---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The policy of letting things alone, in…"
description: "\"The policy of letting things alone, in the practical sense that the Government should never interfere with business or go into business itself, is call..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c61/george-bernard-shaw-68_broken_the-policy-of-letting-things-alone-in-th_1678616.png"
---

#  The policy of letting things alone, in the practical sense…

![“The policy of letting things alone, in the practical sense that the Government should never interfere with business or go into business itself, is called Laisser-faire by economists and politicians. It has broken down so completely in practice that it is now discredited; but it was all the fashion…” quote by George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c61/george-bernard-shaw-68_broken_the-policy-of-letting-things-alone-in-th_1678616.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c61/george-bernard-shaw-68_broken_the-policy-of-letting-things-alone-in-th_1678616.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c61/george-bernard-shaw-68_broken_the-policy-of-letting-things-alone-in-th_1678616.png)

> “The policy of letting things alone, in the practical sense that the Government should never interfere with business or go into business itself, is called Laisser-faire by economists and politicians. It has broken down so completely in practice that it is now discredited; but it was all the fashion in politics a hundred years ago, and is still influentially advocated by men of business and their backers who naturally would like to be allowed to make money as they please without regard to the interest of the public.”

[George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Advocates laissez‑faire economics, noting its historical popularity and current disreputation due to public interest neglect.

**In simple terms:** Laissez‑faire means no government interference, but it often harms public welfare.

Key Takeaway

Consider limits of market freedom.

Themes

economics government policy history

Mood

analytical historical

Type

play philosophical

When to use this quote

- business strategy
- public policy
- economic history
- regulatory debate

Key Concepts

capitalism public interest regulation

Questions to Reflect On

- When should government intervene?
- What safeguards protect public interest?

A Different Perspective

Unchecked markets can ignore social costs.

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