Harry Browne: Government

Harry Browne was American politician and writer. Explore interesting quotes on government.

Harry Browne: 36 quotes1 like

“Government is good at one thing: It knows how to break your legs, hand you a crutch, and say, "See, if it weren't for the government, you wouldn't be able to walk."”

" A solution for the Middle East http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=27171," WorldNetDaily (April 11, 2002) <br class="br">2000s

“The government that's strong enough to give you what you want by taking it from someone else is strong enough to take everything you have and give it to someone else.”

Part One, chapter 5, page 27
Why Government Doesn't Work (1995)

“So what is government? Very simply, it is an agency of coercion. Of course, there are other agencies of coercion — such as the Mafia. So to be more precise, government is the agency of coercion that has ﬂags in front of its offices. Or to put it another way, government is society's dominant producer of coercion. The Mafia and independent bandits are merely fringe competitors — seeking to take advantage of the niches and nooks neglected by the government.”

Part One, chapter 2, page 12
1990s, Why Government Doesn't Work (1996)

“I want government small enough to fit inside the Constitution.”

Source: Liberty A to Z (2004), p. 83

“Since government supposedly can do whatever it sets out to do, the president should sign an executive order outlawing death. However, as with all other laws, Congress should be exempt.”

Source: Liberty A to Z (2004), p. 44

“The free market punishes irresponsibility. Government rewards it.”

Source: Liberty A to Z (2004), p. 76

“If you resist, their job will be to "take you into custody"—which is a euphemism for seizing you, handcuffing you, and taking you to jail.At this point, it will be obvious that the regulation's purpose is to force barbers to charge at least $8—not by persuasion, but with a gun.Every government program, no matter how benign it may appear, is the same. Coercion is the reason—and the only reason—it is a government program.”

Part One, chapter 2, page 12
1990s, Why Government Doesn't Work (1996)

“Once its considered proper to use government force to solve one person’s problem, force can be justified to solve anyone’s problem.”

Part One, chapter 4, page 18
Why Government Doesn't Work (1995)

“Republicans campaign like Libertarians and govern like Democrats.”

Source: Liberty A to Z (2004), p. 151

“Given the results of the government's War on Poverty and the War on Drugs, we can assume that a War on Abortion will lead within five years to men having abortions.”

" The Libertarian stand on abortion http://www.harrybrowne.org/articles/Abortion.htm. <br class="br">2000s

“Whenever the government fails to prevent a plane crash, the event is cited as justification for having the government prevent plane crashes.”

Source: Liberty A to Z (2004), p. 147

“I call this The Dictator Syndrome. You see suffering or danger, and in your imagination you see a government program eliminating it. But in the real world the program would operate as you expect only if you were an absolute dictator—having at your disposal all the government's power to compel everyone to do things your way.”

Part One, chapter 5, page 20
Why Government Doesn't Work (1995)