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Thomas Sowell

21 quotesUniversity Teacher · Born Jun 30, 1930 · United States Of America · Male

Thomas Sowell (; born June 30, 1930) is an American economist and social theorist who is currently Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. Sowell was born in North Carolina, but grew up in Harlem, New York. He dropped out of high school and served in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War. He received a bachelor's degree, graduating magna cum laude from Harvard University in 1958 and a master's degree from Columbia University in 1959. In 1968, he earned his doctorate in economics from the University of Chicago. Sowell has served on the faculties of several universities, including Cornell University and University of California, Los Angeles. He has also worked for think tanks such as the Urban Institute. Since 1980, he has worked at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. He writes from a libertarian conservative perspective, advocating supply-side economics. Sowell has written more than thirty books (a number of which have been reprinted in revised editions), and his work has been widely anthologize

All Government vs. Corporations (2)Socialism (2)Freedom (2)Capitalism (2)Societal Organization (2)Judgement (2)Communism Vs. Capitalism (1)Left versus Right (1)The Context of Facts (1)Reality (1)Limits of Human Beings (1)Republicans vs. Democrats (1)Against Socialsim (1)Isolated Communities (1)Growing Up (1)

From “The Thomas Sowell Reader”

Socialism in general has a record of failure so blatant that only an intellectual could ignore or evade it.

Against Socialsim Socialism

From “Knowledge And Decisions”

Before attempting to determine the effect of institutions, it is necessary to consider the inherent circumstances, constraints, and impelling forces at work in the environment within which the institutional mechanisms function.

Institutional Logics Understanding Complex Societal Machinery

Ideas are everywhere, but knowledge is rare.

Ideas Knowledge True Intellectual Understanding

Freedom has cost too much blood and agony to be relinquished at the cheap price of rhetoric.

Freedom Talk Is Cheap

From “A Conflict of Visions”

Facts do not 'speak for themselves.' They speak for or against competing theories. Facts divorced from theory or visions are mere isolated curiosities.

Facts The Context of Facts Theoretical Understanding of Facts

From “Compassion Versus Guilt and Other Essays”

The key feature of Communist propaganda has been the depiction of people who are more productive as mere exploiters of others.

Communist Propaganda Communism Socialism Communism Vs. Capitalism

The case for the political left looks more plausible on the surface but is harder to keep believing in as you become more experienced.

American Politics Left versus Right Republicans vs. Democrats

Competition does a much more effective job than government at protecting consumers.

Capitalism Government vs. Corporations Consumer Protection Societal Organization

One of the grand fallacies of our time is that something beneficial should be subsidized.

Capitalism Government vs. Corporations Societal Organization

Understanding the limitations of human beings is the beginning of wisdom.

Conservative Logic Human Nature Limits of Human Beings Weaknesses of Humans

From “Is Reality Optional?: And Other Essays”

The first lesson of economics is scarcity: there is never enough of anything to fully satisfy all those who want it. The first lesson of politics is to disregard the first lesson of economics.

Economics vs. Politics Scarcity Society Politics

Envy plus rhetoric equals 'social justice.

Envy Social Justice

From “Intellectuals and Society”

Reality does not go away when it is ignored.

Reality Facing Reality

From “Controversial Essays”

Few skills are so well rewarded as the ability to convince parasites that they are victims.

Parasites

The least productive people are usually the ones who are most in favor of holding meetings.

Meetings Business Productivity

From “Boomers and Boomerangs”

People don't usually grow up when there are other people who make excuses for their immaturity.

Growing Up Non-Judgemental Judgement

From “Barbarians inside the Gates and Other Controversial Essays”

Insulating people from reality produces unrealistic people. It doesn't matter whether they are welfare recipients, spoiled rich kids, tenured professors in the ivy league, or federal judges with lifetime appointments.

Insulation Being Blocked Off From The World Isolated Communities Ideological Ghettos College Professors

You can't stop people from saying bad things about you. All you can do is make them liars.

Judgement Negative Statements Slander

From “Discrimination and Disparities”

There has never been a shortage of people eager to draw up blueprints for running other people’s lives.

ruin Toxic People being mean

From “Random Thoughts”

There seems to be a growing number of people who think that the world should adjust to them, while they don't have to show any consideration to anyone.

Entitlement consideration

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