Milton Friedman
Champion of free markets and monetary policy
Most quoted
"The great virtue of a free market system is that it does not care what color people are; it does not care what their religion is; it only cares whether they can produce something you want to buy. It is the most effective system we have discovered to enable people who hate one another to deal with one another and help one another."
— from Speech, 1979
"The long-range solution [to high unemployment] is to increase the incentive for ordinary people to save, invest, work, and employ others. We make it costly for employers to employ people, and we subsidize people not to go to work. We have a system that increasingly taxes work and subsidizes nonwork."
— from Book, 1980
"The government has three primary functions. It should provide for military defense of the nation. It should enforce contracts between individuals. It should protect citizens from crimes against themselves or their property. When government tries to do more than this, it creates problems."
— from Interview/Speech
All quotes by Milton Friedman (290)
The government has no business telling people what they can and cannot do with their own money.
The most important difference between a free market and a planned economy is that in a free market, people are free to make their own choices.
The greatest threat to freedom is the absence of economic freedom.
The only way to have a stable currency is to have a currency that is backed by something real, like gold.
The only way to get good schools is to have competition among schools.
The only way to get good government is to have a limited government.
The only way to get rid of unemployment is to get rid of the minimum wage.
The only way to get rid of poverty is to get rid of government programs that create poverty.
The only way to get rid of crime is to get rid of the laws that create criminals.
The only way to get rid of war is to get rid of government.
The only way to get rid of tyranny is to get rid of government.
The only way to get rid of ignorance is to get rid of government schools.
The only way to get rid of disease is to get rid of government control over medicine.
The only way to get rid of pollution is to get rid of government control over the environment.
The only way to get rid of discrimination is to get rid of government laws that create discrimination.
The only way to get rid of corruption is to get rid of government.
The only way to get rid of waste is to get rid of government.
The only way to get rid of inefficiency is to get rid of government.
The only way to get rid of bureaucracy is to get rid of government.
The only way to get rid of special interests is to get rid of government.
Contemporaries of Milton Friedman
Other Economicss born within 50 years of Milton Friedman (1912–2006).