What kind of society isn’t structured on greed? The problem of social organization is how to set up an arrangement under which greed will do the least harm; capitalism is that kind of a system.
—Milton Friedman (1912–2006) American Economist
Capital as such is not evil; it is its wrong use that is evil. Capital in some form or other will always be needed.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
Unemployment is capitalism’s way of getting you to plant a garden.
—Orson Scott Card (b.1951) American Author, Critic, Political Activist
I’m afraid for all those who’ll have the bread snatched from their mouths by these machines. What business has science and capitalism got, bringing all these new inventions into the works, before society has produced a generation educated up to using them!
—Henrik Ibsen (1828–1906) Norwegian Playwright
It is impossible for capitalism to survive, primarily because the system of capitalism needs some blood to suck. Capitalism used to be like an eagle, but now it’s more like a vulture. It used to be strong enough to go and suck anybody’s blood whether they were strong or not. But now it has become more cowardly, like the vulture, and it can only suck the blood of the helpless. As the nations of the world free themselves, the capitalism has less victims, less to suck, and it becomes weaker and weaker. It’s only a matter of time in my opinion before it will collapse completely.
—Malcolm X (1925–65) American Civil Rights Leader
There is but one means available to improve the material conditions of mankind: to accelerate the growth of capital accumulated as against the growth in population. The greater the amount of capital invested per head of the worker, the more and better goods can be produced and consumed. This is what capitalism, the much abused profit system, has brought about and brings about daily anew. Yet, most present-day governments and political parties are eager to destroy this system.
—Ludwig von Mises (1881–1973) Austrian Economist, Philosopher, Author
When all the world is socialist, Switzerland will have to remain capitalist, so that it can tell us the price of everything.
—Nikita Khrushchev (1894–1971) Russian Head of State, Political leader
The dynamics of capitalism is postponement of enjoyment to the constantly postponed future.
—Norman O. Brown (1913–2002) American Philosopher
The best way to destroy the capitalist system is to debauch the currency. By a continuing process of inflation governments can confiscate, secretly and unobserved, an important part of the wealth of their citizens.
—John Maynard Keynes (1883–1946) English Economist
Our alternative is either to stick to a moral tradition which we haven
—Friedrich Hayek (1899–1992) British Economist, Social Philosopher
The market is not an invention of capitalism. It has existed for centuries. It s an invention of civilization.
—Mikhail Gorbachev (b.1931) Soviet Head of State
The call for free markets would be more successful if it came from more sympathetic people.
—Gerhard Kocher (b.1939) Swiss Publicist, Aphorist