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Western civilization is based upon the libertarian principle, and all its achievements are the results of the action of free men.

Ludwig von Mises

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Ludwig von Mises
Age: 92 †
Born: 1881
Born: September 29
Died: 1973
Died: October 10
Economist
Philosopher
University Teacher
Writer
Lemberg
Austria
Ludwig Heinrich Edler von Mises
Ludwig Heinrich Mises
Principles
Results
Achievements
Freedom
Libertarian
Upon
Principle
Free
Achievement
Action
Western
Men
Based
Civilization

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Scientific criticism has no nobler task than to shatter false beliefs.
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Every restriction of trade creates vested interests that are from then on opposed to its removal.
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Progress is precisely that which rules and regulations did not foresee.
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Resentment is at work when one so hates somebody for his more favorable circumstances that one is prepared to bear heavy losses if only the hated one might also come to harm. Many of those who attack capitalism know very well that their situation under any other economic system will be less favorable.
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The history of mankind is the history of ideas.
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The egalitarian doctrine is manifestly contrary to all the facts established by biology and by history. Only fanatical partisans of this theory can contend that what distinguishes the genius from the dullard is entirely the effect of postnatal influences.
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The standard of living of the common man is higher in those countries which have the greatest number of wealthy entrepreneurs.
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The state is the only institution entitled to apply coercion and compulsion and to inflict harm upon individuals. This tremendous power cannot be abandoned to the discretion of some men, however competent and clever they may deem themselves. It is necessary to restrict its application. This is the task of the laws.
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Innovators and creative geniuses cannot be reared in schools. They are precisely the men who defy what the school has taught them.
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Government is the only institution that can take a valuable commodity like paper, and make it worthless by applying ink.
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Most of us have no sympathy with the rich idler who spends his life in pleasure without ever doing any work. But even he fulfills a function in the life of the social organism. He sets an example of luxury that awakens in the multitude a consciousness of new needs and gives industry the incentive to fulfill them.
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The gold standard did not collapse. Governments abolished it in order to pave the way for inflation. The whole grim apparatus of oppression and coercion, policemen, customs guards, penal courts, prisons, in some countries even executioners, had to be put into action in order to destroy the gold standard.
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Laissez faire does not mean: let soulless mechanical forces operate. It means: let individuals choose how they want to cooperate in the social division of labor and let them determine what the entrepreneurs should produce.
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The public firm can nowhere maintain itself in free competition with the private firm it is possible today only where it has a monopoly that excludes competition. Even that alone is evidence of its lesser economic productivity.
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The alcoholic and the drug addict harm only themselves by their behavior the person who violates the rules of morality governing mans life in society harms not only himself, but everyone.
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No private enterprise will ever fall prey to bureaucratic methods of management if it is operated with the sole aim of making profit.
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Every specific tax, as well as the nation's whole tax system, becomes self-defeating above a certain height of the rates.
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Not mythical material productive forces, but reason and ideas determine the course of human affairs. What is needed to stop the trend toward socialism and despotism is common-sense and moral courage.
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Government is a guarantor of liberty and is compatible with liberty only if its range is adequately restricted to the preservation of what is called economic freedom.
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Under capitalism everybody is the architect of his own fortune.
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