An economist is an expert who will know tomorrow why the things he predicted yesterday didn't happen today.

An economist is an expert who will know tomorrow why the things he predicted yesterday didn't happen today.

Economics is first and foremost about the thoughts leading up to choice.

Economics is first and foremost about the thoughts leading up to choice.

Competition on the market aims at assigning to every individual that function in the social system in which he can read more

Competition on the market aims at assigning to every individual that function in the social system in which he can render to all his fellow men the most valuable of the services he is able to perform.

The absolute fundamental aim is to make money out of satisfying customers.

The absolute fundamental aim is to make money out of satisfying customers.

It is your mind that matters economically, as much or more than your mouth or hands. In the long run, read more

It is your mind that matters economically, as much or more than your mouth or hands. In the long run, the most important economic effect of population size and growth is the contribution of additional people to our stock of useful knowledge. And this contribution is large enough in the long run to overcome all the costs of population growth.

Based on first-hand evidence of your own senses - the improved health and later ages at which acquaintances die nowadays read more

Based on first-hand evidence of your own senses - the improved health and later ages at which acquaintances die nowadays as compared with the past; the material goods that we now possess; the speed at which information, entertainment, and we ourselves move freely throughout the world - it seems to me that a person must be literally deaf and blind not to perceive that humanity is in a much better state than ever before.

Business, that's easily defined; it's other people's money.

Business, that's easily defined; it's other people's money.

The rich adopt novelties and become accustomed to their use. This sets a fashion which others imitate. Once the richer read more

The rich adopt novelties and become accustomed to their use. This sets a fashion which others imitate. Once the richer classes have adopted a certain way of living, producers have an incentive to improve the methods of manufacture so that soon it is possible for the poorer classes to follow suit. Thus luxury furthers progress. Innovation "is the whim of an elite before it becomes a need of the public. The luxury today is the necessity of tomorrow." Luxury is the roadmaker of progress: it develops latent needs and makes people discontented. In so far as they think consistently, moralists who condemn luxury must recommend the comparatively desireless existence of the wild life roaming in the woods as the ultimate ideal of civilized life.

We may not be able to offer long-term employment, but we should try to offer long-term employability.

We may not be able to offer long-term employment, but we should try to offer long-term employability.