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The greatest advances of civilization, whether in architecture or painting, in science and literature, in industry or agriculture, have never come from centralized government.

Quote Summary
According to Milton Friedman, the greatest advances of civilization, including architecture, painting, science, literature, industry, and agriculture, have never been the result of centralized government.
Quote by Milton Friedman
Economist, American
Milton Friedman was an American economist known for his advocacy of free-market capitalism and his influential contributions to monetary economics.
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More Quotes from Milton Friedman

If you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert, in 5 years there'd be a shortage of sand. Read Summary

When government - in pursuit of good intentions - tries to rearrange the economy, legislate morality, or help special interests, the cost come in inefficiency, lack of motivation, and loss of freedom. Government should be a referee, not an active player. Read Summary

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

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. Read Summary

Only government can take perfectly good paper, cover it with perfectly good ink and make the combination worthless. Read Summary

We have a system that increasingly taxes work and subsidizes nonwork. Read Summary

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. Read Summary

Many people want the government to protect the consumer. A much more urgent problem is to protect the consumer from the government. Read Summary

Hell hath no fury like a bureaucrat scorned. Read Summary

Nothing is so permanent as a temporary government program. Read Summary