Bad Quote by Joseph Stiglitz
“It is always better to tax bad things than good things.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Economic Forum, Joseph Stiglitz, 2005
Taxing harmful activities is preferable to taxing beneficial ones.
In simple terms: Tax bad, not good.
Key Takeaway
Support policies that tax negative externalities.
Themes
economics
public policy
justice
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
policy
economic
When to use this quote
- environmental regulation
- health taxes
- sin taxes
- corporate responsibility
Key Concepts
externalities
taxation theory
Questions to Reflect On
- What activities should be taxed more heavily?
- How do you balance fairness and efficiency?
A Different Perspective
Defining “bad” vs “good” can be contentious.
![“World War II was really unusual, because America was in the Great Depression before. So the war did help the US economy to get securely out of this decline. This time, the war [in Iraq] is bad for the economy in both the short and long run. We could have spent trillions in research or education…” quote by Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/860/joseph-stiglitz-1351_america_world-war-ii-was-really-unusual-because_156000.jpg)
