Milton Friedman
How can we preserve individual liberty in a highly centralized world? The answer lies in competitive capitalism, which separates economic power from political power to safeguard human freedom.
Economic arrangements directly promote a free society because open markets separate economic power from political power, allowing them to offset each other.
The proper role of government is to act as an umpire that establishes the rules of the game, defines property rights, and enforces contracts rather than directing economic activity.
Centralized government planning and market interventions, such as price controls or trade restrictions, inevitably lead to economic inefficiency and the erosion of individual liberty.