President George Bush
"America has lost one of its greatest citizens. Milton Friedman was a revolutionary thinker and extraordinary economist whose work helped advance human dignity and human freedom. A champion of limited government and personal freedom, Friedman proposed bold ideas about school choice, tax reductions, and an all-volunteer army that serve as the foundation of many of America's most successful government reforms. His work demonstrated that free markets are the great engines of economic development. His writings laid the groundwork that transformed many of the world's central banks, helping deliver economic stability and improved living standards in countries around the world."

Alan Greenspan, former Federal Reserve chairman
"My world will not be the same. He had been a fixture in my life both professionally and personally for a half century."

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
"Maria and I were so sad to hear about Milton Friedman's death. Milton and his wife Rose, I have said many times, were not only my dear friends. They have been heroes to me for much of my life. Milton was one of the great thinkers and economists of the 20th Century, and when I was first exposed to his powerful writings about money, free markets and individual freedom, it was like getting hit by a thunderbolt. The world has lost a true giant, a tireless advocate for freedom, and I have lost a great friend. Our thoughts and prayers go to Rose and the rest of the Friedman family."

Edward H. Crane, president of the Cato Institute
"Here's a guy who won the Nobel Prize in economics for his work in monetary theory and he was a great Chicagoan, a great empiricist and theoretician of economics. But ultimately, what Milton believed in was human liberty and he took great joy in trying to promote that concept.... Milton would say, 'Maybe I did well and maybe I led the battle but nobody ever said we were going to win this thing at any point in time. Eternal vigilance is required and there have to be people who step up to the plate, who believe in liberty, and who are willing to fight for it.' ...In my view he was the greatest champion of human liberty in my lifetime, certainly in the 20th century. And he didn't slack off in the 21st century."

Heritage Foundation
"Friedman’s ideas were often ahead of their time. School vouchers, which were regarded as radical when he developed the idea, now have support across the political spectrum. Friedman’s legacy of freedom continues to inspire work at The Heritage Foundation, and we owe a debt of gratitude to Friedman’s work over the past decades. In 1997 Edwin Feulner reflected on Friedman's work and legacy in his annual President's essay. Friedman "revealed the justice found in freedom," Feulner wrote. Today Feulner remarked, "Milton Friedman was small in stature but a giant in the world of ideas." The Heritage Foundation mourns Friedman's passing. He was an inspiration to believers in freedom and liberty."

Lori Roman, executive director of American Legislative Exchange Council
"Milton Friedman had a unique ability to apply free-market principles to solve public policy issues and inspire others to do the same. He will be deeply missed by our legislators, board and staff."

Clint Bolick, Alliance for School Choice president and general counsel
"Among the greatest champions of freedom in all of history, Milton Friedman was a giant. His greatest legacy is the tens of thousands of children who now attend high-quality schools because of the idea of school choice that Dr. Friedman pioneered in 1955. He leaves that precious legacy to a new generation of leaders who must nurture and expand it. I will personally miss a dear friend, but he will serve eternally for me and countless others as a source of towering inspiration."

Lawrence Mone, Manhattan Institute president
"What impressed me most about Milton Friedman was that he could express his revolutionary ideas in such simple and practical terms. As a think tank whose mission is to promote ideas that foster greater economic choice, the Manhattan Institute follows a path illuminated by Milton Friedman's brilliance."

David Nott, Reason Foundation president
"Milton Friedman was a giant for liberty. He consistently and eloquently advocated the enduring principles of freedom. The impact of his ideas worldwide was immeasurable, from his work on monetary policy that helped curb inflation and stabilize currencies to his analysis of the armed forces that helped bring about a volunteer army. Throughout his life he advocated unpopular ideas ahead of their time, from his calls for an end to the failed prohibition on drugs, to the empowerment of parents with school vouchers. He spoke with both authority and humility. We mourn the passing of this champion for liberty, even as we celebrate his ideas about human freedom, which is eternal."

Joseph Bast, Heartland Institute president
"A giant in the world of ideas has passed away. His students number in the thousands; those who were influenced by his ideas, in the millions; and those whose lives have been improved thanks to the consequences of his ideas, in the billions. Milton Friedman has passed away, but his legacy can be seen everywhere, from the vibrant financial markets in Chicago to the reformed economies of Eastern Europe, from textbooks that must include his proof of the government's role in causing the Great Depression, to institutions such as The Heartland Institute and The New Coalition for Economic and Social Change (to name just two I work with) that would not exist were it not for his ideas, influence, and integrity."

Chip Mellor, Institute for Justice president
"Milton Friedman's passing today leaves a void in the world of all who are dedicated to liberty. No one person will ever fill that void as Milton did, yet as all of us who believe in freedom take renewed inspiration from his work and life, we can together make his vision enduring. At IJ we all join in expressing our deepest sympathy to Rose Friedman and to their children David and Janet. And we will work ever harder to honor Milton Friedman through the Institute's work."

John L. Hennessy, Stanford University president
"Today Stanford has lost a great scholar and friend, and our country has lost one of its leading economists. Dr. Friedman's ability to explain complicated economic theories has had a profound impact beyond the university. We will miss his candor and intelligence, but we are quite certain that his insights will live for generations."

John Raisian, Hoover Institution director
"Milton Friedman was arguably the greatest economist of the 20th century. His reach was incredible. Esteemed academic economists lauded his intellectual capacity and leadership of the Chicago School of economics. At the same time, he was a household name among noneconomists. In ordinary life, people knew the name of Milton Friedman as a great economist – it is an amazing tribute to the man. He contributed to the notion that ideas have meaning; no economist could claim that phrase more than he could."

Carlos M. Gutierrez, U.S. Commerce Secretary
"With the passing of Milton Friedman, America loses a great champion of free enterprise and open markets. His vision for an economy freed from regulatory and governmental restraints is one that we have worked steadily to pursue. The free market values he and the ' Chicago School' espoused have fostered a stable and growing American economy that has stood firm in the face of great economic challenges. Friedman’s ideas have been an intellectual beacon for reformers around the world. We join his family in mourning the loss of this great American and vow to continue his work for economic freedom, prosperity and opportunity."

Gary Becker, University of Chicago professor and Nobel Laureate economist
"He was clearly the most important economist of the 20th Century. He had enormous influence in economic science and indirectly on public policy. He clearly had important influence on President Ronald Reagan and other presidents as well as leaders in both parties through his work on the flat tax, school vouchers, flexible exchange rates, stable monetary policy, and the voluntary military. He was on President Nixon's commission to study that issue and was one of the strongest advocates for a voluntary enlistment. He had lots of good ideas and suggested practical ways to implement them."

Henry M. Paulson, U.S. Treasury Secretary
"I’m saddened today to hear of the loss of Milton Friedman. Through a long life and distinguished career, Milton Friedman held fast to the principle that men and women should be free. He believed that freedom would unleash prosperity, and he was right. His pioneering ideas about the nexus between economic and political freedom paved the way for prosperity and financial vitality in economies around the world. Milton Friedman will always be counted among the greatest of economists. He believed steadfastly in free markets, even when free markets were not very popular. He rejected the idea that government could manipulate the economy to achieve precise results, instead believing that a restrained government hand would maximize economic growth. And recognizing the applicability of free-market principles to social policy, Milton Friedman was an early voice in support of welfare reform and school choice."

U.S. Representative Jeff Flake (AZ-6)
"It’s a rare economist who can translate numbers and statistics into concepts and ideas that change the way people live,” said Flake. “Milton Friedman was such an economist. His influence on those of us who believe in the power of free markets cannot be measured."

Leo Melamed, Chicago Mercantile Exchange executive chairman and chairman emeritus
"On behalf of the CME Board of Directors and staff I would like to express our deepest sympathy at the passing of Professor Milton Friedman. He will always be one of Chicago's most treasured icons -- a world renowned Nobel prize-winning Economist, champion of free enterprise and a close friend to many at CME for more than 35 years. His vision, passion and contributions to economies and people everywhere have truly helped make the world a better place. Professor Friedman's views of the importance of free markets have been profoundly influential for decades, and remain so to this day. He will be missed and our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends."

Mallory Factor, Free Enterprise Fund chairman
“Today, freedom lost one of its greatest fighters. Milton Friedman, a Nobel Prize winning economist and influential proponent of pro-growth policies, died at age 94. For decades, Friedman was a beacon of hope for the ideals of liberty as an academic professor, political adviser and tireless advocate of free enterprise. He continuously espoused free market approaches to common policy problems, and did so with unmatched brilliance and never-ending optimism. Milton Friedman did what few were able to do, bringing complex ideas to the general public. His legacy will live on in a stronger, fairer, and freer America. I speak as an advocate for free market policies, as a taxpayer, and as an American when I say that Milton Friedman will be missed terribly."

William Redpath, Chairman of the Libertarian National Committee
"Milton Friedman was more than just a great economist, whose scholarly work on monetarism helped tame this nation's inflation and bring about the prosperity of the past quarter century. Until today, he was the greatest living libertarian. The words that adequately convey the loss to libertarianism that his passing brings have yet to be invented."

Ken Mehlman, Republican National Committee chairman
"All Americans and free people everywhere owe tremendous gratitude to the extraordinary life and work of Milton Friedman. Friedman showed us that the incredible power of freedom can create prosperity, raise living standards, build the best military in the world, improve schools, and form a more perfect union. May Milton Friedman rest in peace, may God bless his family, and may we always remember his lessons."

Margaret Thatcher, former British Prime Minister
"Thatcher has led tributes to Milton Friedman, describing him as "an intellectual freedom fighter". She said her "old friend" had "revived the economics of liberty when it had been all but forgotten". Lady Thatcher continued: "He was an intellectual freedom fighter. Never was there a less dismal practitioner of a dismal science."

John Goodman, National Center for Policy Analysis president
"The world has lost one of the true intellectual giants. Milton devoted his life to the concept of freedom, and his ideas hugely influenced both Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher. In his final years he crusaded for school choice, hoping to free children trapped in failing schools. Milton was not only one of my intellectual heroes, he was a dear friend. He will be sorely missed. Our hearts go out to his life long partner Rose."

Mayor Micael D. Antonovich, Los Angeles County
"The death of Milton Friedman marks the passing of the most influential economist of the 20th Century. His free market philosophy and commitment to economic liberty was the impetus for our Nation's current economic prosperity and strength. I had the privilege of knowing him as a friend and mentor who helped shape my political philosophy. Our prayers and sympathies are with his wife Rose and his family."