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Charles Koch

Charles Koch Quotes

Businessman

Charles Koch is an American businessman, born on November 1, 1935. He is the founder and CEO of Koch Industries, one of the largest private companies in the United States. Koch Industries operates in various industries, including oil, chemicals, and forest products, and is one of the largest private companies in the world. Koch has achieved great success in the business world, but is also a controversial political donor.

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Famous Charles Koch Quotes

“A classical liberal is someone who wants a society that maximizes peace, civility, tolerance, and well-being for everyone. One that opens opportunities for everyone to advance themselves.”

Want Wells Opportunity Tolerance Well Being Civility

Author:Charles Koch

“Do you want to have your feelings hurt a little bit because you have some negative feedback, or do you want to continue down the disastrous track you're on and have a huge disaster? Talk about a bruised ego. It may ruin your career.”

Want May Littles Feelings Bits Hurt Careers Huge Ego Little Bit Negative Track Disaster Ruins Feedback Hurt Feelings Bruised Negative Feedback

Author:Charles Koch

“Most companies want free enterprise in general because that produces better goods and services and makes people's lives better, but they don't want it in their business. They want protection from competition, they want subsidies, they want the government to pick winners and losers, and they want to be picked as winners, and that's what we're opposing, and that's what drives my whole efforts in policy, and in the political arena.”

“For business to survive over a long period, it needs to be contributing to society and people's well-being. Otherwise, who's going to want it? Otherwise you end up like Enron or some of these other companies.”

People Want Needs Wells Long Ends Company Periods Well Being Contributing Enron

Author:Charles Koch

“I get a lot of death threats. But the way I look at it, I feel I have a moral obligation to do the best I can to make the country better for everybody, and that threatens certain people because they're going to have much less power. I want the power to go back to people making decisions over their own lives rather than some experts making it.”

People Way Want Feels Looks I Can Country Certain Decision Moral Threat Obligation Experts Do The Best Making Decisions Moral Obligation

Author:Charles Koch

“Everything I give, pretty much, is public. Not every donor wants to - or is willing to get the kind of abuse and attacks that we do, or death threats, so they're not willing to have their names out. I think the other side is pushing for that because they want to intimidate people so they won't oppose it.”

People Thinking Want Giving Kind Names Sides Willing Abuse Threat Pushing Intimidating Donors

Author:Charles Koch

“My father announced early on that he didn't want his sons to be "country club bums." And for a number of reasons, I bore the brunt of that - I have an older brother and two younger brothers. So he had me work in all my spare time. I started out picking dandelions, shoveling stalls, milking cows, building a fence - whatever dirty job was out there. That's a big deal, because you learn things working that you don't learn in school.”

“A university shouldn't be a place of comfort. It should be a place of discomfort because you want to disabuse these kids of whatever prejudices or preconceptions they have when they come. You're trying to get them to think and develop, not be a Johnny-one-note.”

Thinking Want Should Trying Kids Comfort Prejudice Notes University Discomfort Preconceptions

Author:Charles Koch

“If somebody is doing more and more to make other people's lives better, have them make all they can, if that's what drives them, because that's what we want.”

People Ifs Want

Author:Charles Koch

“I want my legacy to be greater freedom, greater prosperity and a better way of life for my family, our employees and all Americans. And I wish the same for every nation on earth.”

Way Want Earth Nations Wish Greater My Family Prosperity Legacy Employee Better Ways

Author:Charles Koch

“But it [crony capitalism] erodes our overall standard of living and stifles entrepreneurs by rewarding the politically favored rather than those who provide what consumers want.”

Want Standards Capitalism Entrepreneur Consumers Standards Of Living Erode Cronies Crony Capitalism

Author:Charles Koch

About the Author

Born: November 1, 1935
Known for: Businessman
Quotes: 138

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