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Leonard Read

Leonard Read Quotes

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Famous Leonard Read Quotes

“I would have government defend the life and property of all citizens equally; protect all willing exchange; suppress and penalize all fraud, all misrepresentation, all violence, all predatory practices; invoke a common justice under law; and keep the records incidental to these functions. Even this is a bigger assignment than governments, generally, have proven capable of. Let governments do these things and do them well. Leave all else to men in free and creative effort.”

MenWellsGovernmentLawPoliticsJusticeCommonEffortPracticeCreativeRecordsViolenceWillingCitizensProtectLetting GoCapableFunctionBiggerPropertyFraudProvenAssignmentsInvokePredatoryMisrepresentation
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“The welfare state destroys the market mechanisms - lessens free choice and willing exchange. Simultaneously creating unnatural specializations, it must, granted statism's premise, resort to welfarism; that is, it must assume the responsibility for the people's welfare: their employment, their old age, their income, and the like. As this is done, man loses his wholeness; he is dispossessed of responsibility for self, the very essence of his manhood. The more dependent he becomes, the less dependable!”

PeopleMenSelfStatesDoneAgeChoicesLosesResponsibilityWillingCreatingEssenceAssumingIncomeOld AgeEmploymentGrantedWelfareDependentMechanismWholenessManhoodResortsPremisesUnnaturalWelfare StateSpecializationDependableFree Choice
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“It [the free market] is an organizational way of doing things, featuring openness, which enables millions of people to cooperate and compete without demanding a preliminary clearance of pedigree, nationality, color, race, religion, or wealth. It demands only that each person abide by voluntary principles, that is, by fair play. The free market means willing exchange; it is impersonal justice in the economic sphere and excludes coercion, plunder, theft, protectionism, and other anti-free market ways by which goods and services change hands.”

PeopleWayMeanPersonsPlayHandsWealthJusticeRacePrinciplesMillionsEconomicColorWillingDemandFairsGoodsOpennessSpheresFree MarketTheftNationalityCoercionPlunderOrganizationalGoods And ServicesFair PlayPedigreeProtectionismClearance
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“The right way is the greatest gratifier of human wishes ever come upon - when allowed to operate. It is as morally sound as the Golden Rule. It is the way of willing exchange, of common consent, of self-responsibility, of open opportunity. It respects the right of each to the product of his labor. It limits the police force to keeping the peace. It is the way of the free market, private property, limited government. On its banner is emblazoned Individual Liberty.”

WayHumansSelfGovernmentOpportunityIndividualForceWishSoundCommonResponsibilityLibertyWillingProductsLimitsLaborPolicePropertyGoldenConsentRight WayFree MarketPrivate PropertyLimited GovernmentGolden RuleBannerIndividual LibertyPolice ForceSelf Responsibility
Author:Leonard Read
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