--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You will find that hardly a soul who will…" description: "\"You will find that hardly a soul who will say that it was a bad thing. Almost everybody will say it was a good thing. 'But what about today? Do you thi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e4/milton-friedman-616_bad-thing_you-will-find-that-hardly-a-soul-who-wil_522059.png" --- # You will find that hardly a soul who will say that it was… ![“You will find that hardly a soul who will say that it was a bad thing. Almost everybody will say it was a good thing. 'But what about today? Do you think we should have free immigration?' 'Oh, no,' they'll say, 'We couldn't possibly have free immigration today. Why, that would flood us with…” quote by Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e4/milton-friedman-616_bad-thing_you-will-find-that-hardly-a-soul-who-wil_522059.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e4/milton-friedman-616_bad-thing_you-will-find-that-hardly-a-soul-who-wil_522059.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e4/milton-friedman-616_bad-thing_you-will-find-that-hardly-a-soul-who-wil_522059.png) > “You will find that hardly a soul who will say that it was a bad thing. Almost everybody will say it was a good thing. 'But what about today? Do you think we should have free immigration?' 'Oh, no,' they'll say, 'We couldn't possibly have free immigration today. Why, that would flood us with immigrants from India, and God knows where. We'd be driven down to a bare subsistence level.'” [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. People often claim past immigration was beneficial and fear current free immigration would overwhelm resources. **In simple terms:** Past seen as good, present feared as bad. Key Takeaway Consider evidence over assumptions. Themes economics immigration public opinion Mood skeptical analytical Type argumentative informative When to use this quote - policy debate - media analysis - public forums Key Concepts free market population dynamics political rhetoric Questions to Reflect On - What data supports or refutes these claims? - How do economic conditions differ now? A Different Perspective Assumes past conditions directly apply to today. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-things/) [Driven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/driven/) [Flood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flood/) [Good things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-things/) [Immigrants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigrants/) [Immigration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigration/) [India](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/india/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Subsistence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subsistence/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) ## Related quotes > [Because it is one thing to have free immigration to jobs. It is another thing to have free immigration to welfare. And you cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/because-it-is-one-thing-to-have-free-immigration-to-jobs-it-is/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [immigration today is a racial issue. It is one which sees masses of non-whites from around the globe immigrating to white countries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-kemp/immigration-today-is-a-racial-issue-it-is-one-which-sees-masses-of/) [Arthur Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-kemp/) > [But on the other hand, if you come under circumstances where each person is entitled to a pro-rata share of the pot, to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/but-on-the-other-hand-if-you-come-under-circumstances-where-each/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [If you have free immigration, in the way we had it before 1914, everybody benefited. The people who were here benefited. The people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/if-you-have-free-immigration-in-the-way-we-had-it-before-1914/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [You cannot simultaneously have free immigration and a welfare state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/you-cannot-simultaneously-have-free-immigration-and-a-welfare-state/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [“You cannot simultaneously have free immigration and a welfare state. ... I am in favor of the unilateral reduction of tariffs, but the movement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/you-cannot-simultaneously-have-free-immigration-and-a-welfare-state-i/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [What's the difference? How can people be so inconsistent? Why is it that free immigration was a good thing before 1914 and free immigration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/what-s-the-difference-how-can-people-be-so-inconsistent-why-is-it/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [Free immigration is wonderful, it is fabulous. But when you have a welfare state, and a part of society is paying for the welfare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-milei/free-immigration-is-wonderful-it-is-fabulous-but-when-you-have-a/) [Javier Milei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-milei/) > [“few economists even mention immigration control as one of those nasty regulations hampering the workings of the free labour market. Hardly any of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/few-economists-even-mention-immigration-control-as-one-of-those-nasty/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You had a flood of immigrants, millions of them, coming to this country. What brought them here? It was the hope for a better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/you-had-a-flood-of-immigrants-millions-of-them-coming-to-this-country/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [That is the problem that we have with the so-called hip hop culture today... I think our foundation is a bunch of people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-hammer/that-is-the-problem-that-we-have-with-the-so-called-hip-hop-culture/) [MC Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mc-hammer/) > [God created today, He had you and me in mind and He has included us in His Divine plan. We have the choice to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kreger/god-created-today-he-had-you-and-me-in-mind-and-he-has-included-us-in/) [David Kreger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kreger/) > [If you are worrying about tomorrow, you can't possibly enjoy today. Think about it: you can't really give God tomorrow; you can give him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/if-you-are-worrying-about-tomorrow-you-can-t-possibly-enjoy-today/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [I do think I am funny, or I wouldn't be where I am today. I do think there is always room for improvement and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/i-do-think-i-am-funny-or-i-wouldn-t-be-where-i-am-today-i-do-think/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [Today before you think of saying an unkind word. think of someone who cant speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rares/today-before-you-think-of-saying-an-unkind-word-think-of-someone-who/) Rares ## 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 Bad thing quotes > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. 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I'm just one of those people I've gotten to a point where I don't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-bush/i-ve-heard-some-pretty-bad-things-in-my-life-i-m-just-one-of-those/) [Sophia Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-bush/) > [Like everybody, you get nights where you feel completely depressed. You start thinking about all the bad things and think about the glass half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/like-everybody-you-get-nights-where-you-feel-completely-depressed-you/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [Be Thankful for all things in life. Even for the bad things. SOMETIMES the worst situations in life turn out to be the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-thankful-for-all-things-in-life-even-for-the-bad-things-sometimes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In my business, you should be very strong in mind. 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