Business Quote by Milton Friedman
“If we have system in which government is in a position to give large favor - it's human nature to try to get this favor - whether those people are large enterprises, or whether they're small businesses like farmers, or whether they're representatives of any other special group. The only way to prevent that is to force them to engage in competition one with the other.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Economic policy lecture, 1970
Government favors can be abused; competition prevents concentration of advantage.
In simple terms: Competition curbs favoritism and abuse.
Promote fair competition in policy.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- public procurement
- small business support
- anti‑corruption reforms
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we ensure competition is truly fair?
- What safeguards prevent collusion among competitors?
Competition alone may not address systemic bias.