Murray N. Rothbard Quotes

A collection of quotes by Murray N. Rothbard.

Murray N. Rothbard (1926-1995) was an influential American economist, historian, and political theorist. He is considered one of the leading figures in the Austrian School of economics and was a prolific author, writing on various topics such as free-market capitalism, individual liberty, and voluntaryism. Rothbard's works, including "Man, Economy, and State" and "The Ethics of Liberty," continue to shape libertarian and classical liberal thought. Known for his staunch opposition to government intervention and his advocacy for a truly free society, Rothbard played a crucial role in shaping the intellectual foundations of the liberty movement.

Human life is not some sort of race or game in which each pe

Human life is not some sort of race or game in which each person should start from an identical mark. It is an attempt by each man to be as happy as possible. And each person could not begin from the same point, for the world has not just come into being; it is diverse and infinitely varied in its parts. The mere fact that one individual is necessarily born in a different place from someone else immediately insures that his inherited opportunity cannot be the same as his neighbor's. The drive for equality of opportunity would also require the abolition of the family since different parents have unequal abilities; it would require the communal rearing of children. The State would have to nationalize all babies and raise them in State nurseries under 'equal' conditions. But even here conditions cannot be the same, because different State officials will themselves have different abilities and personalities. And equality can never be achieved because of necessary differences of location.

Murray N. Rothbard

Equality

The diversity of mankind is a basic postulate of our knowled

The diversity of mankind is a basic postulate of our knowledge of human beings. But if mankind is diverse and individuated, then how can anyone propose equality as an ideal? Every year, scholars hold Conferences on Equality and call for greater equality, and no one challenges the basic tenet. But what justification can equality find in the nature of man? If each individual is unique, how else can he be made 'equal' to others than by destroying most of what is human in him and reducing human society to the mindless uniformity of the ant heap?

Murray N. Rothbard

Diversity

If a man has the right to self-ownership, to the control of

If a man has the right to self-ownership, to the control of his life, then in the real world he must also have the right to sustain his life by grappling with and transforming resources; he must be able to own the ground and the resources on which he stands and which he must use. In short, to sustain his human right

Murray N. Rothbard

Property