--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Detroit is an extreme example of the fact…" description: "\"“Detroit is an extreme example of the fact that public-sector employment has become in effect a supplementary welfare state, with salaries and benefits..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be6/kevin-d-williamson-22899_welfare-state_detroit-is-an-extreme-example-of-the-fac_1363503.jpg" --- # Detroit is an extreme example of the fact that… ![“Detroit is an extreme example of the fact that public-sector employment has become in effect a supplementary welfare state, with salaries and benefits – and, above all, pensions – entirely disconnected from legitimate municipal purposes. Unionized public-sector employees with a high degree of…” quote by Kevin D. Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be6/kevin-d-williamson-22899_welfare-state_detroit-is-an-extreme-example-of-the-fac_1363503.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be6/kevin-d-williamson-22899_welfare-state_detroit-is-an-extreme-example-of-the-fac_1363503.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be6/kevin-d-williamson-22899_welfare-state_detroit-is-an-extreme-example-of-the-fac_1363503.jpg) > ““Detroit is an extreme example of the fact that public-sector employment has become in effect a supplementary welfare state, with salaries and benefits – and, above all, pensions – entirely disconnected from legitimate municipal purposes. Unionized public-sector employees with a high degree of political discipline fortified by narrow financial self-interest become an unstoppable constituency, and the government becomes its own special-interest group.”” [Kevin D. Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-d-williamson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Public‑sector jobs have become a de facto welfare system, with salaries and pensions detached from municipal goals, creating a powerful, self‑interested political bloc. **In simple terms:** Government jobs act like welfare. Key Takeaway Recognize the political influence of public‑sector benefits. Themes government public‑sector welfare state Mood critical analytical Type political economic When to use this quote - budget planning - policy reform - union negotiations - municipal budgeting Key Concepts economics political science Questions to Reflect On - How can municipalities align employee compensation with public goals? - What alternatives exist to reduce pension liabilities? A Different Perspective Reforms may face strong resistance from entrenched interests. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Public sector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-sector/) [Welfare state](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/welfare-state/) ## Related quotes > [American critics of welfare statism are often surprised to learn that countries like West Germany, with a much more comprehensive welfare state and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kuttner/american-critics-of-welfare-statism-are-often-surprised-to-learn-that/) [Robert Kuttner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kuttner/) > [“We are now more Socialist in many ways than any other developed country outside the Communist bloc—in the size of the public sector, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-joseph/we-are-now-more-socialist-in-many-ways-than-any-other-developed/) Keith Joseph > [Let's hope the Canadian public sector starts putting the blockchain on their agenda so we can see a significant difference in how government services…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mougayar/let-s-hope-the-canadian-public-sector-starts-putting-the-blockchain/) [William Mougayar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mougayar/) > [You know, I definitely have an inclination to work in the public sector.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-jones/you-know-i-definitely-have-an-inclination-to-work-in-the-public-sector/) [Rashida Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-jones/) > [Philanthropy is involved with basic innovations that transform society, not simply maintaining the status quo or filling basic social needs that were formerly the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rockefeller/philanthropy-is-involved-with-basic-innovations-that-transform/) [David Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rockefeller/) > [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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It means more dollars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/tax-reduction-has-an-almost-irresistible-appeal-to-the-politician-and/) [John W. 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Its an ongoing issue that will require a collaborative effort across private…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-samuelsson/we-can-all-agree-that-government-cant-solve-the-obesity-crisis-alone/) [Marcus Samuelsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-samuelsson/) > [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/) ## More by Kevin D. Williamson > [I like to multitask. I love the process of the storytelling in television. I love the serial. Even my stab at doing a procedural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-d-williamson/i-like-to-multitask-i-love-the-process-of-the-storytelling-in/) [Kevin D. Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-d-williamson/) > [Even as a child, I just leaned towards the scary. I remember seeing Halloween, for the first time. I snuck into the theater and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-d-williamson/even-as-a-child-i-just-leaned-towards-the-scary-i-remember-seeing/) [Kevin D. Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-d-williamson/) > [If you're not willing to have somebody hauled off at gunpoint over the project, then it's probably not a legitimate concern of the state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-d-williamson/if-you-re-not-willing-to-have-somebody-hauled-off-at-gunpoint-over/) [Kevin D. 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Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-d-williamson/) > [“It would be difficult to find in the United States any profession so dedicated to socialism as that of educators, and difficult to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-d-williamson/it-would-be-difficult-to-find-in-the-united-states-any-profession-so/) [Kevin D. Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-d-williamson/) > [“the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development estimates that American families pay 26 percent more for milk than they would pay if they paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-d-williamson/the-organization-for-economic-cooperation-and-development-estimates/) [Kevin D. Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-d-williamson/) > [“The proximate cause of Detroit’s bankruptcy is its inability to make good on debts owed to the funds paying out pensions and health care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-d-williamson/the-proximate-cause-of-detroit-s-bankruptcy-is-its-inability-to-make/) [Kevin D. Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-d-williamson/) > [Horror films had died a little bit before Scream came around. That was one of the reasons I wrote it. I wanted to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-d-williamson/horror-films-had-died-a-little-bit-before-scream-came-around-that-was/) [Kevin D. Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-d-williamson/) > [Detroit's political leadership is a parasite that has outgrown its host.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-d-williamson/detroit-s-political-leadership-is-a-parasite-that-has-outgrown-its/) [Kevin D. Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-d-williamson/) > [I'm a huge fan of horror. I can't handle all the blood and gore, but that's what The Following was meant to be. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-d-williamson/i-m-a-huge-fan-of-horror-i-can-t-handle-all-the-blood-and-gore-but/) [Kevin D. Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-d-williamson/) > [I do believe there's been a lull of slasher films. There have been a few that I guess would fall under the genre of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-d-williamson/i-do-believe-there-s-been-a-lull-of-slasher-films-there-have-been-a/) [Kevin D. Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-d-williamson/) [Explore all 26 Kevin D. Williamson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-d-williamson/) ## More Public sector quotes > [All of the barriers to innovation in the energy sector are arguments for a big commitment to public investment. 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Its an ongoing issue that will require a collaborative effort across private…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-samuelsson/we-can-all-agree-that-government-cant-solve-the-obesity-crisis-alone/) [Marcus Samuelsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-samuelsson/) > [Jobs in the public sector are increasingly dependent on technology, and more and more government services are available online in developed and developing countries.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tae-yoo/jobs-in-the-public-sector-are-increasingly-dependent-on-technology/) [Tae Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tae-yoo/) > [Rethinking capitalism means rethinking the role of the public sector, the role of the private sector, the role of finance, and the relationship between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariana-mazzucato/rethinking-capitalism-means-rethinking-the-role-of-the-public-sector/) [Mariana Mazzucato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariana-mazzucato/) > [One of the things that the public sector banks need to do is to raise private capital from the market and not rely on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/urjit-patel/one-of-the-things-that-the-public-sector-banks-need-to-do-is-to-raise/) [Urjit Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/urjit-patel/) > [During the early 1960s, I decided to supplement research support for quantitative economic studies at Pennsylvania by selling econometric forecasts to private and public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/during-the-early-1960s-i-decided-to-supplement-research-support-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Tax reduction has an almost irresistible appeal to the politician, and it is no doubt also gratifying to the citizen. It means more dollars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/tax-reduction-has-an-almost-irresistible-appeal-to-the-politician-and/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [As many have pointed out, it is not clear that we need so many public sector banks. The system could be better off if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/urjit-patel/as-many-have-pointed-out-it-is-not-clear-that-we-need-so-many-public/) [Urjit Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/urjit-patel/) > [I think public sector banks need to have greater private participation of people who have skin in the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-piramal/i-think-public-sector-banks-need-to-have-greater-private/) [Ajay Piramal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-piramal/) > [People share a universal behavioural trait: if there are profits to be made, the effort to get that money will attract investment. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-buchanan/people-share-a-universal-behavioural-trait-if-there-are-profits-to-be/) [James M. Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-buchanan/) > [Philanthropy is involved with basic innovations that transform society, not simply maintaining the status quo or filling basic social needs that were formerly the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rockefeller/philanthropy-is-involved-with-basic-innovations-that-transform/) [David Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rockefeller/) > [You know, I definitely have an inclination to work in the public sector.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-jones/you-know-i-definitely-have-an-inclination-to-work-in-the-public-sector/) [Rashida Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-jones/) > [Let's hope the Canadian public sector starts putting the blockchain on their agenda so we can see a significant difference in how government services…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mougayar/let-s-hope-the-canadian-public-sector-starts-putting-the-blockchain/) [William Mougayar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mougayar/) > [“We are now more Socialist in many ways than any other developed country outside the Communist bloc—in the size of the public sector, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-joseph/we-are-now-more-socialist-in-many-ways-than-any-other-developed/) Keith Joseph > [It was a new kind of class war -- the people as citizens versus the politicians and their clients in the public sector.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kristol/it-was-a-new-kind-of-class-war-the-people-as-citizens-versus-the/) [Irving Kristol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kristol/) [Browse all 143 Public sector quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-sector/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Detroit is an extreme example of the fact that public-sector employment has become in effect a supplementary welfare state, with salaries and benefits – and, above all, pensions – entirely disconnected from legitimate municipal purposes. 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