Able Quote by Milton Friedman
“There is still a tendency to regard any existing government intervention as desirable, to attribute all evils to the market, and to evaluate new proposals for government control in their ideal form, as they might work if run by able, disinterested men free from the pressure of special interest groups.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Capitalism and Freedom, 1962
People often idealize government action and blame markets for problems, ignoring complexities and special‑interest pressures.
In simple terms: Governments are over‑idealized, markets blamed unfairly.
Key Takeaway
Question policies critically, not idealistically.
Themes
politics
economics
policy
bias
interest groups
idealism
economics
public choice
policy analysis
government intervention
market failures
special interests
Mood
skeptical
critical
Type
analytical
political
When to use this quote
- Policy design
- public debate
- regulatory reform
Key Concepts
Idealized view of government
blaming markets
over‑simplification
Questions to Reflect On
- How do special interests shape policy outcomes?
- When is market failure a better explanation than government failure?
A Different Perspective
Idealized view may ignore real costs and unintended consequences.
![“The ICC [Interstate Commerce Commission] illustrates what might be called the natural history of government intervention. A real or fancied evil leads to demands to do something about it. A political coalition forms consisting of sincere, high-minded reformers and equally sincere interested…” quote by Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/dcc/milton-friedman-616_coalition_the-icc-interstate-commerce-commission-i_2372405.jpg)
