Ludwig Erhard quotes

Ludwig Erhard was a German politician and economist, best known as the "father" of Germany’s postwar economic recovery. His leadership in implementing the social market economy spurred rapid growth and prosperity in West Germany. He served as Chancellor of West Germany and left a lasting legacy on economic policy. Here are 7 of his quotes:

Without Britain, Europe would remain only a torso.

Ludwig Erhard

National autonomy in economic matters should not be an obstacle to a free world economic system. But to achieve free convertibility within the European Payments Union only would lead to further upheavals. The dollar and the pound sterling should be included in any such step, if a new single world market was to be created. A free political order implied a free economic order; this would stand foremost amongst the preoccupations of the new Bundestag.

Ludwig Erhard

In a community of free people the freedom of economic activity is an inseparable part of the whole, and only this freedom will ensure a life worth living.

Ludwig Erhard

A collectivist-totalitarian economic system, which in the final analysis serves only to glorify and increase the power of the state, can achieve great success in the easily controllable field of the basic industries but it will always remain incapable of serving man, in other words of providing the rich abundance of goods which gives the individual consumer a free choice and which enriches and beautifies his life.

Ludwig Erhard

As I have said time and again, the focal point of our economy is the individual.

Ludwig Erhard

Any liberal system must proceed from the assumption that freedom is one and indivisible and that elementary human freedom in all spheres of life must go hand in hand with political, religious, economic and spiritual freedom. The strategy of collectivist thinking has always been to split up this most essential and most universal of human values as a means of making inroads into the free system itself.

Ludwig Erhard