--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can spend somebody else's money on…" description: "\"I can spend somebody else's money on somebody else. And if I spend somebody else's money on somebody else, I'm not concerned about how much it is, and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e36/milton-friedman-616_government_i-can-spend-somebody-else-s-money-on-som_1667371.png" --- # I can spend somebody else's money on somebody else. And if… ![“I can spend somebody else's money on somebody else. And if I spend somebody else's money on somebody else, I'm not concerned about how much it is, and I'm not concerned about what I get. And that's government.” quote by Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e36/milton-friedman-616_government_i-can-spend-somebody-else-s-money-on-som_1667371.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e36/milton-friedman-616_government_i-can-spend-somebody-else-s-money-on-som_1667371.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e36/milton-friedman-616_government_i-can-spend-somebody-else-s-money-on-som_1667371.png) > “I can spend somebody else's money on somebody else. And if I spend somebody else's money on somebody else, I'm not concerned about how much it is, and I'm not concerned about what I get. And that's government.” [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 spending often lacks personal accountability, leading to wasteful use of resources. **In simple terms:** Government waste due to lack of personal stakes. Key Takeaway Demand fiscal responsibility and transparency. Themes government economics accountability public policy Mood critical analytical Type political economic When to use this quote - tax policy debates - public budgeting - government contracts - budget reviews Key Concepts public finance moral hazard budgeting Questions to Reflect On - How does personal stake affect spending decisions? - What mechanisms can improve accountability? A Different Perspective Assumes all government spending is wasteful, ignoring essential services. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Money Somebody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money-somebody-318517/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rich/) [Somebody Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/somebody-money-510856/) [Somebody Spend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/somebody-spend-822835/) [Spend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spend/) [Spend Somebody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spend-somebody-728735/) ## Related quotes > [I can spend somebody else's money on somebody else. And if I spend somebody else's money on somebody else, I'm not concerned about how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/i-can-spend-somebody-else-s-money-on-somebody-else-and-if-i-spend/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [“There are four ways in which you can spend money. You can spend your own money on yourself. When you do that, why then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/there-are-four-ways-in-which-you-can-spend-money-you-can-spend-your/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [A liberal is a man who is willing to spend somebody else's money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-glass/a-liberal-is-a-man-who-is-willing-to-spend-somebody-else-s-money/) [Carter Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-glass/) > [Doing good with other people's money has two basic flaws. In the first place, you never spend anybody else's money as carefully as you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/doing-good-with-other-people-s-money-has-two-basic-flaws-in-the-first/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [Whenever you try to do good with someone else's money, you are committed to using force. How can you do good with somebody else's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/whenever-you-try-to-do-good-with-someone-else-s-money-you-are/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [Nobody spends somebody else's money as carefully as he spends his own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/nobody-spends-somebody-else-s-money-as-carefully-as-he-spends-his-own/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [If your data is out there earning money for somebody, you should have a say in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-suarez/if-your-data-is-out-there-earning-money-for-somebody-you-should-have/) [Daniel Suarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-suarez/) > [I was just shitty, shitty, shitty with money and I finally, when I really started making money, I had to get somebody to sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-shor/i-was-just-shitty-shitty-shitty-with-money-and-i-finally-when-i/) [Miriam Shor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-shor/) > [I oughta be rich. But, you know, if you don't spend all your time looking after money, somebody else will. The guys who look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crumb/i-oughta-be-rich-but-you-know-if-you-don-t-spend-all-your-time/) [Robert Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crumb/) > [Why would you give money to somebody whose work you don't understand?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/why-would-you-give-money-to-somebody-whose-work-you-don-t-understand/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [“If you get paid in money, somebody, somewhere, is suffering for it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-david-roberts/if-you-get-paid-in-money-somebody-somewhere-is-suffering-for-it/) [Gregory David Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-david-roberts/) > [I have always worked and I would say I'm generous with money - if somebody needed anything I would always give it to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/britt-ekland/i-have-always-worked-and-i-would-say-i-m-generous-with-money-if/) [Britt Ekland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/britt-ekland/) > [I always tell people, 'I have more respect for somebody with no money and class than somebody who is trash and makes $1 billion.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabio-lanzoni/i-always-tell-people-i-have-more-respect-for-somebody-with-no-money/) [Fabio Lanzoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabio-lanzoni/) > [If you could still see yourself living in a cardboard box with somebody with no money then that is love you know, it's what's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perrie-edwards/if-you-could-still-see-yourself-living-in-a-cardboard-box-with/) [Perrie Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perrie-edwards/) > [A marriage ends up being a business deal: no matter how long or short it is, somebody owes somebody money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goldie-hawn/a-marriage-ends-up-being-a-business-deal-no-matter-how-long-or-short/) [Goldie Hawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goldie-hawn/) ## 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 Government quotes > [We could form a government of national unity fighting corruption. The ordinary Afghan is sick and tired of it, because it's she or he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashraf-ghani/we-could-form-a-government-of-national-unity-fighting-corruption-the/) [Ashraf Ghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashraf-ghani/) > [For the Scottish government, the practice of having meetings in different parts of the country is well established, but for the U.K. government, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/for-the-scottish-government-the-practice-of-having-meetings-in/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [“The global population of Earth are involved in the following corporate government experiments: The long term effects of - 1. Nuclear bomb fallout radiation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-global-population-of-earth-are-involved-in-the-following/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [Right now we're concerned about budget. Right now we're concerned about the prospect of interest rate rise. We're concerned about government corruption, government handing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amity-shlaes/right-now-we-re-concerned-about-budget-right-now-we-re-concerned/) [Amity Shlaes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amity-shlaes/) > [One of the worst things to come out of the Consumer Protection Board's misleading claims is the impression that government resources are to hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lesko/one-of-the-worst-things-to-come-out-of-the-consumer-protection-board/) [Matthew Lesko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lesko/) > [It is afraid of an informed, angry public demanding the constitutional government it was promised - and it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-is-afraid-of-an-informed-angry-public-demanding-the-constitutional/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Louisiana's spicy, colorful politics have saddled our state with a reputation for tolerating lax ethical standards in government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/louisiana-s-spicy-colorful-politics-have-saddled-our-state-with-a/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) [Greg Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-perry/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [He is almost a statesman. He lies well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/he-is-almost-a-statesman-he-lies-well/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I mean those people who are interested in good government will certainly contribute in order to make certain there's some counter-balance to those whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/i-mean-those-people-who-are-interested-in-good-government-will/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [We can't have a government that will collapse in three months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-varadkar/we-can-t-have-a-government-that-will-collapse-in-three-months/) [Leo Varadkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-varadkar/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) [Browse all 21,248 Government quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I can spend somebody else's money on somebody else. And if I spend somebody else's money on somebody else, I'm not concerned about how much it is, and I'm not concerned about what I get. And that's government.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Milton Friedman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/i-can-spend-somebody-else-s-money-on-somebody-else-and-if-i-spend-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Government" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/i-can-spend-somebody-else-s-money-on-somebody-else-and-if-i-spend-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e36/milton-friedman-616_government_i-can-spend-somebody-else-s-money-on-som_1667371.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e36/milton-friedman-616_government_i-can-spend-somebody-else-s-money-on-som_1667371.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e36/milton-friedman-616_government_i-can-spend-somebody-else-s-money-on-som_1667371.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I can spend somebody else's money on somebody else. And if I spend somebody else's money on somebody 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": "I can spend somebody else's money...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/i-can-spend-somebody-else-s-money-on-somebody-else-and-if-i-spend-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/i-can-spend-somebody-else-s-money-on-somebody-else-and-if-i-spend-2/#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 } } ] } ```