Libertarianism Quotes - Page 2

• The moral and constitutional obligations of our representatives in Washington are to protect our liberty, not coddle the world, precipitating no-win wars, while bringing bankruptcy and economic turmoil to our people.

  Ron Paul

  Money, Peace, War

  Ron Paul (1987). “Freedom Under Siege”, p.60, Ludwig von Mises Institute

  88 Copy quote

  Show source

• Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.

  Ronald Reagan

  Freedom, Military, Moving

  Remarks to state chairs of National White House Conference on Small Business, 15 Aug. 1986

  88 Copy quote

  Show source

• Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them.

  Ronald Reagan

  Business, Government, Presidential

  Ronald Reagan (2004). “Speaking My Mind: Selected Speeches”, p.419, Simon and Schuster

  34 Copy quote

  Show source

• The basis of conservatism is a desire for less government interference or less centralized authority or more individual freedom...

  Ronald Reagan

  Government, Desire, Libertarian

  "Reason" Magazine, July 1, 1975.

  9 Copy quote

  Show source

• The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule.

  H. L. Mencken

  Peace, Freedom, War

  118 Copy quote

• War does not determine who is right - only who is left.

  Bertrand Russell

  Peace, Military, War

  179 Copy quote

• Things in our country run in spite of government, not by aid of it.

  Will Rogers

  Country, Running, Government

  Will Rogers, Bryan B. Sterling, Frances N. Sterling (1993). “Will Rogers' World: America's Foremost Political Humorist Comments on the Twenties and Thirties--and Eighties and Nineties”, p.92, Rowman & Littlefield

  15 Copy quote

  Show source
• 

  The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.

  Bertrand Russell

  Education, Confidence, Wisdom

  561 Copy quote

• What is ominous is the ease with which some people go from saying that they don't like something to saying that the government should forbid it. When you go down that road, don't expect freedom to survive very long.

  Thomas Sowell

  Government, Libertarian Party, Long

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

  57 Copy quote

  Show source

• Patriots always talk of dying for their country and never of killing for their country.

  Bertrand Russell

  Country, Hippie, Patriotic

  Bertrand Russell (1962). “Has Man a Future?”

  24 Copy quote

  Show source

• That's libertarians for you - anarchists who want police protection from their slaves.

  Kim Stanley Robinson

  Police, Want, Libertarian

  Kim Stanley Robinson (2003). “Green Mars”, p.479, Spectra

  50 Copy quote

  Show source

• The only difference between a tax man and a taxidermist is that the taxidermist leaves the skin.

  Mark Twain

  Business, Inspiration, Humor

  22 Copy quote

• Being elected to Congress is regarded as being sent on a looting raid for one's friends.

  George Will

  Political, Liberty, Libertarian

  11 Copy quote

• A good End cannot sanctify evil Means; nor must we ever do Evil, that Good may come of it.

  William Penn

  Mean, Evil, May

  Benjamin Franklin, William Penn (2012). “Franklin's Way to Wealth and Penn's Maxims”, p.67, Courier Corporation

  47 Copy quote

  Show source

• That government is best which governs least.

  Henry David Thoreau

  Freedom, Democracies Have, Government

  Civil Disobedience (1849) See Ralph Waldo Emerson 29; O'Sullivan 1; Shipley 1

  49 Copy quote

  Show source

• Arbitrary power is most easily established on the ruins of liberty abused to licentiousness.

  George Washington

  Peace, War, 4th Of July

  George Washington (1783). “A circular Letter ... to ... W. Greene, Governor ... of Rhode Island”, p.11

  19 Copy quote

  Show source

• Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.

  P. J. O'Rourke

  Inspirational, Funny, Money

  P. J. O'Rourke (2007). “Parliament of Whores: A Lone Humorist Attempts to Explain the Entire U.S. Government”, p.24, Grove/Atlantic, Inc.

  122 Copy quote

  Show source

• All socialism involves slavery.

  Herbert Spencer

  Liberty, Slavery, Libertarian

  Herbert Spencer, John Offer (1994). “Spencer: Political Writings”, p.95, Cambridge University Press

  94 Copy quote

  Show source
• 

  The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not sufficient warrant.

  John Stuart Mill

  War, Power, Libertarian Party

  On Liberty ch. 1 (1859)

  159 Copy quote

  Show source

• Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance.

  H. L. Mencken

  Freedom, Ignorance, Majority Rule

  "Notes On Journalism". Chicago Tribune, September 19, 1926.

  120 Copy quote

  Show source

• I do not believe that the government should have its long nose poked into the private consensual relationships between people.

  John Anderson

  Believe, Government, Should Have

  7 Copy quote

• If you have ever seen a four-year-old trying to lord it over a two-year-old, then you know what the basic problem of human nature is - and why government keeps growing larger and ever more intrusive.

  Thomas Sowell

  Government, Years, Two Year Olds

  8 Copy quote

• Socialists make the mistake of confusing individual worth with success. They believe you cannot allow people to succeed in case those who fail feel worthless.

  Kenneth Baker, Baron Baker of Dorking

  Mistake, Believe, People

  9 Copy quote

• Historically, much of the motivation for public schooling has been to stifle variety and institute social control.

  Hugh Jackman

  Motivation, Liberty, Libertarian

  7 Copy quote

• Manufacturing and commercial monopolies owe their origin not to a tendency imminent in a capitalist economy but to governmental interventionist policy directed against free trade and laissez faire.

  Ludwig von Mises

  Capitalist Economy, Liberty, Libertarian

  57 Copy quote