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Thomas Sowell Quotes - Page 3

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Most of the founders of this country had day jobs for years. They were not career politicians. ... We need leaders with experience in the real world, not experience in the phony world of politics.

Most of the founders of this country had day jobs for years. They were not career politicians. ... We need leaders with experience in the real world, not experience in the phony world of politics.

Country, Jobs, Real

Although the big word on the left is 'compassion,' the big agenda on the left is dependency.

Compassion, Agendas, Bigs

So many idealistic political movements for a better world have ended in mass-murdering dictatorships. Giving leaders enough power to create 'social justice' is giving them enough power to destroy all justice, all freedom, and all human dignity.

Giving, Justice, Leader

The vocabulary of the political left is fascinating. For example, it is considered to be 'materialistic' and 'greedy' to want to keep what you have earned. But it is 'idealistic' to want to take away what someone else has earned and spend it for your own political benefit or to feel good about yourself.

Money, Vocabulary, Political

A recently reprinted memoir by Frederick Douglass has footnotes explaining what words like 'arraigned,' 'curried' and 'exculpate' meant, and explaining who Job was. In other words, this man who was born a slave and never went to school educated himself to the point where his words now have to be explained to today's expensively under-educated generation.

Jobs, School, Men

Thomas Sowell (2006). “Ever Wonder Why? and Other Controversial Essays”, Hoover Inst Press

What the welfare system and other kinds of governmental programs are doing is paying people to fail. In so far as they fail, they receive the money; in so far as they succeed, even to a moderate extent, the money is taken away.

Taken, People, Succeed

TV Series "Free to Choose" with Milton Friedman and Rose D. Friedman, 1980.

The welfare state is the oldest con game in the world. First you take people's money away quietly, and then you give some of it back to them flamboyantly.

Games, People, Giving

Of all ignorance, the ignorance of the educated is the most dangerous. Not only are educated people likely to have more influence, they are the last people to suspect that they don't know what they are talking about when they go outside their narrow fields.

Ignorance, Talking, People

Thomas Sowell (2006). “Ever Wonder Why? and Other Controversial Essays”, Hoover Inst Press

It’s amazing how much panic one honest man can spread among a multitude of hypocrites.

Hypocrite, Men, Panic

Thomas Sowell (1993). “Is Reality Optional?: And Other Essays”, Hoover Inst Press

If you truly believe in the brotherhood of man, then you must believe that blacks are just as capable of being racists as whites are.

Believe, Men, Brotherhood Of Man

Intellect is not wisdom.

Intellect

The sad and tragic fact is that the civil rights movement, despite its honorable and courageous past, has over the years degenerated into a demagogic hustle, promoting the mindless racism they once fought against.

Past, Rights, Years

The black family survived centuries of slavery and generations of Jim Crow, but it has disintegrated in the wake of the liberals' expansion of the welfare state.

Black, Crow, Expansion

We seem to be getting closer and closer to a situation where nobody is responsible for what they did but we are all responsible for what somebody else did.

Liberty, Economic, Responsible

Thomas Sowell (2013). “Ever Wonder Why?: and Other Controversial Essays”, p.332, Hoover Press

The biggest myth about labor unions is that unions are for the workers. Unions are for unions, just as corporations are for corporations and politicians are for politicians.

Political, Unions, Corporations

Thomas Sowell (2011). “The Thomas Sowell Reader”, p.71, Basic Books

As long as human beings are imperfect, there will always be arguments for extending the power of government to deal with these imperfections. The only logical stopping place is totalitarianism -- unless we realize that tolerating imperfections is the price of freedom.

Government, Long, Imperfection

Thomas Sowell (2013). “Ever Wonder Why?: and Other Controversial Essays”, p.332, Hoover Press

If you are not prepared to use force to defend civilization, then be prepared to accept barbarism.

Gun, Civilization, Use

Thomas Sowell (1993). “Is Reality Optional?: And Other Essays”, Hoover Inst Press

It takes considerable knowledge just to realize the extent of your own ignorance.

Funny, Laughter, Ignorance

"A Childish Letter". Column at Jewish World Review, www.jewishworldreview.com. August 17, 1998.

Social Engineering - The art of replacing what works with what sounds good.

Art, Engineering, Sound

There is nothing that politicians like better than handing out benefits to be paid for by someone else.

Political, Benefits, Politician

Thomas Sowell (2011). “Dismantling America and Other Controversial Essays (Large Print 16pt)”, p.217, ReadHowYouWant.com

Socialism in general has a record of failure so blatant that only an intellectual could ignore or evade it.

Intellectual, Liberty, Records

Thomas Sowell (2011). “The Thomas Sowell Reader”, p.144, Basic Books

Liberals love to say things like, "We're just asking everyone to pay their fair share." But government is not about asking. It is about telling. The difference is fundamental. It is the difference between making love and being raped, between working for a living and being a slave. The Internal Revenue service is not asking anybody to do anything. It confiscates your assets and puts you behind bars if you don't pay.

Government, Differences, Making Love

Thomas Sowell (1999). “Barbarians Inside the Gates--and Other Controversial Essays”, Hoover Inst Press

The most politically painless way to hand out goodies, without taking responsibility for their costs, is to pass a law saying that somebody else must provide those goodies at their expense, while the politicians take credit for generosity and compassion.

Responsibility, Compassion, Hands

Thomas Sowell (2011). “Dismantling America and Other Controversial Essays (Large Print 16pt)”, p.93, ReadHowYouWant.com

Nothing could be more jolting and discordant with the vision of today's intellectuals than the fact that it was businessmen, devout religious leaders and Western imperialists who together destroyed slavery around the world. And if it doesn't fit their vision, it is the same to them as if it never happened.

Religious, Leader, Vision

"Ending Slavery". townhall.com. February 08, 2005.

The welfare state has always been judged by its good intentions, rather than its bad results.

Good Intentions, Welfare, States

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