--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think that the Internet is going to be…" description: "\"I think that the Internet is going to be one of the major forces for reducing the role of government. The one thing that's missing, but that will soon ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/388/milton-friedman-616_government_i-think-that-the-internet-is-going-to-be_247917.png" --- # I think that the Internet is going to be one of the major… ![“I think that the Internet is going to be one of the major forces for reducing the role of government. The one thing that's missing, but that will soon be developed, is a reliable e-cash - a method whereby on the Internet you can transfer funds from A to B without A knowing B or B knowing A.” quote by Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/388/milton-friedman-616_government_i-think-that-the-internet-is-going-to-be_247917.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/388/milton-friedman-616_government_i-think-that-the-internet-is-going-to-be_247917.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/388/milton-friedman-616_government_i-think-that-the-internet-is-going-to-be_247917.png) > “I think that the Internet is going to be one of the major forces for reducing the role of government. The one thing that's missing, but that will soon be developed, is a reliable e-cash - a method whereby on the Internet you can transfer funds from A to B without A knowing B or B knowing A.” [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. The Internet could diminish government influence if a private, anonymous digital cash system emerges. **In simple terms:** Internet may reduce government power with anonymous e‑cash. Key Takeaway Support development of privacy‑preserving digital currencies. Themes technology economics government privacy finance Mood optimistic critical Type analytical speculative When to use this quote - online transactions - cross‑border payments - political activism - entrepreneurial finance Key Concepts anonymity decentralization digital currency market freedom Questions to Reflect On - How would anonymous e‑cash change political power? - What safeguards are needed for privacy? A Different Perspective Adoption depends on regulatory acceptance and security against fraud. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cash Method](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cash-method-2472394/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [I think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-think/) [Internet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internet/) [Internet Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internet-going-467330/) [Internet Transfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internet-transfer-2472395/) [Method Internet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/method-internet-2472396/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Role of government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/role-of-government/) [Think Internet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-internet/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/) ## Related quotes > [I think that the Internet is going to be one of the major forces for reducing the role of government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/i-think-that-the-internet-is-going-to-be-one-of-the-major-forces-for-2/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [The one thing that’s missing, but that will soon be developed, is a reliable e-cash, a method whereby on the Internet you can transfer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-one-thing-that-s-missing-but-that-will-soon-be-developed-is-a/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [I think that the Internet is going to effect the most profound change on the entertainment industries combined. And we're all gonna be tuning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-think-that-the-internet-is-going-to-effect-the-most-profound-change/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [I think the Internet is going to open up a lot of possibilities with music, and the shake-up of power is exciting to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trey-anastasio/i-think-the-internet-is-going-to-open-up-a-lot-of-possibilities-with/) [Trey Anastasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trey-anastasio/) > [The proper role of government is exactly what John Stuart Mill said in the middle of the nineteenth century in On Liberty. The proper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-proper-role-of-government-is-exactly-what-john-stuart-mill-said/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [The most important ways in which I think the Internet will affect the big issue is that it will make it more difficult for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-most-important-ways-in-which-i-think-the-internet-will-affect-the/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [I already know the Internet is going to try to take little stuff and run with it. I don't really try to get too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moneybagg-yo/i-already-know-the-internet-is-going-to-try-to-take-little-stuff-and/) [Moneybagg Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moneybagg-yo/) > [Can't write worrying what the Internet's going to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marti-noxon/can-t-write-worrying-what-the-internet-s-going-to-think/) [Marti Noxon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marti-noxon/) > [There's so much stuff that has yet to be invented. There's so much new that's going to happen. People don't have any idea yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/there-s-so-much-stuff-that-has-yet-to-be-invented-there-s-so-much-new/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [I support greater access to the Internet, but going back to Obama-era regulations is not the answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-hyde-smith/i-support-greater-access-to-the-internet-but-going-back-to-obama-era/) [Cindy Hyde-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-hyde-smith/) > [Countries that have the Internet already are not going to turn it off. And so the power of freedom, the power of ideas will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/countries-that-have-the-internet-already-are-not-going-to-turn-it-off/) [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) > [Over the years, the Internet has been going down the path of becoming a more personalized experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-schaaf/over-the-years-the-internet-has-been-going-down-the-path-of-becoming/) [Alan Schaaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-schaaf/) > [We are seeing pioneers moving out to the Internet, banks that are taking transactions, retail shopping on the Internet, and although it's going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/we-are-seeing-pioneers-moving-out-to-the-internet-banks-that-are/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [We thought that the Internet was going to connect us all together. As a young geek in rural Maine, I got excited about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-pariser/we-thought-that-the-internet-was-going-to-connect-us-all-together-as/) [Eli Pariser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-pariser/) > [When we get the remote Russian village online, what will get people to the Internet is not going to be reports from Human Rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeny-morozov/when-we-get-the-remote-russian-village-online-what-will-get-people-to/) [Evgeny Morozov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeny-morozov/) ## 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 Government quotes > [We could form a government of national unity fighting corruption. The ordinary Afghan is sick and tired of it, because it's she or he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashraf-ghani/we-could-form-a-government-of-national-unity-fighting-corruption-the/) [Ashraf Ghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashraf-ghani/) > [For the Scottish government, the practice of having meetings in different parts of the country is well established, but for the U.K. government, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/for-the-scottish-government-the-practice-of-having-meetings-in/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [“The global population of Earth are involved in the following corporate government experiments: The long term effects of - 1. Nuclear bomb fallout radiation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-global-population-of-earth-are-involved-in-the-following/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [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/) > [Right now we're concerned about budget. Right now we're concerned about the prospect of interest rate rise. We're concerned about government corruption, government handing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amity-shlaes/right-now-we-re-concerned-about-budget-right-now-we-re-concerned/) [Amity Shlaes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amity-shlaes/) > [One of the worst things to come out of the Consumer Protection Board's misleading claims is the impression that government resources are to hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lesko/one-of-the-worst-things-to-come-out-of-the-consumer-protection-board/) [Matthew Lesko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lesko/) > [It is afraid of an informed, angry public demanding the constitutional government it was promised - and it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-is-afraid-of-an-informed-angry-public-demanding-the-constitutional/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Louisiana's spicy, colorful politics have saddled our state with a reputation for tolerating lax ethical standards in government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/louisiana-s-spicy-colorful-politics-have-saddled-our-state-with-a/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) [Greg Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-perry/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [He is almost a statesman. He lies well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/he-is-almost-a-statesman-he-lies-well/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I mean those people who are interested in good government will certainly contribute in order to make certain there's some counter-balance to those whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/i-mean-those-people-who-are-interested-in-good-government-will/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [We can't have a government that will collapse in three months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-varadkar/we-can-t-have-a-government-that-will-collapse-in-three-months/) [Leo Varadkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-varadkar/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) [Browse all 21,248 Government quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think that the Internet is going to be one of the major forces for reducing the role of government. The one thing that's missing, but that will soon be developed, is a reliable e-cash - a method whereby on the Internet you can transfer funds from A to B without A knowing B or B knowing A.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Milton Friedman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/i-think-that-the-internet-is-going-to-be-one-of-the-major-forces-for/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Government" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/i-think-that-the-internet-is-going-to-be-one-of-the-major-forces-for/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/388/milton-friedman-616_government_i-think-that-the-internet-is-going-to-be_247917.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/388/milton-friedman-616_government_i-think-that-the-internet-is-going-to-be_247917.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/388/milton-friedman-616_government_i-think-that-the-internet-is-going-to-be_247917.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think that the Internet is going to be one of the major forces for reducing the role of government. The…” — 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": "I think that the Internet is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/i-think-that-the-internet-is-going-to-be-one-of-the-major-forces-for/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/i-think-that-the-internet-is-going-to-be-one-of-the-major-forces-for/#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 } } ] } ```