Thomas Sowell
Thomas Sowell
Thomas Sowellis an American economist, social theorist, political philosopher, and author...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionNovelist
Date of Birth30 June 1930
CityGastonia, NC
CountryUnited States of America
Thomas Sowell quotes about
rights historical cost
For society as a whole, nothing comes as a "right" to which we are "entitled." Even bare subsistence has to be produced-and produced at a cost of heavy toil for much of human history. The only way anyone can have a right to something that has to be produced is to force someone else to produce it for him. The more things are provided as rights, the less the recipients have to work and the more others have to carry their load.
believe men brotherhood-of-man
If you truly believe in the brotherhood of man, then you must believe that blacks are just as capable of being racists as whites are.
political benefits politician
There is nothing that politicians like better than handing out benefits to be paid for by someone else.
islands justice desert
All justice is inherently social. Can someone on a desert island be either just or unjust?
running school civilization
Just as any moron can destroy a priceless Ming vase, so the shallow and ill-educated people who run our schools can undermine and destroy from within a great civilization that took centuries of dedicated effort to create and maintain.
leadership teamwork live-life
People who enjoy meetings should not be in charge of anything.
war responsibility iraq
Before the Iraq war I was quite disturbed by some of the neoconservatives, who were saying things like, "What is the point of being a superpower if you can't do such-and-such, take on these responsibilities?" The point of being a superpower is that people will leave you alone.
government law broken
Government's power to bully people who have broken no law is dangerous to all of us.
clever mean common-sense
It may be expecting too much to expect most intellectuals to have common sense, when their whole life is based on their being uncommon -- that is, saying things that are different from what everyone else is saying. There is only so much genuine originality in anyone. After that, being uncommon means indulging in pointless eccentricities or clever attempts to mock or shock.
liberty talent victim
There is no talent so ardently supported, nor generously rewarded, as the ability to convince parasites they are victims.
people injustice more-money
How much more of an injustice is it that people who work get more money than people who don't work?
thinking feelings politics
The problem isn't that Johnny can't read. The problem isn't even that Johnny can't think. The problem is that Johnny doesn't know what thinking is; he confuses it with feeling.
people exhibitionism done
Some of the most vocal critics of the way things are being done are people who have done nothing themselves, and whose only contributions to society are their complaints and moral exhibitionism.
heart sound argument
The strongest argument for socialism is that it sounds good. The strongest argument against socialism is that it doesn't work. But those who live by words will always have a soft spot in their hearts for socialism because it sounds so good.