Capitalism and Freedom: on Principles & Values


Free men use gov't to serve people; not to serve country

President Kennedy said, "Ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country." It is a striking sign of the temper of our ties that the controversy about this passage centered on its origin and not on its content. Neither half of the statement expresses a relation between the citizen and his government that is worthy of the ideals of free men in a free society. The paternalistic "what your country can do for you" implies that government is the patron, the citizen the ward, a view that is at odds with the free man's belief in his own responsibility for his own destiny. The organismic, "what you can do for your country" implies that government is the master or the deity, the citizen, the servant or the votary. To the free man, the country is the collection of individuals who compose it, not something over and above them
Source: Capitalism and Freedom, by Milton Friedman, p. 1-2 Nov 15, 1962

Socialist economics are incompatible with democracy

The free man will ask neither what his country can do for him nor what he can do for his country. He will ask rather, "What can I and my compatriots do through government" to help us discharge our individual responsibilities, to achieve our several goals and purposes, and above all, to protect our freedom? And he will accompany this question with another: How long can we keep the government we create from becoming a Frankenstein, that will destroy the very freedom we establish it to protect?
Source: Capitalism and Freedom, by Milton Friedman, p. 2-3 Nov 15, 1962

Concentrated power threatens individual freedom

A classical liberal is fundamentally fearful of concentrated power. His objective is to preserve the maximum degree of one man's freedom that is compatible with not interfering with other men's freedom. This objective requires that power be dispersed. He is suspicious of assigning to government any functions that can be performed through the market, both because this substitutes coercion for voluntary co-operation, and because, by giving government an increased role, it threatens freedom in other areas.
Source: Capitalism and Freedom, by Milton Friedman, p. 39 Nov 15, 1962

  • The above quotations are from Capitalism and Freedom
    Fortieth Anniversary Edition
    by Milton Friedman.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Principles & Values.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Milton Friedman on Principles & Values.
2012 Presidential contenders on Principles & Values:
  Democrats:
Pres.Barack Obama(IL)
V.P.Joe Biden(DE)

Republicans:
Gov.Mitt Romney(MA)
Rep.Paul Ryan(WI) 		Third Parties:
Green: Dr.Jill Stein(MA)
Libertarian: Gov.Gary Johnson(NM)
Justice: Mayor Rocky Anderson(UT)
Constitution: Rep.Virgil Goode(VA)
Peace+Freedom: Roseanne Barr(HI)
Reform Party: André Barnett(NY)
AmericansElect: Gov.Buddy Roemer(LA)
Please consider a donation to OnTheIssues.org!
Click for details -- or send donations to:
1770 Mass Ave. #630, Cambridge MA 02140
E-mail: submit@OnTheIssues.org
(We rely on your support!)

Page last updated: Jan 04, 2013