The greatest advances of civilization, whether in architecture or painting, in science and literature, in industry or agriculture, have never come from centralized government. Milton Friedman on architecture
The only relevant test of the validity of a hypothesis is comparison of prediction with experience. Milton Friedman on experience
I am favor of cutting taxes under any circumstances and for any excuse, for any reason, whenever it's possible. Milton Friedman on finance
Inflation is taxation without legislation. Milton Friedman on finance
Every 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. Milton Friedman on freedom
The only way that has ever been discovered to have a lot of people cooperate together voluntarily is through the free market. And that's why it's so essential to preserving individual freedom. Milton Friedman on freedom
A 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 Friedman on freedom
Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. Milton Friedman on freedom
History suggests that capitalism is a necessary condition for political freedom. Clearly it is not a sufficient condition. Milton Friedman on freedom
Concentrated power is not rendered harmless by the good intentions of those who create it. Milton Friedman on good
Only government can take perfectly good paper, cover it with perfectly good ink and make the combination worthless. Milton Friedman on good
So that the record of history is absolutely crystal clear. That there is no alternative way, so far discovered, of improving the lot of the ordinary people that can hold a candle to the productive activities that are unleashed by a free enterprise system. Milton Friedman on government
The government solution to a problem is usually as bad as the problem. Milton Friedman on government
Governments never learn. Only people learn. Milton Friedman on government
If you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert, in 5 years there'd be a shortage of sand. Milton Friedman on government
Only government can take perfectly good paper, cover it with perfectly good ink and make the combination worthless. Milton Friedman on government
Many people want the government to protect the consumer. A much more urgent problem is to protect the consumer from the government. Milton Friedman on government
The Great Depression, like most other periods of severe unemployment, was produced by government mismanagement rather than by any inherent instability of the private economy. Milton Friedman on government
The greatest advances of civilization, whether in architecture or painting, in science and literature, in industry or agriculture, have never come from centralized government. Milton Friedman on government
The world runs on individuals pursuing their self interests. The great achievements of civilization have not come from government bureaus. Einstein didn't construct his theory under order from a, from a bureaucrat. Henry Ford didn't revolutionize the automobile industry that way. Milton Friedman on government