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Milton Friedman on Freedom

1912–2006 United States

← All quotes by Milton Friedman

5 quotes

The society that puts equality before freedom will end up with neither. The society that puts freedom before equality will end up with a great measure of both.

Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself.

Capitalism & Freedom (1962)

History suggests only that capitalism is a necessary condition for political freedom. Clearly it is not a sufficient condition.

Capitalism and Freedom (1962)

The existence of a free market does not of course eliminate the need for government. On the contrary, government is essential both as a forum for determining the 'rule of the game' and as an umpire to interpret and enforce the rules decided on.

Capitalism and Freedom (1962)

Political freedom means the absence of coercion of a man by his fellow men. The fundamental threat to freedom is power to coerce, be it in the hands of a monarch, a dictator, an oligarchy, or a momentary majority. The preservation of freedom requires the elimination of such concentration of power to the fullest possible extent and the dispersal and distribution of whatever power cannot be eliminated — a system of checks and balances.

Capitalism and Freedom (1962)

Attribution

Quotes and notes from Wikiquote: Milton Friedman (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.