Alfred Müller-Armack (28 June 1901 – 16 March 1978) was a German economist and politician. He coined the term "social market economy" in 1946. Müller-Armack was professor of economics at University of Münster and University of Cologne. He was a central figure of the "Cologne school". He always pointed out that the economy had to serve humanity. A regulatory environment should provide the basis for a form of competition that was to the best for all people. In 1971 he published his memoirs with the title „Auf dem Weg nach Europa“ (On the way towards Europe).