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/crony-capitalism-is-essentially-a-condition-in-which-public-officials/) [Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/) > [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/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [ Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a \[Soviet socialistic\] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-national-socialism-have-anything/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [Corporations have nothing to do with values, and they know it, and sometimes say it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kierans/corporations-have-nothing-to-do-with-values-and-they-know-it-and/) [Eric Kierans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-kierans/) > [Both fact and logic seem to me to support the view that savings invested in privately owned economic tools of production amount to an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-a-harper/both-fact-and-logic-seem-to-me-to-support-the-view-that-savings/) F. 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Harper > [The free market is ugly and stupid, like going to the mall; the unfree market is just as ugly and just as stupid, except…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-free-market-is-ugly-and-stupid-like-going-to-the-mall-the-unfree/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Capitalism, communism ... it's all garbage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mstislav-rostropovich/capitalism-communism-it-s-all-garbage/) [Mstislav Rostropovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mstislav-rostropovich/) > [There are no two countries with the same style of economic mechanism, with the same capitalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatoly-chubais/there-are-no-two-countries-with-the-same-style-of-economic-mechanism/) [Anatoly Chubais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatoly-chubais/) > [It is more than a little ironic that "capital accumulation" once a rather tendentious Marxian view of a supposed capitalist obsession, should have become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kuttner/it-is-more-than-a-little-ironic-that-capital-accumulation-once-a/) [Robert Kuttner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kuttner/) > [Historically, usury was defined as any interest whatever on an unproductive loan.Our whole banking system I have ever abhorred, I continue to abhor, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/historically-usury-was-defined-as-any-interest-whatever-on-an/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [Socialism is humanity's second nature. All politicians do is turn human vice into votes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilana-mercer/socialism-is-humanity-s-second-nature-all-politicians-do-is-turn/) [Ilana Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilana-mercer/) > [“Scholars have long debated whether capital markets lead to appropriate levels of saving and investment for future generations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-l-weimer/scholars-have-long-debated-whether-capital-markets-lead-to/) David L. Weimer > [“A car is one of the most interesting inventions, but driving is one of the most boring activities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-car-is-one-of-the-most-interesting-inventions-but-driving-is-one-of/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) [Browse all 3,832 Capitalism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“How little one is justified in speaking in this connection of \"optimism\" and \"pessimism\" and how much the characterization of liberalism as \"optimistic\" aims at surrounding it with an unfavorable aura by bringing in extrascientific, emotional considerations is best shown by the fact that one can, with as much justice, call those people \"optimists\" who are convinced that the construction of a socialist or of an interventionist commonwealth would be practicable. 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