Bad thing Quote by Ludwig von Mises
“It is not the fault of the entrepreneurs that the consumers,the people, the common man,prefer liquor to Bibles and detective stories to serious books, and that governments prefer guns to butter. The entrepreneur does not make greater profits in selling bad things than in selling good things. His profits are the greater the better he succeeds in providing the consumers with those things they ask for most intensely.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Human Action, Ludwig von Mises, 1949
Entrepreneurs profit by meeting consumer demand, even if those demands are for harmful goods; market outcomes reflect preferences, not moral judgments.
In simple terms: Markets supply what people want, good or bad.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the limits of market morality.
Themes
economics
consumer choice
entrepreneurship
morality
market forces
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
economic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- Business strategy
- government regulation
- consumer behavior
- public health debates
Key Concepts
Supply and demand
ethical economics
public policy
Questions to Reflect On
- Should governments intervene when consumer demand is harmful?
- How can entrepreneurs balance profit with social responsibility?
A Different Perspective
Markets cannot enforce moral values alone.
![“The [liberals] consider profits as objectionable. The very existence of profits is in their eyes a proof that wage rates could be raised without harm to anybody. They speak of profit without dealing with loss. Profit and loss are the instruments by means of which the consumers keep a tight rein on…” quote by Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b1d/ludwig-von-mises-364_abolish_the-liberals-consider-profits-as-objecti_187906.jpg)
