--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A society based on the freedom to choose…" description: "\"A society based on the freedom to choose is better than a society based on the principles of socialism, communism and coercion.\" — Milton Friedman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94b/milton-friedman-616_capitalism_a-society-based-on-the-freedom-to-choose_1165614.png" --- # A society based on the freedom to choose is better than a… ![“A society based on the freedom to choose is better than a society based on the principles of socialism, communism and coercion.” quote by Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94b/milton-friedman-616_capitalism_a-society-based-on-the-freedom-to-choose_1165614.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94b/milton-friedman-616_capitalism_a-society-based-on-the-freedom-to-choose_1165614.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94b/milton-friedman-616_capitalism_a-society-based-on-the-freedom-to-choose_1165614.png) > “A society based on the freedom to choose is better than a society based on the principles of socialism, communism and coercion.” [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Freedom of choice yields better societies than imposed ideologies like socialism or communism. **In simple terms:** Choice leads to better outcomes than coercion. Key Takeaway Promote individual liberty and market choice. Themes freedom economics politics Mood analytical assertive Type political philosophical When to use this quote - policy debates - entrepreneurship - educational curricula - civic activism Key Concepts liberalism market theory political philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What limits should exist on freedom? - How to balance liberty with equity? A Different Perspective Complex systems may need regulation to protect vulnerable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Capitalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism/) [Coercion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coercion/) [Communism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communism/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Freedom to choose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-to-choose/) [Libertarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/libertarian/) [Libertarianism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/libertarianism/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Socialism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/socialism/) ## Related quotes > [“The nationalist, too, affirms Socialism, and objects only to its Internationalism. He wishes to combine Socialism with the ideas of Imperialism and the struggle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-nationalist-too-affirms-socialism-and-objects-only-to-its/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Feminism for me is the freedom to choose, to live the way a woman wants to and to make this world a better place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neeti-mohan/feminism-for-me-is-the-freedom-to-choose-to-live-the-way-a-woman/) [Neeti Mohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neeti-mohan/) > [The more decisions that you are forced to make alone, the more you are aware of your freedom to choose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/the-more-decisions-that-you-are-forced-to-make-alone-the-more-you-are/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [“Our most powerful asset in life is the ability to make choices for ourselves. This freedom to choose, we must conquer fiercely, cherish dearly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/our-most-powerful-asset-in-life-is-the-ability-to-make-choices-for/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [“You have your soul—what Frankl called the last of the human freedoms, the freedom to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-lesser/you-have-your-soul-what-frankl-called-the-last-of-the-human-freedoms/) [Elizabeth Lesser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-lesser/) > [It must be obvious that liberty necessarily means freedom to choose foolishly as well as wisely; freedom to choose evil as well as good;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-moreell/it-must-be-obvious-that-liberty-necessarily-means-freedom-to-choose/) Ben Moreell > [“Can you allow the thought to emerge in the mind when you arise in the morning: “I need do nothing. I don’t have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shanti-christo-foundation/can-you-allow-the-thought-to-emerge-in-the-mind-when-you-arise-in-the/) [Shanti Christo Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shanti-christo-foundation/) > [We wanted the freedom to love. We wanted the freedom to choose. Now we have to fight for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/we-wanted-the-freedom-to-love-we-wanted-the-freedom-to-choose-now-we/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [Having grown up in Bombay, from the day youre born, you have absolute freedom to choose who you want to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freida-pinto/having-grown-up-in-bombay-from-the-day-youre-born-you-have-absolute/) [Freida Pinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freida-pinto/) > [I have the freedom to choose the roles I want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/i-have-the-freedom-to-choose-the-roles-i-want/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [“Love is not about being with the person you love. It's about giving them the freedom to choose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/notjustarandomgirl/love-is-not-about-being-with-the-person-you-love-it-s-about-giving/) Notjustarandomgirl > [“Yoga gives you the freedom to choose, but it does not guarantee you will choose freedom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-main/yoga-gives-you-the-freedom-to-choose-but-it-does-not-guarantee-you/) [Darren Main](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-main/) > [Having the freedom to read and the freedom to choose is one of the best gifts my parents ever gave me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-blume/having-the-freedom-to-read-and-the-freedom-to-choose-is-one-of-the/) [Judy Blume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-blume/) > [Man's last freedom is his freedom to choose how he will react in any given situation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/man-s-last-freedom-is-his-freedom-to-choose-how-he-will-react-in-any/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [I do not believe we are all created equal. Physical and emotional differences, parental guidance, varying environments, being in the right place at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-do-not-believe-we-are-all-created-equal-physical-and-emotional/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Milton Friedman > [The government solution to a problem is usually as bad as the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-government-solution-to-a-problem-is-usually-as-bad-as-the-problem/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [I believe the role that people like myself have played in the transformation of public opinion has been by persistently presenting a different point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/i-believe-the-role-that-people-like-myself-have-played-in-the/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [To really understand something you've got to reduce it to its principles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/to-really-understand-something-you-ve-got-to-reduce-it-to-its/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [It is a mark of how far we have gone on the road to serfdom that government allocation and rationing of oil is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/it-is-a-mark-of-how-far-we-have-gone-on-the-road-to-serfdom-that/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [Economic freedom is an essential requisite for political freedom. By enabling people to cooperate with one another without coercion or central direction, it reduces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/economic-freedom-is-an-essential-requisite-for-political-freedom-by/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [“The people in one district can choose not to reelect their member of Congress, but that will not change the composition of the government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-people-in-one-district-can-choose-not-to-reelect-their-member-of/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [When you have a time of crisis what happens depends on what ideas are floating around, and what ideas have been developed, and thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/when-you-have-a-time-of-crisis-what-happens-depends-on-what-ideas-are/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [The government doesn't have any money. The only power it has is to take from some and give to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-government-doesn-t-have-any-money-the-only-power-it-has-is-to/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [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?!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/what-would-the-people-who-sold-us-goods-do-with-the-money-they-d-get/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [World trade depends on differences among countries, not similarities. Different countries are in different stages of development. It is appropriate for them to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/world-trade-depends-on-differences-among-countries-not-similarities/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/is-there-some-society-you-know-of-that-doesn-t-run-on-greed-you-think/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/well-first-of-all-tell-me-is-there-some-society-you-know-of-that/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [I think almost every economist would agree that government gets itself in trouble when it tries to interfere with voluntary behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/i-think-almost-every-economist-would-agree-that-government-gets/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [It is most attractive about the US to people and countries with wealth is that it can provide security, insurance really, against political instability.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/it-is-most-attractive-about-the-us-to-people-and-countries-with/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [Hong Kong is the bellwether. If the Chinese stick to their agreement to let Hong Kong go its own path, then China will also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/hong-kong-is-the-bellwether-if-the-chinese-stick-to-their-agreement/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) [Explore all 444 Milton Friedman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) ## 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. A. 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": "A society based on the freedom to choose is better than a society based on the principles of socialism, communism and coercion.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Milton Friedman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/a-society-based-on-the-freedom-to-choose-is-better-than-a-society/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Capitalism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/a-society-based-on-the-freedom-to-choose-is-better-than-a-society/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94b/milton-friedman-616_capitalism_a-society-based-on-the-freedom-to-choose_1165614.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94b/milton-friedman-616_capitalism_a-society-based-on-the-freedom-to-choose_1165614.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94b/milton-friedman-616_capitalism_a-society-based-on-the-freedom-to-choose_1165614.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A society based on the freedom to choose is better than a society based on the principles of socialism…” — Milton Friedman", "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": "Milton Friedman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A society based on the freedom...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/a-society-based-on-the-freedom-to-choose-is-better-than-a-society/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/a-society-based-on-the-freedom-to-choose-is-better-than-a-society/#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 } } ] } ```