Arthur C. Brooks Quotes

• Yes, free markets tend to produce unequal incomes. We should not be ashamed of that. On the contrary, our system is the envy of the world and should be a source of pride.

  Arthur C. Brooks

  Pride, Envy, Income

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• Happiness isn't found in some finite checklist of goals that we can diligently complete and then coast. It's how we live our lives in the process. That's why the four pillars of happiness are faith, family, community and meaningful work. Those are priorities we have to keep investing in.

  Arthur C. Brooks

  Meaningful, Goal, Community

  "Q&A: 'The Conservative Heart'" by Dana Perino, www.foxnews.com. July 29, 2015.

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• The key to happiness is not being rich; it's doing something arduous and creating something of value and then being able to reflect on the fruits of your labor.

  Arthur C. Brooks

  Keys, Creating, Able

  "The Battle: How the Fight between Free Enterprise and Big Government Will Shape America's Future". Book by Arthur C. Brooks, July 5, 2011.

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• There is nothing inherently fair about equalizing incomes. If the government penalizes you for working harder than somebody else, that is unfair. If you save your money but retire with the same pension as a free-spending neighbor, that is also unfair.

  Arthur C. Brooks

  Government, Income, Neighbor

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• The more control you have over your life, the more responsible you feel for your own success - or failure.

  Arthur C. Brooks

  Over You, Responsible, Feels

  Arthur C. Brooks (2011). “The Battle: How the Fight Between Free Enterprise and Big Government Will Shape America's Future”, p.88, Basic Books

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• There's a general intuition around the nonprofit world these days that younger generations are less likely to join. But I have found in my research that that's quite wrong.

  Arthur C. Brooks

  Intuition, Nonprofits, Generations

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• If you think spreading money around by force seems like an odd definition of fairness, you're not alone.

  Arthur C. Brooks

  Thinking, Definitions, Fairness

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• The system that enables the most people to earn the most success is free enterprise, by matching up people's skills, interests, and abilities. In contrast, redistribution simply spreads money around. Even worse, it attenuates the ability to earn success by perverting economic incentives.

  Arthur C. Brooks

  Skills, People, Incentives

  Interview with Kathryn Jean Lopez, www.nationalreview.com. June 23, 2010.

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• The truth is that relative income is not directly related to happiness. Nonpartisan social-survey data clearly show that the big driver of happiness is earned success: a person's belief that he has created value in his life or the life of others.

  Arthur C. Brooks

  Data, Income, Belief

  Interview with Kathryn Jean Lopez, www.nationalreview.com. June 23, 2010.

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• We will have bigger bureaucracies, bigger labor unions, and bigger state-run corporations. It will be harder to be an entrepreneur because of punitive taxes and regulations. The rewards of success will be expropriated for the sake of attaining greater income equality.

  Arthur C. Brooks

  Running, Equality, Entrepreneur

  Arthur C. Brooks (2011). “The Battle: How the Fight Between Free Enterprise and Big Government Will Shape America's Future”, p.63, Basic Books

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• Whether we look at capitalism, taxes, business, or government, the data show a clear and consistent pattern: 70 percent of Americans support the free enterprise system and are unsupportive of big government.

  Arthur C. Brooks

  Government, Data, Support

  Arthur C. Brooks (2011). “The Battle: How the Fight Between Free Enterprise and Big Government Will Shape America's Future”, p.13, Basic Books

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• Conservatives are better talking about opportunity and growth in the abstract, while liberals talk more about poor people. Right now we [americans] need a good, optimistic, conservative opportunity ideology that is totally geared toward lifting up the poor. That's what I most want to see in candidates.

  Arthur C. Brooks

  Optimistic, Opportunity, Talking

  "Q&A: 'The Conservative Heart'" by Dana Perino, www.foxnews.com. July 29, 2015.

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• As a political independent, I would gladly vote for any political party dedicated to limited government and entrepreneurship.

  Arthur C. Brooks

  Party, Independent, Government

  Arthur C. Brooks (2011). “The Battle: How the Fight Between Free Enterprise and Big Government Will Shape America's Future”, p.121, Basic Books

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• Free enterprise is essentially a formula not just for wealth creation, but for life satisfaction.

  Arthur C. Brooks

  Wealth Creation, Satisfaction, Enterprise

  Interview with Kathryn Jean Lopez, www.nationalreview.com. June 23, 2010.

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• The battle is on, and nothing less than the soul of America is at stake.

  Arthur C. Brooks

  America, Soul, Battle

  Arthur C. Brooks (2010). “The Battle: How the Fight Between Free Enterprise and Big Government Will Shape America's Future”, p.186, ReadHowYouWant.com

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