Milton Friedman Quote

"The strongest argument for free enterprise is that it prevents anybody from having too much power. Whether that person is a government official, a trade union official, or a business executive. It forces them to put up or shut up. They either have to deliver the goods, produce something that people are willing to pay for, are willing to buy, or else they have to go into a different business."

by:	Milton Friedman (1912-2006) Nobel Prize-winning economist, economic advisor to President Ronald Reagan, "ultimate guru of the free-market system"
Source:	"Free to Choose" (1980), segment 2 of 10, "The Tyranny of Control"
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Categories:	Free Market, Monopoly, Power, Government, Production, Commerce
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How very wrong Friedman is! Free enterprise may in the end cost America a little too much to be bearable and could transform Uncle Sam into forlorn pauper.  -- Jitendra K Kaushal, Gurgaon, India.      2
Free enterprise (the manifestation of substantive liberty) is what made the de jure USA the most prosperous, benevolent and charitable people / land in history. Those with too much power (government, unions, mega corporate executives, etc. - all in bed together) revel in Keynesian economics, socialist intrusions, statist theocracy's mandated canons contrary to the laws of nature and of nature's God and all else as causes pain and suffering to the perceived lower castes.  -- Mike, Norwalk      2
Jitendra, there has been no free enterprise in the US for almost a century. The criminal corporations do not represent free enterprise but rather, a criminal marriage with government forming a lethal enemy to free enterprise. Current regulations along with criminal bankers have killed the American dream except, in the hearts of a stout and hardy very few. The de facto statist theocracy infesting this land of once free sovereigns, killed Uncle Sam long ago.  -- Mike, Norwalk      2
Jitendra, read Mike's reply again, he said the truth.  -- jim k, Austin,Tx
Jitendra, you like many others fail to understand the difference between Free Enterprise and Crony Capitalism. The Federal Reserve and the orgy between Government and Corporate interests make real Free Enterprise impossible. Milton is 100% correct as usual...he's just not using today's criminal system as his basis.  -- J Carlton, Calgary      1
This goes along with one of my favorite quotes from Friedman. "Concentrated power is not rendered harmless by the good intentions of those who create it."  -- J Allen, Arlington, Va      1
It seems America has a long way to go before they realize the wisdom of Jitendra  -- RBESRQ      3
Sorry for the unthinking majority in this country. There's been nothing but free enterprise here and we're suffering from the lack of government control of it. Yes, I said Government control. I'm talking about real government, not the capitalists and enterprisers who have bought it out and own it completely. Mr. Kaushal is completely right. Another decade of free enterprise and we'll be another third world country.  -- dick, fort worth      2
So dick, by your socialistic redefinition of words, phrases, and concepts, what you're saying is you prefer communism to fascism. What the rest of us are talking about are the fundamental principles of a completely non related existence to your dichotomy. If you like, I can retype what capitalism meant originally.  -- Mike, Norwalk      1
We no longer have a government of the people, for the people, by the people...as stated in Lincon's famous speech. We have 'of the self imposed few, for the few, and they do it by robbing the many with impunity. Our country has been ruled, regulated, spent, borrowed, and taxed out of a free enterprise system. All the wise men are dead and we have only the tyrants left. All the statesmen are dead and we only have politicians left. But some believe we can restore what was...and we need help...from real men and women. Those not wishing to see a free nation and would rather live where someone else makes all of their decisions should leave immediately for a place where all choice/decision is made for them. I realize that a 'serfers life' is desired for many....but not for the true citizen of the United States...we have virtue, we have strength, we will fight for freedom of the individual, the laws of this country, by voting out the bad guys until we have people who will restore our land to its great potential.  -- Abigail, Newport      1
dick...can I call you "dick"? The only free enterprise being conducted has been by the very government system to which you want to surrender all control. At what point do you decide to ignore that fact?  -- J Carlton, Calgary
Missions Impossible: To have free enterprize and legal tender. The sole function of legal tender is to take labor and property without payment. It is impossible to pay taxes with dollar bills that theI IRS Imaginary Revenue Scam) said "are not dollars" and impossible to pay taxes with credit. The Federal Reserve said their system "works only with credit" that would keep its value "if there were fewer people bidding against each other." It is impossible to pay taxes with counterfeit. Nobel Laureate, Paul Samuelson said the Federal Reserve is an "omnipotent counterfeiter." It is impossible to find a statute that makes most of us required to file tax returns.  -- Dave Wilber, St. Louis      1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGk5ioEXlIM  -- Abigail, Newport
Jitendra has it right!  -- gtheo, portage,michigan      1
gee theo, you must have gone to school in the liberal US where you are not taught to think for yourself...Jitendra is in a democracy, not a republic. They have a cast system, not an equal opportunity system. Standing side by side, however, I have an idea he knows a lot more about your country than you know about his. Tally 'o  -- Abigail, Newport      1
Mr. Friedman is just a good bankster misinformation agent that speaks of fantasy land rather than reality. The last time there was free enterprise in this country was in 1789 just before the constitution was ratified. Since then, it has been of, for, and by the banksters. We have been prosperous only because the banksters gave us enough crumbs from their table to keep from having another revolution and disturbing their control. Going back to the constitution will not fix anything since that is what the current mess started with. Since we have been voting for 222-years, obviously, voting is not a solution, just a false hope. Until we change owners, nothing will change. Nationalizing all banks would change the owners but the banksters knew the government they established in 1789 would never do such a thing. Few will agree with this assessment because indoctrination is a very effective tool for keeping "free" slaves on the plantation.  -- Gene, Banker's Plantation, USA      1
Friedman is absolutely bang on. The usual dissenters have already revealed themselves as socialists -- the word 'free' gets them every time. Such is the dichotomy of self described 'liberals' that forget the 'liberty' upon which classic liberalism is based. Progressives are but stooges for totalitarian control, thus the distaste for 'freedom.' Social engineering requires centralized control, if the individuals cannot be trusted to manage themselves, then a group must be assigned to manage all -- the result is totalitarianism in whatever form.  -- E Archer, NYC
MIKE SAID IT!!!!!!!! Read "How The World REALLY Works, by Allan B Jones (not Alex Jones!) We have been enslaved by a greedy bunch of rat-finks! This aganda has been going on for at least 100 years! The Constitution has been treated like a piece of paper (it's actually hemp, which should be LEGALIZED in America!!!), and We The People have been purposely scared and manipulated into the dumb-ass itots we now are...... But, we are wiping the sleep from our eyes, and looking around at the mess our "leaders" (hahahahaha, forgive me, I had a moment there :) have penned us into, by selling us out to big business, big government, big money, and the elites that THINK they are the chosen ones (hahahahahahaha, sorry, I had another moment!) xoxo  -- Krista, Palm Springs
Anyone NOT wanting to live in a free society / enterprise.....GO LIVE IN IRAN! (or the countless other countries in which the people are mere slaves/property. I will buy you a one way ticket! You can spout off all you want, well, once, anyway.....and then you'll be drug off and shot!  -- Krista, Palm Springs
There is little free enterprise in America! The big boys have it wrapped up, and us little guys called, The People, are just pawns on the game board of greed and corruption. I would like to see the playing feild leveled, and if we keep up the policies of the Federal Reserve, and the likes, America will look very different in 10 years, and there will be NO DOLE (free ride) for those of you who hate freedom to live off of! Take me up on my offer, PLEASE! .........a one way ticket to Libya! I am on the side of the rebels, by the way!!!!! Out with Daffy-duck!  -- Krista, Palm Springs
"If forces" should probably be "It forces".  -- Greg Raven, Apple Valley, CA
Thank you, Greg.  The typo has been fixed.  -- Editor, Liberty Quotes

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