Milton Friedman, the man to celebrate when talking the joys of free market capitalism. He would be 100 years young today, read his work, books. Especially his 1980 book “Free to Choose,” authored with his wife Rose, refuted popular claims that “more government” would improve the quality of our lives.
Exactly a century ago, the United States was a highly charged magnet for immigrants around the world. Thousands entered Ellis Island each day on the hope of making a better life for themselves and their families. Two of those immigrants were Jeno and Sara Friedman; they would become the parents of Milton Friedman, one of the most influential and important economists of the 20thcentury.
Today, we are advertising our welfare state in Mexico. What a let down. If America goes, freedom goes.
Notable quotes:
History suggests that capitalism is a necessary condition for political freedom. Clearly it is not a sufficient condition.
Milton FriedmanIf you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert, in 5 years there’d be a shortage of sand.
Milton FriedmanA major source of objection to a free economy is precisely that group thinks they ought to want. Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself.
Milton FriedmanAnd what does reward virtue? You think the communist commissar rewards virtue? You think a Hitler rewards virtue? You think, excuse me, if you’ll pardon me, American presidents reward virtue? Do they choose their appointees on the basis of the virtue of the people appointed or on the basis of their political clout?
Milton FriedmanColumbus did not seek a new route to the Indies in response to a majority directive.
Milton FriedmanMany people want the government to protect the consumer. A much more urgent problem is to protect the consumer from the government.
Milton FriedmanConcentrated power is not rendered harmless by the good intentions of those who create it.
Milton FriedmanEvery friend of freedom must be as revolted as I am by the prospect of turning the United States into an armed camp, by the vision of jails filled with casual drug users and of an army of enforcers empowered to invade the liberty of citizens on slight evidence.
