Adam Smith Institute

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Quote of the day

1073
quote-of-the-day
The beneficial effect of State intervention, especially in the form of legislation, is direct, immediate, and, so to speak, visible, whilst its evil effects are gradual and indirect, and lie out of sight... Hence the majority of mankind must almost of necessity look with undue favour upon government intervention. This natural bias can be counteracted only by the existence... of a presumption or prejudice in favour of individual liberty – that is, of laissez faire.

A.V. Dicey, English constitutional theorist