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Ludwig von Mises Quotes - Page 7

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True, governments can reduce the rate of interest in the short run. They can issue additional paper money. They can open the way to credit expansion by the banks. They can thus create an artificial boom and the

True, governments can reduce the rate of interest in the short run. They can issue additional paper money. They can open the way to credit expansion by the banks. They can thus create an artificial boom and the appearance of prosperity. But such a boom is bound to collapse soon or late and to bring about a depression.

Ludwig von Mises
Running, Government, Issues
Ludwig Von Mises (1985). “Omnipotent Government: The Rise of the Total State and Total War”, Libertarian Press

The idea that political freedom can be preserved in the absence of economic freedom, and vice versa, is an illusion. Political freedom is the corollary of economic freedom.

Ludwig von Mises
Ideas, Political, Vices
Ludwig Von Mises, Murray Newton Rothbard (1980). “Planning for freedom, and sixteen other essays and addresses”, Libertarian Press, Incorporated

A famous, very often quoted phrase says: "That government is best, which governs least." I do not believe this to be a correct description of of the functions of a good government. Government ought to do all the things for which it is needed and for which it is established. Government ought to protect the individuals within the country against the violent and fraudulent attacks of gangsters, and it should defend the country against foreign enemies. These are the functions of government within a free system, within the system of the market economy.

Ludwig von Mises
Country, Believe, Government
Ludwig Von Mises (2006). “Economic Policy: Thoughts for Today and Tomorrow”, p.37, Ludwig von Mises Institute

Whoever prefers life to death, happiness to suffering, well-being to misery must defend without compromise private ownership in the means of production.

Ludwig von Mises
Mean, Suffering, Liberty

Economic prosperity is not so much a material problem; it is, first of all, an intellectual, spiritual, and moral problem.

Ludwig von Mises
Spiritual, Intellectual, Firsts

In talking about equality and asking vehemently for its realization, nobody advocates a curtailment of his own present income.

Ludwig von Mises
Talking, Income, Asking
Ludwig Von Mises, Murray Newton Rothbard (1980). “Planning for freedom, and sixteen other essays and addresses”, Libertarian Press, Incorporated

The market and its inescapable law are supreme.

Ludwig von Mises
Law, Supreme
Ludwig Von Mises (1947). “Planned Chaos”, p.3, Ludwig von Mises Institute

The characteristic mark of this age of dictators, wars and revolutions is its anticapitalistic bias. Most governments and political parties were eager to restrict the sphere of private initiative and free enterprise.

Ludwig von Mises
War, Party, Government
Ludwig von Mises (2016). “Socialism - An Economic and Sociological Analysis: The Economist”, p.480, VM eBooks

Capitalism gave the world what it needed, a higher standard of living for a steadily increasing number of people.

Ludwig von Mises
Numbers, People, World
Ludwig von Mises (2016). “Human Action”, p.1076, Lulu Press, Inc

If the members of parliament no longer consider themselves mandatories of the taxpayers but deputies of those receiving salaries, wages, subsidies, doles, and other benefits from the treasury, democracy is done for.

Ludwig von Mises
Democracy, Receiving, Salary
Ludwig Von Mises (1944). “Bureaucracy”

The whole of mankind's progress has had to be achieved against the resistance and opposition of the state and its power of coercion.

Ludwig von Mises
Progress, Coercion, Resistance
Ludwig von Mises (2016). “Liberalism: The Classical Tradition: The Economist”, p.45, VM eBooks

Socialism is not an alternative to capitalism; it is an alternative to any system under which men can live as human beings.

Ludwig von Mises
Men, Alternatives, Politics
Ludwig Von Mises (1963). “Human action: a treatise on economics”

Democracy is not a good that people can enjoy without trouble. It is, on the contrary, a treasure that must be daily defended and conquered anew by strenuous effort.

Ludwig von Mises
People, Effort, Democracy
Ludwig von Mises (2016). “Bureaucracy: The Economist”, p.112, VM eBooks

Everyone carries a part of society on his shoulders; no one is relieved of his share of responsibility by others. And no one can find a safe way out for himself if society is sweeping toward destruction. Therefore, everyone, in his own interests, must thrust himself vigorously into the intellectual battle. None can stand aside with unconcern; the interest of everyone hangs on the result. Whether he chooses or not, every man is drawn into the great historical struggle, the decisive battle into which our epoch has plunged us.

Ludwig von Mises
Struggle, Responsibility, Men
Ludwig Von Mises (1974). “Planning for freedom, and twelve other essays and addresses”

Both force and money are impotent against ideas.

Ludwig von Mises
Ideas, Force
Ludwig Von Mises (1985). “Omnipotent Government: The Rise of the Total State and Total War”, Libertarian Press

All people, however fanatical they may be in their zeal to disparage and to fight capitalism, implicitly pay homage to it by passionately clamoring for the products it turns out

Ludwig von Mises
Fighting, People, Liberty
Ludwig Von Mises (1962). “The Ultimate Foundation of Economic Science: An Essay on Method”

The wealth of the well-to-do of an industrial society is both the cause and effect of the masses' well-being.

Ludwig von Mises
Causes, Wealth, Mass
Ludwig Von Mises (1962). “The Ultimate Foundation of Economic Science: An Essay on Method”

To the masses, the catchwords of Socialism sound so enticing... so they will continue to work for Socialism, helping thereby to bring about the inevitable decline of the civilization which the nations of the West have taken thousands of years to build up.

Ludwig von Mises
Taken, Years, Civilization

Without calculation, economic activity is impossible. Since under Socialism economic calculation is impossible, under Socialism there can be no economic activity in our sense of the word All economic change, therefore, would involve operations the value of which could neither be predicted beforehand nor ascertained after they had taken place. Everything would be a leap in the dark. Socialism is the renunciation of rational economy.

Ludwig von Mises
Taken, Dark, Would Be

The history of mankind is the history of ideas. For it is ideas, theories, and doctrines that guide human action, determine the ultimate ends men aim at, and the choice of the means employed for the attainment of these ends.

Ludwig von Mises
Life, Mean, Men
Ludwig Von Mises (1947). “Planned Chaos”, p.49, Ludwig von Mises Institute

Only to bureaucrats can the idea occur that establishing new offices, promulgating new decrees, and increasing the number of government employees alone can be described as positive and beneficial measures.

Ludwig von Mises
Government, Ideas, Numbers
Ludwig Von Mises (1985). “Omnipotent Government: The Rise of the Total State and Total War”, Libertarian Press

The first socialists were the intellectuals; they, and not the masses, are the backbone of Socialism.

Ludwig von Mises
Firsts, Socialism, Mass

The riches of the rich are not the cause of the poverty of anybody; the process that makes some people rich is, on the contrary, the corollary of the process that improves many peoples want satisfaction. The entrepreneurs, the capitalists and the technologists prosper as far as they succeed in best supplying the consumers.

Ludwig von Mises
People, Entrepreneur, Want
Ludwig Von Mises (1978). “Anti-Capitalistic Mentality, The”, p.43, Ludwig von Mises Institute

The state can be and has often been in the course of history the main source of mischief and disaster.

Ludwig von Mises
Peace, War, Liberty
Ludwig Von Mises (1985). “Omnipotent Government: The Rise of the Total State and Total War”, Libertarian Press

The characteristic feature of a free society is that it can function in spite of the fact that its members disagree in many judgments of value. Freedom really means the freedom to make mistakes.

Ludwig von Mises
Mistake, Mean, Facts

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