If capitalism worked as the socialists think an economic system ought to work, and provided a constant equality of living conditions for all, regardless of whether a man was able or not, resourceful or not, diligent or not, thrifty or not, if capitalism put no premiums on resourcefulness and effort and not penalty on idleness or vice, it would produce only an equality of destitution.

---

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

---

Nothing is so permanent as a temporary government program.

---

Inflation is the one form of taxation that can be imposed without legislation.

---

What makes it [economics] most fascinating is that its fundamental principles are so simple that they can be written on one page, that anyone can understand them, and yet very few do.

---

One of the great mistakes is to judge policies and programs by their intentions rather than their results.

---

Economic freedom is an essential requisite for political freedom. By enabling people to cooperate with one another without coercion or central direction, it reduces the area over which political power is exercised.

---

Corruption is government intrusion into market efficiencies in the form of regulations.

---

You cannot be sure that you are right unless you understand the arguments against your views better than your opponents do.

---

Why have we had such a decline in moral climate? I submit to you that a major factor has been a change in the philosophy which has been dominant, a change from belief in individual responsibility to belief in social responsibility. If you adopt the view that a man is not responsible for his own behavior, that somehow society is responsible, why should he seek to make his behavior good?

---