Politics is a romantic search for the good and the true and the beautiful.

- James M. Buchanan

Rent control is one policy that economists universally would oppose. It is a grossly inefficient way of allocating housing space and, of course, it i…

- James M. Buchanan

We try to prevent the creation of artificial rents. Rather than setting up quotas to stop imports we levy a tariff, that would be better. Or we pay w…

- James M. Buchanan

Clearly, I am not an anarchist. Philosophically, I might be, but I think in practical terms.

- James M. Buchanan

I think the world has changed dramatically since September 11th. It should force us to recognize that we are going to have to defend the free institu…

- James M. Buchanan

If politicians get money to spend and don't have to be responsible for taxation, then of course that will bias their attitude toward more spending as…

- James M. Buchanan

The assumption that we can keep societies open and free to everybody is going to have to stop. We are going to have to recognize that some people sim…

- James M. Buchanan

I have long been in favor of a balanced budget restriction at the level of the federal government of the United States. Because the federal governmen…

- James M. Buchanan

You can get a coalition of senators from particular states in America, for example, who want to construct highways or dams or ports which may well be…

- James M. Buchanan