When you take into public ownership a profitable industry…
“When you take into public ownership a profitable industry the profits soon disappear. The goose that laid the golden eggs goes broody. State geese are not great layers.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The quote warns that when the government takes control of a profitable industry, efficiency and profit decline, likening it to a goose that stops laying golden eggs when it becomes broody.
In simple terms: State ownership can reduce industry profitability.
Key Takeaway
Limit government control over productive sectors.
Themes
economics
government
private sector
efficiency
Mood
cautious
analytical
concerned
Type
political
economic
policy
When to use this quote
- privatization debates
- industry regulation
- tax policy
- business investment
Key Concepts
capitalism
public policy
Questions to Reflect On
- Is all private ownership better?
- What balance between profit and public good is ideal?
A Different Perspective
Public ownership may protect jobs but can diminish innovation and profit.