Rose Wilder Lane

“The real protection of life and property, the real basis of law and order, is the self-respect of the individual.”

“Freedom is the right to choose, the right to create for oneself the alternatives of choice.”

“All the Utopias will come to pass only when we grow wings and all people are born without selfish desires.”

“Energy is the power that drives every human being. It is not lost by exertion but maintained by it.”

“No state, no government exists. What does in fact exist is a man, or a few men, in power over many men.”

“I am now a fundamentalist American; give me time and I will tell you why individualism, laissez-faire and the slightly restrained anarchy of capitalism offer the best opportunities for the development of the human spirit.”

“Every rebellion is a reaching for liberty.”

“There is no such thing as security. There never has been.”

“The real thing is that this is a world of entire and utter insecurity and turmoil and revolution.”

“Everything is a risk. Not doing anything is a risk. It's up to you.”

“Happiness is something that comes into our lives through doors we don't even remember leaving open.”

“The question is whether personal freedom is worth the terrible effort, the never-lifted burden and the eternal danger of responsibility.”

“What we call 'economic laws' are merely the operation of human nature.”

“A fact is a fact, and it is useless to try to reason it away.”