--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nor should the argument seem strange that…" description: "\"Nor should the argument seem strange that taxation may be so high as to defeat its object, and that, given sufficient time to gather the fruits, a redu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a44/john-maynard-keynes-1380_argument_nor-should-the-argument-seem-strange-tha_1396956.jpg" --- # Nor should the argument seem strange that taxation may be… ![“Nor should the argument seem strange that taxation may be so high as to defeat its object, and that, given sufficient time to gather the fruits, a reduction of taxation will run a better chance than an increase of balancing the budget.” quote by John Maynard Keynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a44/john-maynard-keynes-1380_argument_nor-should-the-argument-seem-strange-tha_1396956.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a44/john-maynard-keynes-1380_argument_nor-should-the-argument-seem-strange-tha_1396956.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a44/john-maynard-keynes-1380_argument_nor-should-the-argument-seem-strange-tha_1396956.jpg) > “Nor should the argument seem strange that taxation may be so high as to defeat its object, and that, given sufficient time to gather the fruits, a reduction of taxation will run a better chance than an increase of balancing the budget.” [John Maynard Keynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Excessive taxes can undermine their purpose; sometimes lowering taxes yields better fiscal outcomes than raising them to balance the budget. **In simple terms:** High taxes can defeat their goal; cuts may work better. Key Takeaway Consider tax policy impacts before raising rates. Themes economics taxation policy public finance Mood analytical critical Type economic policy When to use this quote - government budgeting - tax reform debates - public spending decisions Key Concepts fiscal policy tax incidence budget balancing Questions to Reflect On - What are the long‑term effects of high taxes on growth? - When is a tax increase justified? A Different Perspective Tax cuts may reduce revenue needed for services. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Argument Strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument-strange-4884676/) [Balancing Budget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balancing-budget-1368480/) [Budgets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/budgets/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Defeat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeat/) [Fruit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fruit/) [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [Increase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/increase/) [Investing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investing/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Objects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/objects/) [Reduction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reduction/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Seems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seems/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strange/) [Strange Taxation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strange-taxation-4884673/) [Sufficient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sufficient/) [Taxation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taxation/) [Taxation High](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taxation-high-4884674/) [Taxation Run](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taxation-run-4884675/) [Taxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taxes/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [If I hear one more Republican tell me about balancing the budget, I am going to strangle them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/if-i-hear-one-more-republican-tell-me-about-balancing-the-budget-i-am/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [Balancing the budget is like going to heaven. Everybody wants to do it, but nobody wants to do what you have to do to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-gramm/balancing-the-budget-is-like-going-to-heaven-everybody-wants-to-do-it/) [Phil Gramm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-gramm/) > [I think it is really important when we're talking about fiscal responsibility that we are balancing the budget in ways that really benefit the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilhan-omar/i-think-it-is-really-important-when-we-re-talking-about-fiscal/) [Ilhan Omar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilhan-omar/) > [The balancing of the budget will not in itself place a teaspoonful of milk in a hungry baby's stomach, or remove the rags from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-l-lewis/the-balancing-of-the-budget-will-not-in-itself-place-a-teaspoonful-of/) [John L. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-l-lewis/) > [“Both Democrats and Republicans have strayed so far from the path of responsible financial policy that the concept of balancing the budget is foreign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-carson/both-democrats-and-republicans-have-strayed-so-far-from-the-path-of/) [Ben Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-carson/) > [Let's establish that no one in Washington actually cares about balancing the budget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/let-s-establish-that-no-one-in-washington-actually-cares-about/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [Our priority must be to build a path towards balancing the budget, and we cannot tolerate growing deficits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/our-priority-must-be-to-build-a-path-towards-balancing-the-budget-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Has anyone stopped to consider that we might come closer to balancing the budget if all of us simply tried to live up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/has-anyone-stopped-to-consider-that-we-might-come-closer-to-balancing/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Balancing your budget is like protecting your virtue. You have to learn when to say no.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/balancing-your-budget-is-like-protecting-your-virtue-you-have-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [There is a difficult leap between talking about balancing the budget and actually doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-brady/there-is-a-difficult-leap-between-talking-about-balancing-the-budget/) [Kevin Brady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-brady/) > [We might come closer to balancing the Budget if all of us lived closer to the Commandments and the Golden Rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/we-might-come-closer-to-balancing-the-budget-if-all-of-us-lived/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Both candidates for president talk about balancing the budget ten years from now. Even if they win, they won't be in office then.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-goode/both-candidates-for-president-talk-about-balancing-the-budget-ten/) [Virgil Goode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-goode/) > [Texting is apocalyptic on some level. It's a reduction of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/texting-is-apocalyptic-on-some-level-it-s-a-reduction-of-things/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [Local and state governments have outrun the federal government. The EPA has served notice that it will enact a rule requiring CO2 reductions by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/local-and-state-governments-have-outrun-the-federal-government-the/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [This welfare for wealthy companies wastes taxpayer dollars, harms the environment, and makes a mockery of the recent reductions in federal social spending programs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/this-welfare-for-wealthy-companies-wastes-taxpayer-dollars-harms-the/) [Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/) ## More by John Maynard Keynes > [Once we allow ourselves to be disobedient to the test of an accountant's profit, we have begun to change our civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/once-we-allow-ourselves-to-be-disobedient-to-the-test-of-an/) [John Maynard Keynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/) > [If you owe your bank manager a thousand pounds, you are at his mercy. If you owe him a million pounds, he is at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/if-you-owe-your-bank-manager-a-thousand-pounds-you-are-at-his-mercy/) [John Maynard Keynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/) > [There is no subtler, no surer means of overturning the existing basis of society than to debauch the currency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/there-is-no-subtler-no-surer-means-of-overturning-the-existing-basis/) [John Maynard Keynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/) > [It has been pointed out already that no knowledge of probabilities, less in degree than certainty, helps us to know what conclusions are true,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/it-has-been-pointed-out-already-that-no-knowledge-of-probabilities/) [John Maynard Keynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/) > [Everything is always decided for reasons other than the real merits of the case](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/everything-is-always-decided-for-reasons-other-than-the-real-merits/) [John Maynard Keynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/) > [In the long run we are all dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/in-the-long-run-we-are-all-dead/) [John Maynard Keynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/) > [The power of vested interests is vastly exaggerated compared with the gradual encroachment of ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/the-power-of-vested-interests-is-vastly-exaggerated-compared-with-the/) [John Maynard Keynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/) > [It is a good thing to make mistakes so long as you're found out quickly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/it-is-a-good-thing-to-make-mistakes-so-long-as-you-re-found-out/) [John Maynard Keynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/) > [When the accumulation of wealth is no longer of high social importance, there will be great changes in the code of morals. We shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/when-the-accumulation-of-wealth-is-no-longer-of-high-social/) [John Maynard Keynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/) > [Of the maxims of orthodox finance none, surely, is more anti-social than the fetish of liquidity, the doctrine of that it is a positive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/of-the-maxims-of-orthodox-finance-none-surely-is-more-anti-social/) [John Maynard Keynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/) > [The outstanding faults of the economic society in which we live are its failure to provide for full employment and its arbitrary and inequitable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/the-outstanding-faults-of-the-economic-society-in-which-we-live-are/) [John Maynard Keynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/) > [I conceive, therefore, that a somewhat comprehensive socialisation of investment will prove the means of securing an approximation to full employment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/i-conceive-therefore-that-a-somewhat-comprehensive-socialisation-of/) [John Maynard Keynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/) > [Capitalism is the astounding belief that the most wickedest of men will do the most wickedest of things for the greatest good of everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/capitalism-is-the-astounding-belief-that-the-most-wickedest-of-men/) [John Maynard Keynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/) > [Economics is a very dangerous science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/economics-is-a-very-dangerous-science/) [John Maynard Keynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/) > [Whenever you save five shillings you put a man out of work for a day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/whenever-you-save-five-shillings-you-put-a-man-out-of-work-for-a-day/) [John Maynard Keynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/) [Explore all 246 John Maynard Keynes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/) ## More Argument quotes > [A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/a-flourishing-morally-credible-media-is-a-vital-component-in-the/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [Lutherans, whose arguments and mistakes will not be difficult to contest or discover, do not want to attribute any value to works, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-servetus/lutherans-whose-arguments-and-mistakes-will-not-be-difficult-to/) [Michael Servetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-servetus/) > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [There could be no more powerful argument against mixing religion and government than the success of independent African American churches in placing racial segregation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/there-could-be-no-more-powerful-argument-against-mixing-religion-and/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [On the stage, the characters express themselves more through words than images. So the arguments of the characters and the tension between characters -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/on-the-stage-the-characters-express-themselves-more-through-words/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [One argument goes that recessions are good for female artists because when money flies out the window, women are allowed in the house. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/one-argument-goes-that-recessions-are-good-for-female-artists-because/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > [All of the barriers to innovation in the energy sector are arguments for a big commitment to public investment. Only the public sector can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nordhaus/all-of-the-barriers-to-innovation-in-the-energy-sector-are-arguments/) [Ted Nordhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nordhaus/) > [“Arguments led by subjectivity are a waste of time. And, if they take place online, add to that, a waste of one’s keyboard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/arguments-led-by-subjectivity-are-a-waste-of-time-and-if-they-take/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [If in the middle of an argument I suddenly fall silent it does not mean you have won... No it means you should probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/if-in-the-middle-of-an-argument-i-suddenly-fall-silent-it-does-not/) [Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/) > [Don't get divorced after your first argument! I have a lot of friends that have one fight and that's it, they get divorced. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ripa/don-t-get-divorced-after-your-first-argument-i-have-a-lot-of-friends/) [Kelly Ripa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ripa/) > [“The motive behind my arguments have always been to come at truth. I am not interested in conquering anyone with my ideologies or seeking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crystal-evans/the-motive-behind-my-arguments-have-always-been-to-come-at-truth-i-am/) [Crystal Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crystal-evans/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) [Browse all 3,479 Argument quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Nor should the argument seem strange that taxation may be so high as to defeat its object, and that, given sufficient time to gather the fruits, a reduction of taxation will run a better chance than an increase of balancing the budget.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Maynard Keynes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/nor-should-the-argument-seem-strange-that-taxation-may-be-so-high-as/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Argument" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/nor-should-the-argument-seem-strange-that-taxation-may-be-so-high-as/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a44/john-maynard-keynes-1380_argument_nor-should-the-argument-seem-strange-tha_1396956.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a44/john-maynard-keynes-1380_argument_nor-should-the-argument-seem-strange-tha_1396956.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a44/john-maynard-keynes-1380_argument_nor-should-the-argument-seem-strange-tha_1396956.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Nor should the argument seem strange that taxation may be so high as to defeat its object, and that, given…” — John Maynard Keynes", "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": "John Maynard Keynes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Nor should the argument seem strange...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/nor-should-the-argument-seem-strange-that-taxation-may-be-so-high-as/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/nor-should-the-argument-seem-strange-that-taxation-may-be-so-high-as/#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 } } ] } ```