--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are severe limits to the good that…" description: "\"There are severe limits to the good that the government can do for the economy, but there are almost no limits to the harm it can do.\" — Milton Friedman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/859/milton-friedman-616_can-do_there-are-severe-limits-to-the-good-that_1881456.png" --- # There are severe limits to the good that the government… ![“There are severe limits to the good that the government can do for the economy, but there are almost no limits to the harm it can do.” quote by Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/859/milton-friedman-616_can-do_there-are-severe-limits-to-the-good-that_1881456.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/859/milton-friedman-616_can-do_there-are-severe-limits-to-the-good-that_1881456.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/859/milton-friedman-616_can-do_there-are-severe-limits-to-the-good-that_1881456.png) > “There are severe limits to the good that the government can do for the economy, but there are almost no limits to the harm it can do.” [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 can help the economy only modestly, but can cause great damage if unchecked. **In simple terms:** Government help is limited; harm can be large. Key Takeaway Limit government power to avoid harm. Themes government economy policy risk regulation Mood cautious critical Type political economic When to use this quote - budget decisions - tax policy - regulatory reform - public spending Key Concepts public choice externalities state failure Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance necessary intervention with risk of harm? - What safeguards reduce government‑induced damage? A Different Perspective Even limited help can be outweighed by unintended consequences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Can do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-do/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy/) [Economy Limits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy-limits-2658804/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-economy-396174/) [Harm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harm/) [Limits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limits/) [Limits Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limits-good-2658807/) [Limits Harm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limits-harm-2658805/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Severe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/severe/) [Severe Limits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/severe-limits-2658806/) ## Related quotes > [Evil has no limits. 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