Ludwig von Mises

"The individual acts on the basis of his own values and his own knowledge. This is axiomatic."

"Government cannot solve problems. Government can only forcibly rearrange wealth."

"The price system is the most efficient way ever discovered to convey information."

"A man who is forced to act against his conscience is enslaved, regardless of the laws."

"The hallmark of a civilization in decline is the loss of respect for property rights."

"Trade is not a zero-sum game. Both parties benefit, or the trade would not occur."

"The expansion of credit necessarily leads to an unsustainable boom and inevitable bust."

"A nation's strength does not lie in its military, but in its economic system and the character of its people."

"The most oppressive form of government is the one that operates in the name of the people."

"Competition is the only effective protection against exploitation."

"The businessman who serves the consumer best will succeed, regardless of government favor."

"An economy based on theft and coercion cannot produce prosperity."

"The ultimate measure of a man is not his intentions, but his results."

"A free society is impossible without the protection of private property rights."

"The market punishes inefficiency and rewards efficiency. This is how progress is made."

"Immorality in government cannot be stopped by more laws; it can only be stopped by limiting power."

"The desire to help the poor is admirable, but government charity destroys both giver and receiver."

"In the long run, there are no fixed relationships between any two commodities."

"A man cannot be both a friend to freedom and a supporter of unlimited government power."

"The true cost of war is not measured in dollars, but in lost opportunities and human potential."

"A society that punishes success will produce less success."

"The entrepreneur is the driving force of change and progress in a free economy."

"Inflation is the method by which governments silently rob their citizens."

"The preservation of human freedom requires eternal vigilance against government power."

"Economic calculation is impossible under socialism because there is no market price mechanism."

"A man who will not take risks cannot achieve greatness."

"The purpose of economics is to understand how to achieve the maximum benefit from scarce resources."

"Government intervention in the economy always produces unintended consequences."

"The only real wealth is what you produce and what others voluntarily give you in exchange."

"A free market is not perfect, but it is the least imperfect system ever devised."