--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Government is a way by which every…" description: "\"Government is a way by which every individual believes he can live at the expense of everybody else.\" — Milton Friedman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dd/milton-friedman-616_believe_government-is-a-way-by-which-every-indiv_2641130.png" --- # Government is a way by which every individual believes he… ![“Government is a way by which every individual believes he can live at the expense of everybody else.” quote by Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dd/milton-friedman-616_believe_government-is-a-way-by-which-every-indiv_2641130.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dd/milton-friedman-616_believe_government-is-a-way-by-which-every-indiv_2641130.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dd/milton-friedman-616_believe_government-is-a-way-by-which-every-indiv_2641130.png) > “Government is a way by which every individual believes he can live at the expense of everybody else.” [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Government enables individuals to live at others’ expense. **In simple terms:** Government can foster dependency. Key Takeaway Question governmental role. Themes economics political philosophy freedom Mood analytical critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - Taxation - welfare - regulation Key Concepts Libertarianism public policy Questions to Reflect On - How should government balance freedom and support? - What are limits of individualism? A Different Perspective May ignore collective needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Expense Everybody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expense-everybody-2270053/) [Expenses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expenses/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-way-1763337/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Individual Believes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual-believes-474120/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Way Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way-individual-2270054/) ## Related quotes > [Style is such a personal thing; it's your way to be an individual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/style-is-such-a-personal-thing-it-s-your-way-to-be-an-individual/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [“Everybody wants something at the expense of everybody else and nobody thinks much of the other fellow,” Truman”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/everybody-wants-something-at-the-expense-of-everybody-else-and-nobody/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [The disturbed individual who believes himself to be Christ, or to receive messages from God, is something of a cliche in our society. Ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-winston/the-disturbed-individual-who-believes-himself-to-be-christ-or-to/) [Robert Winston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-winston/) > [“Suppose an individual believes something with his whole heart; suppose further that he has taken irrevocable actions because of it. Finally suppose he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-gladstone/suppose-an-individual-believes-something-with-his-whole-heart-suppose/) [Brooke Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooke-gladstone/) > [“The individual that believes God permits a man to hit a woman or speak to her using abusive language, is void of understanding who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-j-barrier/the-individual-that-believes-god-permits-a-man-to-hit-a-woman-or/) [Ellen J. Barrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-j-barrier/) > [A mathematician is an individual who believes that prophesying that his dog will die if he deprives it of food constitutes a prediction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gaede/a-mathematician-is-an-individual-who-believes-that-prophesying-that/) [Bill Gaede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gaede/) > [After all, across the population there are slight differences in brain function, and sometimes these translate directly into different ways of experiencing the world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-eagleman/after-all-across-the-population-there-are-slight-differences-in-brain/) [David Eagleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-eagleman/) > [Have the government get out of the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-rigell/have-the-government-get-out-of-the-way/) [Scott Rigell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-rigell/) > [Americans need government to get out of the way; they'll do the rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-james/americans-need-government-to-get-out-of-the-way-they-ll-do-the-rest/) [John E. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-james/) > [Get government out of our way, and let freedom and the spirit of the American people shine through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-fortuno/get-government-out-of-our-way-and-let-freedom-and-the-spirit-of-the/) [Luis Fortuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-fortuno/) > [“We are a nation that has a government--not the other way around.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/we-are-a-nation-that-has-a-government-not-the-other-way-around/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [You can provide better services for less if you get the federal government out of the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-mulvaney/you-can-provide-better-services-for-less-if-you-get-the-federal/) [Mick Mulvaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-mulvaney/) > [Jail is just the government's way of sending you to your room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syzzer/jail-is-just-the-government-s-way-of-sending-you-to-your-room/) [Syzzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syzzer/) > [We must get government out of the way and help foster an environment where small businesses are free to grow and create jobs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-graves/we-must-get-government-out-of-the-way-and-help-foster-an-environment/) [Sam Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-graves/) > [The federal government is way larger than it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/the-federal-government-is-way-larger-than-it-should-be/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) ## More by Milton Friedman > [The government solution to a problem is usually as bad as the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-government-solution-to-a-problem-is-usually-as-bad-as-the-problem/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [I believe the role that people like myself have played in the transformation of public opinion has been by persistently presenting a different point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/i-believe-the-role-that-people-like-myself-have-played-in-the/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [To really understand something you've got to reduce it to its principles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/to-really-understand-something-you-ve-got-to-reduce-it-to-its/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [It is a mark of how far we have gone on the road to serfdom that government allocation and rationing of oil is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/it-is-a-mark-of-how-far-we-have-gone-on-the-road-to-serfdom-that/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [Economic freedom is an essential requisite for political freedom. By enabling people to cooperate with one another without coercion or central direction, it reduces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/economic-freedom-is-an-essential-requisite-for-political-freedom-by/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [“The people in one district can choose not to reelect their member of Congress, but that will not change the composition of the government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-people-in-one-district-can-choose-not-to-reelect-their-member-of/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [When you have a time of crisis what happens depends on what ideas are floating around, and what ideas have been developed, and thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/when-you-have-a-time-of-crisis-what-happens-depends-on-what-ideas-are/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [The government doesn't have any money. The only power it has is to take from some and give to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-government-doesn-t-have-any-money-the-only-power-it-has-is-to/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [What would the people who sold us goods do with the money? They'd get dollars. What would they do with the dollars? Eat them?!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/what-would-the-people-who-sold-us-goods-do-with-the-money-they-d-get/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [World trade depends on differences among countries, not similarities. Different countries are in different stages of development. It is appropriate for them to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/world-trade-depends-on-differences-among-countries-not-similarities/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [Is there some society you know of that doesn't run on greed? You think Russia doesn't run on greed? You think China doesn't run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/is-there-some-society-you-know-of-that-doesn-t-run-on-greed-you-think/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [Well first of all, tell me, is there some society you know of that doesn't run on greed? You think Russia doesn't run on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/well-first-of-all-tell-me-is-there-some-society-you-know-of-that/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [I think almost every economist would agree that government gets itself in trouble when it tries to interfere with voluntary behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/i-think-almost-every-economist-would-agree-that-government-gets/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [It is most attractive about the US to people and countries with wealth is that it can provide security, insurance really, against political instability.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/it-is-most-attractive-about-the-us-to-people-and-countries-with/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [Hong Kong is the bellwether. If the Chinese stick to their agreement to let Hong Kong go its own path, then China will also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/hong-kong-is-the-bellwether-if-the-chinese-stick-to-their-agreement/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) [Explore all 444 Milton Friedman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) [Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Government is a way by which every individual believes he can live at the expense of everybody else.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Milton Friedman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/government-is-a-way-by-which-every-individual-believes-he-can-live-at/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/government-is-a-way-by-which-every-individual-believes-he-can-live-at/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dd/milton-friedman-616_believe_government-is-a-way-by-which-every-indiv_2641130.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dd/milton-friedman-616_believe_government-is-a-way-by-which-every-indiv_2641130.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dd/milton-friedman-616_believe_government-is-a-way-by-which-every-indiv_2641130.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Government is a way by which every individual believes he can live at the expense of everybody else.” — Milton Friedman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Milton Friedman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Government is a way by which...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/government-is-a-way-by-which-every-individual-believes-he-can-live-at/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/government-is-a-way-by-which-every-individual-believes-he-can-live-at/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```