--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Society doesn't have values. People have…" description: "\"Society doesn't have values. People have values.\" — Milton Friedman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d54/milton-friedman-616_economics_society-doesn-t-have-values-people-have_2577985.png" --- # Society doesn't have values. People have values. ![“Society doesn't have values. People have values.” quote by Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d54/milton-friedman-616_economics_society-doesn-t-have-values-people-have_2577985.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d54/milton-friedman-616_economics_society-doesn-t-have-values-people-have_2577985.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d54/milton-friedman-616_economics_society-doesn-t-have-values-people-have_2577985.png) > “Society doesn't have values. People have values.” [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. Values are personal, not societal; societies consist of individuals each holding their own beliefs. **In simple terms:** Values belong to people, not society. Key Takeaway Recognize individual value systems. Themes individualism ethics economics Mood analytical thoughtful Type political economic When to use this quote - policy making - business ethics - personal decision making Key Concepts value theory liberalism Questions to Reflect On - How do personal values shape public policy? - Can societies develop collective values? A Different Perspective Assuming society lacks values may overlook shared cultural norms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) ## Related quotes > [I love being on the periphery with a group of people who have the same values that I do. People who don't get off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-stewart/i-love-being-on-the-periphery-with-a-group-of-people-who-have-the/) [Kristen Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-stewart/) > [But I'm very libertarian in the sense that I believe in small government and, as a general rule, I don't believe in imposing values…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-harper/but-i-m-very-libertarian-in-the-sense-that-i-believe-in-small/) [Stephen Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-harper/) > [Any society that doesn't take care of its weaker younger members is not one to be proud of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-march/any-society-that-doesn-t-take-care-of-its-weaker-younger-members-is/) [Stephanie March](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-march/) > [“Experience has taught me that people only give values to things if they have, at some point, been uncertain as to whether or not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/experience-has-taught-me-that-people-only-give-values-to-things-if/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [There comes a time when people with values simply have to stand up. Think about Nazi, Germany. Most of those people did not believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/there-comes-a-time-when-people-with-values-simply-have-to-stand-up/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [ “My father will pay,' \[Julian\] says after a beat. 'I'm valuable to the movement.' I don't say anything. In a world without love, this… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/my-father-will-pay-julian-says-after-a-beat-i-m-valuable-to-the/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [People should have values, so by extension, a company should. And one of the things you do is give back. So how do you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/people-should-have-values-so-by-extension-a-company-should-and-one-of/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [“most people do not want people with those values running around freely in society, especially when they threaten to self-harm or harm others when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-d-taylor/most-people-do-not-want-people-with-those-values-running-around/) [Thomas D. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-d-taylor/) > [Poetry asks people to have values, form opinions, care about some other part of experience besides making money and being successful on the job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toi-derricotte/poetry-asks-people-to-have-values-form-opinions-care-about-some-other/) [Toi Derricotte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toi-derricotte/) > [People who have no values have no value.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burton-hill/people-who-have-no-values-have-no-value/) Burton Hill > [In a world without love, this is what people are to each other: values, benefits, and liabilities, numbers and data. We weigh, we quantify,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/in-a-world-without-love-this-is-what-people-are-to-each-other-values/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [It's sad when I see dudes at the bar that rather drink when I know they have newly born babies. I would cherish every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-garcia/it-s-sad-when-i-see-dudes-at-the-bar-that-rather-drink-when-i-know/) [Chad Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-garcia/) > [Technology is nothing but an expression of human values. It's not neutral, it's not about efficiency, it's about people's values and their knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramesh-srinivasan/technology-is-nothing-but-an-expression-of-human-values-it-s-not/) [Ramesh Srinivasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramesh-srinivasan/) > [We need to get beyond the politics of the moment, the deficit of the hour, the military count of the day, the numbers that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bradley/we-need-to-get-beyond-the-politics-of-the-moment-the-deficit-of-the/) [Bill Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bradley/) > [Michael Jackson? He was something more (than one of my favorite entertainers), a true friend. He wasn't just a genius. Above all, he was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kobe-bryant/michael-jackson-he-was-something-more-than-one-of-my-favorite/) [Kobe Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kobe-bryant/) ## 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 Economics quotes > [Don't let's lose sight of what creates wealth. 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Future job and economic growth in industry, defense, transportation, agriculture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bond/advances-in-technology-will-continue-to-reach-far-into-every-sector/) [Christopher Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bond/) > [Our engagement through international economics, trade, these trade agreements, is vital and is linked to our national security. 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It is about the power of the state as applied to individuals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-rudd/politics-is-about-power-it-is-about-the-power-of-the-state-it-is/) [Kevin Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-rudd/) > [Having an economy that works for the 99% is achievable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winnie-byanyima/having-an-economy-that-works-for-the-99-is-achievable/) [Winnie Byanyima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winnie-byanyima/) > [“a select group of high-performing companies have managed to close the strategy-to-performance gap through better planning and execution. These companies—Barclays, Cisco Systems, Dow Chemical,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-c-mankins/a-select-group-of-high-performing-companies-have-managed-to-close-the/) [Michael C. Mankins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-c-mankins/) > [The system of private property is the most important guaranty of freedom, not only for those who own property, but scarcely less for those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/the-system-of-private-property-is-the-most-important-guaranty-of/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [Economists think about what people ought to do. Psychologists watch what they actually do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/economists-think-about-what-people-ought-to-do-psychologists-watch/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [The politician attempts to remedy the evil by increasing the very thing that caused the evil in the first place: legal plunder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-politician-attempts-to-remedy-the-evil-by-increasing-the-very/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [“Economists have a singular method of procedure. There are only two kinds of institutions for them, artificial and natural. 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