Milton Friedman Quote

"The use of force to achieve equality will destroy freedom,
and the force, introduced for good purposes, will end up in
the hands of people who use it to promote their own interest."

by:	Milton Friedman (1912-2006) Nobel Prize-winning economist, economic advisor to President Ronald Reagan, "ultimate guru of the free-market system"
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Categories:	Corruption, Equality, Force, Freedom, Oppression, Power
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Another puppet I cannot respect, esp. in regard to regulation; witness the fall of Glass-Steagal and it's culminating debacle of 07-08. Judges Brooksley Born tried to warn of derivatives and Judy Preska was forced to stop her full audit of the Fed "for some reason"... sounds like somebody's "regulations" had been broken ! ...Seems funny to me that somehow Glass-Steagal worked when it was in force ? THOSE people I wish I knew of.  -- Dr. Tom LaMar, Keeseville, NY      2
Our government trying to achieve equality in outcome rather than of opportuinity only forces a portion of the population into slavery for others. Friedman is 1000% correct, it is the destruction of freedom.  -- J. Allen, Arlington, Va.      3
Friedman is one of my favorites because he is anything BUT Politically Correct. He tells it like it is...Multiculturalism is one aspect of our society which has been perverted to promote "special" rights for "special" people. When in fact all rights should apply to all people equally in a system of justice.  -- J Carlton, Calgary      3
Another history proven absolute.  -- Mike, Norwalk      2
-- Anonymous, Reston, VA, US
Freedom and equality are two different things. Enforcing equality becomes "taking from Peter to pay Paul."  -- cal, lewisville, tx      2
Friedman is right on and Dr,Tom and Reston are way out in left field.  -- jim k, Austin,tx      1
Dr. Tom. Please keep on commenting your observations are excellent. He didn't do a very good job of advising Reagan and that was for starters (trickle-down - give me a break). The free-market system stinks and he knows it. He (the puppet) promoted this idea under the influence of his wealthy and corporate masters. Just look at his background and you will start to understand how absurd his ideas really are. Capitalists love a free-market as they can them rape and pillage while they get rich. A free-market can only work in a highly regulated system which includes tariffs.  -- RBESRQ      2
Milton Friedman I'm afraid is one of the reasons why we are in this economic and social disaster - he is definitely in the top ten of those responsible for the decline of the American.  -- RBESRQ      4
How absolutely mistaken must Friedman be before some people see the disaster he is and caused?  -- dick, fort worth      4
History proves this fact over and over again. I think you guys with the ad hominem arguments are confusing Friedman with John Maynard Keynes. It is Keynesian economics that we are following, not Friedman's model. 'Derivatives' are in fact derivatives of the very 'funny money' fiat currency that Keynes has promoted and Friedman has always been dead set against. Paper backed by paper backed by paper backed by paper -- all backed by promises with no intrinsic value other than 'confidence' in the paper is what derivatives are all about. It is a form of gambling in hot potatoes -- somebody is going to get stuck eventually, but someone else will get rich along the way. Even now, the best way to get rich is to bet against the US dollar which is in a free fall -- all because of NOT following Friedman's economic model. Free trade and honest money are not the culprits, but inflationary, interest-bearing debt-as-money by force IS. Only force is making us accept Monopoly money in lieu of cash. Capitalism is not to blame for the mess we are in (we haven't had true capitalism in nearly 100 years), but statist central banking IS. Notice the big banks were the first ones to be bailed out, thus concentrating power into fewer hands while the People lose their jobs, have more debt piled upon them, and the dollar utterly destroyed. This isn't Friedman's way, it is the Keynesian way -- and it is working as planned.  -- E Archer, NYC      6
"I work for a government I despise to ends I think evil" ~ John Maynard Keynes  -- J Carlton, Calgary      1
Archer please reread Milton's agenda, they are the same...."The problem of social organization is how to set up an arrangement under which greed will do the least harm, capitalism is that kind of a system." And that has to be the joke of all time.... Look, Milton makes some good sense when it comes to taxes, drugs, and inflation but that is where it ends.  -- RBESRQ      1
No, RBE, Friedman and Keynes are on completely opposite ends of the spectrum. The quote about greed is right on, my friend. Your altruistic utopian dreams are impossible to implement, i.e. regulating 'greed' out of the hearts of those that lust for power -- who are the very people who have sought political office. Politics is the game of the rich and powerful -- they cannot be trusted to 'fix' the game -- that is why the Constitution is designed to strictly limit and specifically enumerate the powers granted to Congress and the President. Upon detailed examination of all these 'regulations' it is undeniable the intent is to secure monopolies for the largest businesses -- drug manufacturers, banks, unions, corporate farms, chemical companies, oil companies, telecommunications companies, mainstream media -- you name it. The common man barely stands a chance. This is fascism -- Friedman is as anti-fascist as you can get.  -- E Archer, NYC      5
The only true capitalists in our overly regulated society are the Government themselves and their Corporate pals. Free enterprise isn't free when it's regulated and we haven't had a free market or real capitalism since Alexander Hamilton commissioned the first "Central Bank" along with his Corporate cronies. What we have had is nothing short of absolute corruption in the halls of the White House and Corporate Board Rooms...End the Fed!  -- J Carlton, Calgary      3
Those power mongering latter day Pharisees who ostentatiously genuflect before the idol of equality do so on the basis of their possessing utterly no regard for the sanctity and the singularity of the humanity and of the individuality of each Individual. Human equality exists only in the sight of the Creator and, ideally, under the Law.  -- Patrick Henry, Red Hill      2
The policies of Margaret Thatcher in the UK were also greatly influenced by Friedman economics. This led to the UK becoming a monetarist not a mixed capitalist economy with 80% of GDP now dependent on the banking, finance and services sector which is wholly based in London and the S.E. All major manufacturing and mining has all but disappeared. Real jobs have been replaced by part time and zero hours contracts and the structures of wealth re distribution and fairness in society have been systematically dismantled. Friedman's fantastic belief in the trickle down theory has resulted in stagnation not the energising movement of money for the benefit of all that was predicted. It has led to aquisitionism not consumerism and rapidly expanding gaps between the super rich and poorest in society. This is because Friedman and his political followers failed to recognise that humans are essentially greedy and selfish and the increasing trend towards globalisation in the 80's and 90's. The 'use of force' i.e. force of argument to achieve greater equality and fairness in society will create freedom in society not destroy it.  -- Mick, Manchester      2
Again, Mick, it is not due to Friedman's economic policy, but Keynes' debt-as-currency system. Every single British pound note is an IOU for real money (not paper) -- I believe a 'pound' used to represent one pound of sterling silver. It sure would be great to be able to trade that pound note for a pound of silver, wouldn't it! But alas, 'money' is not money any more, it is debt. Every pound in circulation has been borrowed by someone -- the banks do not 'lend' money, they create it by extending 'credit.' Here's the thing, with this system (since 1913), money is now debt. So, the more money you acquire, the more debt you are holding. Don't hold it too long or it will become worthless because more currency keeps getting issued thus deflating the value of the existing currency. This system GUARANTEES bankruptcies -- regulation is merely directing the hot potato to the mark -- usually a country with very poor spending/borrowing practices or someone to destroy or enslave. The common man suffers most with this system. His labors are exchanged for water in a leaky vase. Everyone is in debt, no one really owns anything outright, just recognized as liable for paying taxes on it. We are essentially 'renting life' with the powers-that-be as our perpetual landlord.  -- E Archer, NYC      4
These programs the Democrats made into laws are actually unconstitutional. Any group that gets favorable treatment will vote for those giving it.  -- John C. Davidson, Mount Vernon, Ohio      1
-- Ronw13, Oregon
We are about to see this played out in full force.  I fear it is going to be vicious.  They are claiming that conservatism is a virus that will have to be removed from the people of this country.  Recently some in power have said that freedom of speech does not include radio, tv, or print. Only the spoken word is protected.  They have never believed that the spoken word should be protected any more than they believe that the constitution should apply to them.  They have worked too long to see their hard work undone like it has been for the last 4 years.  They can not take the chance that a future election will do them any more harm.  Opposition will no longer be tolerated.  Now that they feel safe using election fraud, they can cure the disease they consider us to be.   -- warren, olathe
-- Mary, MI
-- jim k, austin

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