AtomicQuote

Harry Browne Quotes

The government's War on Poverty has transformed poverty from a short-term misfortune into a career choice.

Harry Browne

The government's War on Poverty has transformed poverty from a short-term misfortune into a career choice.

Tags: government, war

For most of our history, Americans enjoyed both liberty and security from foreign threats.

Harry Browne

For most of our history, Americans enjoyed both liberty and security from foreign threats.

Tags: history

About Author
Harry Edson Browne (June 17, 1933 – March 1, 2006) was an American writer, politician, and investment advisor. He was the Libertarian Party's Presidential nominee in the U.S. elections of 1996 and 2000. He authored 12 books that in total have sold more than 2 million copies.

A secure individual... knows that the responsibility for anything concerning his life remains with himself-and he accepts that responsibility.

Harry Browne

A secure individual... knows that the responsibility for anything concerning his life remains with himself-and he accepts that responsibility.

Tags: self, reliance

You can't give the government the power to do good without also giving it the power to do bad - in fact, to do anything it wants.

Harry Browne

You can't give the government the power to do good without also giving it the power to do bad - in fact, to do anything it wants.

Tags: good, government, giving

Since no one but you can know what's best for you, government control can't make your life better.

Harry Browne

Since no one but you can know what's best for you, government control can't make your life better.

Tags: life, best, control

It is well known that in war, the first casualty is truth - that during any war truth is forsaken for propaganda.

Harry Browne

It is well known that in war, the first casualty is truth - that during any war truth is forsaken for propaganda.

Tags: war

Like many people, most Libertarians feel empathy and sympathy for less fortunate people. But they know you can't have perfection in a world of limited resources.

Harry Browne

Like many people, most Libertarians feel empathy and sympathy for less fortunate people. But they know you can't have perfection in a world of limited resources.

Tags: sympathy, empathy, perfection, world

A Libertarian society of unfettered individualism spreads its benefits to virtually everyone - not just those who have the resources to seize political power.

Harry Browne

A Libertarian society of unfettered individualism spreads its benefits to virtually everyone - not just those who have the resources to seize political power.

Tags: society, political

The American way was for commerce, personal relationships, and religion to be voluntary. No one was forced to participate in something he didn't want.

Harry Browne

The American way was for commerce, personal relationships, and religion to be voluntary. No one was forced to participate in something he didn't want.

Tags: religion, american, relationships

You don't have to buy from anyone. You don't have to work at any particular job. You don't have to participate in any given relationship. You can choose.

Harry Browne

You don't have to buy from anyone. You don't have to work at any particular job. You don't have to participate in any given relationship. You can choose.

Tags: relationship

Security... it's simply the recognition that changes will take place and the knowledge that you're willing to deal with whatever happens.

Harry Browne

Security... it's simply the recognition that changes will take place and the knowledge that you're willing to deal with whatever happens.

Tags: knowledge, changes, security, you

You don't need an explanation for everything, Recognize that there are such things as miracles - events for which there are no ready explanations. Later knowledge may explain those events quite easily...

Harry Browne

You don't need an explanation for everything, Recognize that there are such things as miracles - events for which there are no ready explanations. Later knowledge may explain those events quite easily...

Tags: knowledge

You owe it to yourself to be the best person possible. Because if you are, others will want to be with you, want to provide you with the things you want in exchange for what you're giving to them.

Harry Browne

You owe it to yourself to be the best person possible. Because if you are, others will want to be with you, want to provide you with the things you want in exchange for what you're giving to them.

Tags: best

Each person is living for himself his own happiness is all he can ever personally feel.

Harry Browne

Each person is living for himself his own happiness is all he can ever personally feel.

Tags: happiness

A free and prosperous society has no fear of anyone entering it. But a welfare state is scared to death of every poor person who tries to get in and every rich person who tries to get out.

Harry Browne

A free and prosperous society has no fear of anyone entering it. But a welfare state is scared to death of every poor person who tries to get in and every rich person who tries to get out.

Tags: benefits, free market, freedom, government, libertarian, liberty, socialism, state, statism, voluntaryism

If younger people see older people who haven't planned ahead and have to rely on charity, the young will be more likely to provide for the future. Today when someone plans poorly, the only consequence...

Harry Browne

If younger people see older people who haven't planned ahead and have to rely on charity, the young will be more likely to provide for the future. Today when someone plans poorly, the only consequence...

Tags: future

The communitarians may say you've been enjoying too much individual freedom, and that you must give up some of that for the benefit of the community. But they really mean that they want more power ove...

Harry Browne

The communitarians may say you've been enjoying too much individual freedom, and that you must give up some of that for the benefit of the community. But they really mean that they want more power ove...

Tags: freedom, life, community, power

Freedom and responsibility aren't interconnected things. They are the same thing.

Harry Browne

Freedom and responsibility aren't interconnected things. They are the same thing.

Tags: freedom

Left-wing politicians take away your liberty in the name of children and of fighting poverty, while right-wing politicians do it in the name of family values and fighting drugs. Either way, government...

Harry Browne

Left-wing politicians take away your liberty in the name of children and of fighting poverty, while right-wing politicians do it in the name of family values and fighting drugs. Either way, government...

Tags: family, government, children

Everyone will experience the consequences of his own acts. If his act are right, he'll get good consequences if they're not, he'll suffer for it.

Harry Browne

Everyone will experience the consequences of his own acts. If his act are right, he'll get good consequences if they're not, he'll suffer for it.

Tags: experience