--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The great danger to the consumer is the…" description: "\"The great danger to the consumer is the monopoly -whether private or governmental. His most effective protection is free competition at home and free t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97b/milton-friedman-616_alternatives_the-great-danger-to-the-consumer-is-the_1554328.jpg" --- # The great danger to the consumer is the monopoly -whether… ![“The great danger to the consumer is the monopoly -whether private or governmental. His most effective protection is free competition at home and free trade throughout the world. The consumer is protected from being exploited by one seller by the existence of another seller from whom he can buy and…” quote by Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97b/milton-friedman-616_alternatives_the-great-danger-to-the-consumer-is-the_1554328.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97b/milton-friedman-616_alternatives_the-great-danger-to-the-consumer-is-the_1554328.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97b/milton-friedman-616_alternatives_the-great-danger-to-the-consumer-is-the_1554328.jpg) > “The great danger to the consumer is the monopoly -whether private or governmental. His most effective protection is free competition at home and free trade throughout the world. The consumer is protected from being exploited by one seller by the existence of another seller from whom he can buy and who is eager to sell to him. Alternative sources of supply protect the consumer far more effectively than all the Ralph Naders of the world.” [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. Competition prevents monopolistic exploitation by offering alternatives, safeguarding consumers. **In simple terms:** Competition protects consumers from exploitation. Key Takeaway Support free competition and trade. Themes economics consumer protection competition policy liberalism Mood cautious analytical optimistic Type economic policy philosophical When to use this quote - government procurement - retail markets - online platforms - public utilities Key Concepts Market dynamics consumer choice regulation trade policy Questions to Reflect On - How can competition be ensured in natural monopolies? - What role should regulation play alongside competition? A Different Perspective Free competition may not address power imbalances in essential services. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alternatives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alternatives/) [Competition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competition/) [Consumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumer/) [Consumer Monopoly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumer-monopoly-5817348/) [Consumer Protected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumer-protected-5817349/) [Consumers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumers/) [Danger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger/) [Danger Consumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger-consumer-5817350/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Free trade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-trade/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Monopoly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monopoly/) [Protect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protect/) [Protect Consumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protect-consumer-800468/) [Protected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protected/) [Protection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protection/) [Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ralph-nader/) [Sellers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sellers/) [Sells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sells/) [Source](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/source/) [Trade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trade/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Many people want the government to protect the consumer. A much more urgent problem is to protect the consumer from the government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/many-people-want-the-government-to-protect-the-consumer-a-much-more/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [Protect the consumer by owning the product all the way from the soil to the table.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-j-heinz/protect-the-consumer-by-owning-the-product-all-the-way-from-the-soil/) [Henry J. Heinz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-j-heinz/) > [One of the things that I noticed in my private law practice was the fact that so many people had gotten ripped off and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-cooper/one-of-the-things-that-i-noticed-in-my-private-law-practice-was-the/) [Roy Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-cooper/) > [And Ralph Nader, God bless him, still out there campaigning. Ralph Nader said today he has set a record for the most campaign speeches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/and-ralph-nader-god-bless-him-still-out-there-campaigning-ralph-nader/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [I told Mr. Nader today that a vote for Ralph Nader is really a vote for George Bush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-lee/i-told-mr-nader-today-that-a-vote-for-ralph-nader-is-really-a-vote/) [Barbara Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-lee/) > [When it came to the 2000 election, 84 percent of Ivy League faculty voted for Al Gore, 6 percent for Ralph Nader and 9…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/when-it-came-to-the-2000-election-84-percent-of-ivy-league-faculty/) [Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/) > [I don't for the life of me understand how anybody could contemplate the results of the 2000 election in the US and say that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-gitlin/i-don-t-for-the-life-of-me-understand-how-anybody-could-contemplate/) [Todd Gitlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-gitlin/) > [“We do have a grand strategy,” says Zeese, who was the spokesman for Ralph Nader’s 2004 presidential campaign. “Nonviolent movements shift power by attacking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hedges/we-do-have-a-grand-strategy-says-zeese-who-was-the-spokesman-for/) [Chris Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hedges/) > [I feel genuinely sorry for those who are so blinded by narrow partisanship that they cannot appreciate Limbaugh's energy, intelligence and satiric skill. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/i-feel-genuinely-sorry-for-those-who-are-so-blinded-by-narrow/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [John Kerry and Ralph Nader met face-to-face, it was a historic meeting. Astronomers said today their meeting actually created what is called a 'charisma…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/john-kerry-and-ralph-nader-met-face-to-face-it-was-a-historic-meeting/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Love is when you realize that he's as sexy as Woody Allen, as smart as Jimmy Connors, as funny as Ralph Nader, as athletic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-viorst/love-is-when-you-realize-that-he-s-as-sexy-as-woody-allen-as-smart-as/) [Judith Viorst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-viorst/) > [ \[Kurt\] Vonnegut once said, if you ever want to know who somebody is... Like you look at Richard Nixon, or Adolf Hitler, or Ralph… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/kurt-vonnegut-once-said-if-you-ever-want-to-know-who-somebody-is-like/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [“THE MANY FACES OF SURVIVAL Sunday, August 10th at 2:00 PST Dachau Liberator, medical whistle-blower, award winning writer, college professor and world renowned garlic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-gregerson/the-many-faces-of-survival-sunday-august-10th-at-2-00-pst-dachau/) [Judy Gregerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-gregerson/) > [I admire Ralph Nader and Denis Kucinich very much, and insofar as they bring up issues and carry out an educational and organisational function…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-admire-ralph-nader-and-denis-kucinich-very-much-and-insofar-as-they/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I believe that voices like Ross Perot, Pat Buchanan, Ralph Nader should be heard. They don't have to be president. Give 'em a chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kinky-friedman/i-believe-that-voices-like-ross-perot-pat-buchanan-ralph-nader-should/) [Kinky Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinky-friedman/) ## 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 Alternatives quotes > [I am very sad that some designers are still using real fur when the fake alternatives are so effective and so easily obtainable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twiggy/i-am-very-sad-that-some-designers-are-still-using-real-fur-when-the/) [Twiggy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twiggy/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [I strongly reject any conceptual scheme that places our options on a line, and holds that the only alternative to a pair of extreme…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/i-strongly-reject-any-conceptual-scheme-that-places-our-options-on-a/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Conventional agriculture has never succeeded in feeding the world, and it's never produced anything good to eat. For the future, we need to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-barber/conventional-agriculture-has-never-succeeded-in-feeding-the-world-and/) [Dan Barber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-barber/) > [ \[When asked how it felt to be a female prime minister:\] I don't know: I've never experienced the alternative. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/when-asked-how-it-felt-to-be-a-female-prime-minister-i-don-t-know-i/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [If one could have a wish, or an alternative life, I would've liked to have been John Lennon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-oldman/if-one-could-have-a-wish-or-an-alternative-life-i-would-ve-liked-to/) [Gary Oldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-oldman/) > [THE REAL PURPOSE OF HOLOCAUST REVISIONISM IS TO MAKE NATIONAL SOCIALISM AN ACCEPTABLE POLITICAL ALTERNATIVE AGAIN.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-covington/the-real-purpose-of-holocaust-revisionism-is-to-make-national/) [Harold Covington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-covington/) > [Men since the beginning of time have sought peace...military alliances, balances of power, leagues of nations, all in turn have failed, leaving the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-macarthur/men-since-the-beginning-of-time-have-sought-peace-military-alliances/) [Douglas MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-macarthur/) > [Buddhist words such as compassion and emptiness don't mean much until we start cultivating our innate ability simply to be there with pain with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/buddhist-words-such-as-compassion-and-emptiness-don-t-mean-much-until/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [The mission of Christian humility in social life is not merely to edify, but to keep minds open to many alternatives. The rigidity of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/the-mission-of-christian-humility-in-social-life-is-not-merely-to/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [Maximise the alternative forms in which a user might receive a service, and the alternative sources of supply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-chipp/maximise-the-alternative-forms-in-which-a-user-might-receive-a/) [Don Chipp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-chipp/) > [In the last few years, the very idea of telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth is dredged up only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-musto/in-the-last-few-years-the-very-idea-of-telling-the-truth-the-whole/) [Michael Musto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-musto/) > [Altermodern is an in-progress redefinition of modernity in the era of globalisation, stressing the experience of wandering in time, space and mediums. The term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-bourriaud/altermodern-is-an-in-progress-redefinition-of-modernity-in-the-era-of/) [Nicolas Bourriaud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-bourriaud/) > [If the system exhibits a structure which can be represented by a mathematical equivalent, called a mathematical model, and if the objective can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-dantzig/if-the-system-exhibits-a-structure-which-can-be-represented-by-a/) [George Dantzig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-dantzig/) > [We must commit ourselves to an 'all of the above' energy approach, with a major focus on increasing domestic production and expanding alternatives fuels,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-roskam/we-must-commit-ourselves-to-an-all-of-the-above-energy-approach-with/) [Peter Roskam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-roskam/) [Browse all 1,463 Alternatives quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alternatives/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The great danger to the consumer is the monopoly -whether private or governmental. His most effective protection is free competition at home and free trade throughout the world. The consumer is protected from being exploited by one seller by the existence of another seller from whom he can buy and who is eager to sell to him. Alternative sources of supply protect the consumer far more effectively than all the Ralph Naders of the world.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Milton Friedman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-great-danger-to-the-consumer-is-the-monopoly-whether-private-or/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alternatives" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-great-danger-to-the-consumer-is-the-monopoly-whether-private-or/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97b/milton-friedman-616_alternatives_the-great-danger-to-the-consumer-is-the_1554328.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97b/milton-friedman-616_alternatives_the-great-danger-to-the-consumer-is-the_1554328.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97b/milton-friedman-616_alternatives_the-great-danger-to-the-consumer-is-the_1554328.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The great danger to the consumer is the monopoly -whether private or governmental. His most effective…” — 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": "The great danger to the consumer...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-great-danger-to-the-consumer-is-the-monopoly-whether-private-or/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-great-danger-to-the-consumer-is-the-monopoly-whether-private-or/#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 } } ] } ```