--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Rent control is one policy that…" description: "\"Rent control is one policy that economists universally would oppose. It is a grossly inefficient way of allocating housing space and, of course, it inh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c83/james-m-buchanan-22792_alleviate_rent-control-is-one-policy-that-economis_3100999.jpg" --- # Rent control is one policy that economists universally… ![“Rent control is one policy that economists universally would oppose. It is a grossly inefficient way of allocating housing space and, of course, it inhibits construction and creates the very thing it is supposed to alleviate. It is one of those things where people simply don't understand simple…” quote by James M. Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c83/james-m-buchanan-22792_alleviate_rent-control-is-one-policy-that-economis_3100999.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c83/james-m-buchanan-22792_alleviate_rent-control-is-one-policy-that-economis_3100999.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c83/james-m-buchanan-22792_alleviate_rent-control-is-one-policy-that-economis_3100999.jpg) > “Rent control is one policy that economists universally would oppose. It is a grossly inefficient way of allocating housing space and, of course, it inhibits construction and creates the very thing it is supposed to alleviate. It is one of those things where people simply don't understand simple economics and, therefore, put in for political reasons what will damage the very people that it is designed to help. Minimum wage levels are another classic example.” [James M. Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-buchanan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Economists argue that rent control distorts market signals, reduces housing supply, and harms those it intends to help. **In simple terms:** Rent control harms housing supply and hurts the poor. Key Takeaway Avoid rent control policies. Themes economics housing policy efficiency Mood critical analytical Type policy economic When to use this quote - urban planning - legislative debates - housing advocacy - tenant negotiations - real estate investment Key Concepts market distortion allocation incentives Questions to Reflect On - How can affordable housing be provided without rent control? - What alternatives address housing shortages? A Different Perspective Some argue rent control protects vulnerable renters despite inefficiencies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Construction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/construction/) [Damage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/damage/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Economist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economist/) [Housing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/housing/) [Minimum wage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minimum-wage/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Rent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rent/) [Rent control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rent-control/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) ## Related quotes > [“Economics is a political argument. It is not – and can never be – a science; there are no objective truths in economics that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ha-joon-chang/economics-is-a-political-argument-it-is-not-and-can-never-be-a/) [Ha-Joon Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ha-joon-chang/) > ['Murphys law of economic policy': Economists have the least influence on policy where they know the most and are most agreed; they have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-blinder/murphys-law-of-economic-policy-economists-have-the-least-influence-on/) [Alan Blinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-blinder/) > [Rent Control was an interesting movie. It was directed by... I had done a couple of plays off Broadway, and this Italian director came,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-spiner/rent-control-was-an-interesting-movie-it-was-directed-by-i-had-done-a/) [Brent Spiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-spiner/) > [You want to really prevent the construction of units? Pass rent control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-faulconer/you-want-to-really-prevent-the-construction-of-units-pass-rent-control/) [Kevin Faulconer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-faulconer/) > [If the Supreme Court rules that rent control is an unconstitutional taking of property, it would put all sorts of zoning rules in danger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-cohen/if-the-supreme-court-rules-that-rent-control-is-an-unconstitutional/) [Adam Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-cohen/) > [Rent Control is not a terrible movie, certainly not for the budget they had. And, again, it's such an '80s kind of thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-spiner/rent-control-is-not-a-terrible-movie-certainly-not-for-the-budget/) [Brent Spiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-spiner/) > [Politically, sometimes you get situations where rent control will go through. It is especially true in an emergency, where there is a sudden, sharp…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-buchanan/politically-sometimes-you-get-situations-where-rent-control-will-go/) [James M. Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-buchanan/) > [ It just occurred to me that there are some beautiful shots \[in Rent Control\] with the World Trade Center in the background. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-spiner/it-just-occurred-to-me-that-there-are-some-beautiful-shots-in-rent/) [Brent Spiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-spiner/) > [I don't know about the rest of the country but in New York more people have learned anonymity from rent control than ever discovered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-block/i-don-t-know-about-the-rest-of-the-country-but-in-new-york-more/) [Lawrence Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-block/) > [“In order for our land contribution model to be complete, we have to consider two more aspects of affordable housing. First, we have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-adams/in-order-for-our-land-contribution-model-to-be-complete-we-have-to/) [Martin Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-adams/) > [The Austrian School came into existence when a bunch of Viennese rent-gouging landlords didn't want rent control on the rents they could gouge out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/webster-tarpley/the-austrian-school-came-into-existence-when-a-bunch-of-viennese-rent/) Webster Tarpley > [These people talk of a "middle-of-the-road" policy. What they do not see is that the isolated interference, which means the interference with only one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/these-people-talk-of-a-middle-of-the-road-policy-what-they-do-not-see/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Gian Luigi Polidoro and his girlfriend had written this script, it was an American comedy, and they decided I was the guy to play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-spiner/gian-luigi-polidoro-and-his-girlfriend-had-written-this-script-it-was/) [Brent Spiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-spiner/) > [“In short, rent control reduces the rate of housing turnover.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/in-short-rent-control-reduces-the-rate-of-housing-turnover/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Sellers in general maintain the quality of their products and services for fear of losing customers otherwise. But, when price controls create a situation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/sellers-in-general-maintain-the-quality-of-their-products-and/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) ## More by James M. Buchanan > [Politicians and bureaucrats are no different from the rest of us. They will maximize their incentives just like everybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-buchanan/politicians-and-bureaucrats-are-no-different-from-the-rest-of-us-they/) [James M. Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-buchanan/) > [Politics is a romantic search for the good and the true and the beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-buchanan/politics-is-a-romantic-search-for-the-good-and-the-true-and-the/) [James M. Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-buchanan/) > [People share a universal behavioural trait: if there are profits to be made, the effort to get that money will attract investment. 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Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-buchanan/) > [You can get a coalition of senators from particular states in America, for example, who want to construct highways or dams or ports which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-buchanan/you-can-get-a-coalition-of-senators-from-particular-states-in-america/) [James M. Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-buchanan/) > [“Despotism may be the only organizational alternative to the political structure that we observe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-buchanan/despotism-may-be-the-only-organizational-alternative-to-the-political/) [James M. Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-buchanan/) > [Imagine that Queen Elizabeth I, in her time, had the opportunity to give out a monopoly for playing cards within the kingdom. She knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-buchanan/imagine-that-queen-elizabeth-i-in-her-time-had-the-opportunity-to/) [James M. 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Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-buchanan/) > [Liberals have lost the soul. We haven't recognized the necessity of defending our own system at the level of ideas. We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-buchanan/liberals-have-lost-the-soul-we-haven-t-recognized-the-necessity-of/) [James M. Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-buchanan/) > [I think the world has changed dramatically since September 11th. It should force us to recognize that we are going to have to defend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-buchanan/i-think-the-world-has-changed-dramatically-since-september-11th-it/) [James M. Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-buchanan/) [Explore all 27 James M. Buchanan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-buchanan/) ## More Alleviate quotes > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [How the American right managed to convince itself that the programs to alleviate poverty are responsible for the consequences of poverty will someday be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/how-the-american-right-managed-to-convince-itself-that-the-programs/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [I early conceived a liking for, and sought every opportunity to relieve the sufferings of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-lee-crumpler/i-early-conceived-a-liking-for-and-sought-every-opportunity-to/) Rebecca Lee Crumpler > [I don't think happiness is necessarily the reason we're here. I think we're here to learn and evolve, and the pursuit of knowledge is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sting/i-don-t-think-happiness-is-necessarily-the-reason-we-re-here-i-think/) [Sting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sting/) > [I believe that the war on drugs is a tragically misplaced use of resources - an immoral venture that produces far more suffering than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/i-believe-that-the-war-on-drugs-is-a-tragically-misplaced-use-of/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [We are at the point in time and terror where nothing short of a strong uniform policy of domestic disarmament will alleviate the danger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-v-murphy/we-are-at-the-point-in-time-and-terror-where-nothing-short-of-a/) Patrick V. Murphy > [In all things preserve integrity; and the consciousness of your own uprightness will alleviate the toil of business, soften the hardness of ill-success and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babe-paley/in-all-things-preserve-integrity-and-the-consciousness-of-your-own/) [Babe Paley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babe-paley/) > [ The next most dangerous thing \[after nuclear proliferation\] is probably... global warming, and then, right behind that are overpopulation -- we need to get… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-turner/the-next-most-dangerous-thing-after-nuclear-proliferation-is-probably/) [Ted Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-turner/) > [I think raising wages, investing in infrastructure, making sure that people have access to good educations that equip them for the jobs of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-think-raising-wages-investing-in-infrastructure-making-sure-that/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We can choose to alleviate suffering. We can choose to work together for peace. We can make these changes - and we must.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/we-can-choose-to-alleviate-suffering-we-can-choose-to-work-together/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [I advise nobody to drown sorrow in cocoa. It is bad for the figure and it does not alleviate the sorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winifred-holtby/i-advise-nobody-to-drown-sorrow-in-cocoa-it-is-bad-for-the-figure-and/) [Winifred Holtby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winifred-holtby/) > [He wanted to hear her concerns and alleviate them, he wanted to hold her and kiss her and convince her that he would find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/he-wanted-to-hear-her-concerns-and-alleviate-them-he-wanted-to-hold/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [As a Christian, part of my obligation is to alleviate suffering. Explicit recognition of that in the Methodist tradition is one reason I'm comfortable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/as-a-christian-part-of-my-obligation-is-to-alleviate-suffering/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [If any student comes to me and says he wants to be useful to mankind and go into research to alleviate human suffering, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-szent-gyorgyi/if-any-student-comes-to-me-and-says-he-wants-to-be-useful-to-mankind/) [Albert Szent-Gyorgyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-szent-gyorgyi/) > [All the advantages that man has gained from his ever-deepening understanding of the natural world that surrounds him, his technological, chemical and medical progress,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/all-the-advantages-that-man-has-gained-from-his-ever-deepening/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) Browse all 143 Alleviate quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Rent control is one policy that economists universally would oppose. 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