--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The government only makes restrictive…" description: "\"The government only makes restrictive rules, they don't show you what to do so you know, OK, here's where we need this many apartments, with open space..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/harry-seidler-28969_apartments_the-government-only-makes-restrictive-ru_2050152.jpg" --- # The government only makes restrictive rules, they don't… ![“The government only makes restrictive rules, they don't show you what to do so you know, OK, here's where we need this many apartments, with open space, playgrounds, kindergartens.” quote by Harry Seidler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/harry-seidler-28969_apartments_the-government-only-makes-restrictive-ru_2050152.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/harry-seidler-28969_apartments_the-government-only-makes-restrictive-ru_2050152.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/harry-seidler-28969_apartments_the-government-only-makes-restrictive-ru_2050152.jpg) > “The government only makes restrictive rules, they don't show you what to do so you know, OK, here's where we need this many apartments, with open space, playgrounds, kindergartens.” [Harry Seidler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-seidler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The government sets limits but fails to provide clear guidance on how to meet community needs like housing and amenities. **In simple terms:** Governments restrict without directing. Key Takeaway Advocate for clear, actionable policies. Themes urban planning government policy housing community design Mood frustrated hopeful Type analytical critical When to use this quote - city council meetings - housing development proposals - community workshops - urban design courses Key Concepts public administration policy design social infrastructure Questions to Reflect On - How can planners translate rules into concrete plans? - What incentives encourage governments to give detailed guidance? A Different Perspective Policies may be vague and lack enforcement mechanisms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apartments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apartments/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Open space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/open-space/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Rules](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rules/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) ## Related quotes > [The government only makes restrictive rules, they dont show you what to do so you know, OK, heres where we need this many apartments,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-seidler/the-government-only-makes-restrictive-rules-they-dont-show-you-what/) [Harry Seidler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-seidler/) > [They didn't sell, people just weren't used to the idea of living in apartments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-seidler/they-didn-t-sell-people-just-weren-t-used-to-the-idea-of-living-in/) [Harry Seidler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-seidler/) > [Every time the U.S. government makes a low-cost loan to someone, it's investing in them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/every-time-the-u-s-government-makes-a-low-cost-loan-to-someone-it-s/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [“Don’t get me wrong. Government Contracting is difficult, but the help you give the government makes our country strong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-rawson/don-t-get-me-wrong-government-contracting-is-difficult-but-the-help/) [Linda Rawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-rawson/) > ['Government gets things right' does not encourage sales. 'Government makes another blunder' does encourage sales, so there's a commercial imperative that pushes sensationalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-major/government-gets-things-right-does-not-encourage-sales-government/) [John Major](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-major/) > [It's not government that makes business successful. It's not government investments that makes businesses grow and hire people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/it-s-not-government-that-makes-business-successful-it-s-not/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [Big government makes small citizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-steyn/big-government-makes-small-citizens/) [Mark Steyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-steyn/) > [“What the government makes to make money is money. They make money by making money—literally printing it. While the private sector has to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/what-the-government-makes-to-make-money-is-money-they-make-money-by/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Julia progresses from cradle to grave, showing how government makes every good thing in her life possible. The weak economy, high unemployment, falling wages,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/julia-progresses-from-cradle-to-grave-showing-how-government-makes/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [I don't find English restrictive, but it brings a level of discipline to my writing that I wouldn't have in Bulgarian. My control of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miroslav-penkov/i-don-t-find-english-restrictive-but-it-brings-a-level-of-discipline/) [Miroslav Penkov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miroslav-penkov/) > [“Dodd-Frank is the most restrictive financial regulation since the Great Depression—but it won’t stop another bubble.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/dodd-frank-is-the-most-restrictive-financial-regulation-since-the/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) > [I had sort of given up on conventional journalism. I found it far too restrictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/i-had-sort-of-given-up-on-conventional-journalism-i-found-it-far-too/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [I'm normally quite restrictive in the runs department.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-steyn/i-m-normally-quite-restrictive-in-the-runs-department/) [Dale Steyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-steyn/) > [I am terrified of restrictive religious doctrine, having learned from history that when men who adhere to any form of it are in control,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-michener/i-am-terrified-of-restrictive-religious-doctrine-having-learned-from/) [James A. Michener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-michener/) > [“Everything else just kept picking and picking, hacking away. And nothing was interesting, nothing. The people were restrictive and careful, all alike. And I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/everything-else-just-kept-picking-and-picking-hacking-away-and/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) ## More by Harry Seidler > [It doesn't worry me that people have criticised the building.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-seidler/it-doesn-t-worry-me-that-people-have-criticised-the-building/) [Harry Seidler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-seidler/) > [Good design doesn't date.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-seidler/good-design-doesn-t-date/) [Harry Seidler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-seidler/) > [I've always thought Blues Point Tower is one of my best buildings and I stand by that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-seidler/i-ve-always-thought-blues-point-tower-is-one-of-my-best-buildings-and/) [Harry Seidler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-seidler/) > [As much as the needs of fact, the needs of the spirit and the senses, must be satisfied. Architecture is as much a part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-seidler/as-much-as-the-needs-of-fact-the-needs-of-the-spirit-and-the-senses/) [Harry Seidler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-seidler/) > [After about the first Millennium, Italy was the cradle of Romanesque architecture, which spread throughout Europe, much of it extending the structural daring with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-seidler/after-about-the-first-millennium-italy-was-the-cradle-of-romanesque/) [Harry Seidler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-seidler/) > [The form language used by the ancient Egyptians in their structures is minimal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-seidler/the-form-language-used-by-the-ancient-egyptians-in-their-structures/) [Harry Seidler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-seidler/) > [Japan's humid and warm summer climate, as well as frequent earthquakes resulted in lightweight timber buildings raised off the ground that are resistant to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-seidler/japan-s-humid-and-warm-summer-climate-as-well-as-frequent-earthquakes/) [Harry Seidler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-seidler/) > [Japans humid and warm summer climate, as well as frequent earthquakes resulted in lightweight timber buildings raised off the ground that are resistant to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-seidler/japans-humid-and-warm-summer-climate-as-well-as-frequent-earthquakes/) [Harry Seidler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-seidler/) > [Fifty years ago people were talking about Sydney's sprawl, but nobody does anything about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-seidler/fifty-years-ago-people-were-talking-about-sydney-s-sprawl-but-nobody/) [Harry Seidler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-seidler/) > [Borne out of this, starting around the 17th Century was the Baroque era. It is my view that it is one of the architectural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-seidler/borne-out-of-this-starting-around-the-17th-century-was-the-baroque/) [Harry Seidler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-seidler/) > [After World War II great strides were made in modern Japanese architecture, not only in advanced technology, allowing earthquake resistant tall buildings, but expressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-seidler/after-world-war-ii-great-strides-were-made-in-modern-japanese/) [Harry Seidler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-seidler/) > [The government only makes restrictive rules, they dont show you what to do so you know, OK, heres where we need this many apartments,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-seidler/the-government-only-makes-restrictive-rules-they-dont-show-you-what/) [Harry Seidler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-seidler/) > [At the age of 80, I'm becoming a visual artist. This could be my rebirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-seidler/at-the-age-of-80-i-m-becoming-a-visual-artist-this-could-be-my-rebirth/) [Harry Seidler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-seidler/) > [If there is one country and its people that have contributed most to western civilisation's man-made world continuously for the last 2000 years, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-seidler/if-there-is-one-country-and-its-people-that-have-contributed-most-to/) [Harry Seidler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-seidler/) > [Architecture is not an inspirational business, it's a rational procedure to do sensible and hopefully beautiful things; that's all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-seidler/architecture-is-not-an-inspirational-business-it-s-a-rational/) [Harry Seidler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-seidler/) [Explore all 19 Harry Seidler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-seidler/) ## More Apartments quotes > [“I believe, sir,' said Richard Swiveller, taking his pen out of his mouth, 'that you desire to look at these apartments. They are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-believe-sir-said-richard-swiveller-taking-his-pen-out-of-his-mouth/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [I taught elementary school and painted apartments for ten years. Now I write full-time and never have to change a thing I write. Every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-scieszka/i-taught-elementary-school-and-painted-apartments-for-ten-years-now-i/) [Jon Scieszka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-scieszka/) > [The apartments are made for eels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cary-fukunaga/the-apartments-are-made-for-eels/) [Cary Fukunaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cary-fukunaga/) > [New York has arguably become the quintessential 1 percent city, a city that has been so given over to the rich that you now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graydon-carter/new-york-has-arguably-become-the-quintessential-1-percent-city-a-city/) [Graydon Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graydon-carter/) > [I have seven apartments in the house to keep in a state fit to be inspected everyday by Gentlemen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-darling/i-have-seven-apartments-in-the-house-to-keep-in-a-state-fit-to-be/) Grace Darling > [Redd Towers Apartments, whose advertising slogan, 'If you lived here, you'd be home by now,' did little to fill vacancies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-beddor/redd-towers-apartments-whose-advertising-slogan-if-you-lived-here-you/) [Frank Beddor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-beddor/) > [For instance, the most common type of "affordable housing" in the world comes in the form of apartments over stores.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howard-kunstler/for-instance-the-most-common-type-of-affordable-housing-in-the-world/) [James Howard Kunstler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howard-kunstler/) > [The only thing that relaxes me is archery. That's why I have to have apartments with gardens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-only-thing-that-relaxes-me-is-archery-that-s-why-i-have-to-have/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Married men don't get their own apartments 'to escape' their lives with their wives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenya-moore/married-men-don-t-get-their-own-apartments-to-escape-their-lives-with/) [Kenya Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenya-moore/) > [Why are apartments called apartments when they're together?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author-name/why-are-apartments-called-apartments-when-they-re-together/) Author Name > [In addition to public housing, South Williamsburg is home to shabby artists' lofts like mine, apartments of Hasidic Jews, and one extremely tall, high-priced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/in-addition-to-public-housing-south-williamsburg-is-home-to-shabby/) [Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/) > [I've found all of my apartments on Craigslist. I've got good Craigslist luck. I just sit on my couch and really focus on it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kravitz/i-ve-found-all-of-my-apartments-on-craigslist-i-ve-got-good/) [Zoe Kravitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kravitz/) > [I don't like apartments - the idea of other people living, copulating and defecating above me - they make me feel as trapped as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ric-emmanuel-schmitt/i-don-t-like-apartments-the-idea-of-other-people-living-copulating/) [Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ric-emmanuel-schmitt/) > [In a building with apartments, of course, you want to make connections. Life is easier that way. There's salt if you don't have salt;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliette-binoche/in-a-building-with-apartments-of-course-you-want-to-make-connections/) [Juliette Binoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliette-binoche/) > [Success is created in studio apartments and garages, at kitchen tables, and in classrooms across the nation, not in government conference rooms in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-scott/success-is-created-in-studio-apartments-and-garages-at-kitchen-tables/) [Tim Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-scott/) [Browse all 24 Apartments quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apartments/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The government only makes restrictive rules, they don't show you what to do so you know, OK, here's where we need this many apartments, with open space, playgrounds, kindergartens.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Harry Seidler" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-seidler/the-government-only-makes-restrictive-rules-they-don-t-show-you-what/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Apartments" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-seidler/the-government-only-makes-restrictive-rules-they-don-t-show-you-what/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/harry-seidler-28969_apartments_the-government-only-makes-restrictive-ru_2050152.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/harry-seidler-28969_apartments_the-government-only-makes-restrictive-ru_2050152.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/harry-seidler-28969_apartments_the-government-only-makes-restrictive-ru_2050152.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The government only makes restrictive rules, they don't show you what to do so you know, OK, here's where we…” — Harry Seidler", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Harry Seidler", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-seidler/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The government only makes restrictive rules,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-seidler/the-government-only-makes-restrictive-rules-they-don-t-show-you-what/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-seidler/the-government-only-makes-restrictive-rules-they-don-t-show-you-what/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```