“Local differences in the prices of commodities whose natures are technologically identical are to be explained on the one hand by differences in the cost of preparing them for consumption (expenses of transport, cost of retailing etc.) and on the other hand by the physical and legal obstacles that restrict the mobility of commodities and human beings.”

Austrian economist and social theorist of the early-to-mid 20th century, Ludwig von Mises is best known for his rigorous defense of classical liberalism and free-market economics. His work in praxeology—an a priori method of social science—shaped modern libertarian thought, while his critiques of socialism and central planning remain foundational in economic theory.