---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When something goes wrong, the natural…"
description: "\"When something goes wrong, the natural tendency is to say, \"By God, we need to pass a law and do something.\"\" — Milton Friedman"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ff/milton-friedman-616_law_when-something-goes-wrong-the-natural-te_2630705.png"
---

#  When something goes wrong, the natural tendency is to say…

![“When something goes wrong, the natural tendency is to say, &quot;By God, we need to pass a law and do something.&quot;” quote by Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ff/milton-friedman-616_law_when-something-goes-wrong-the-natural-te_2630705.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ff/milton-friedman-616_law_when-something-goes-wrong-the-natural-te_2630705.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ff/milton-friedman-616_law_when-something-goes-wrong-the-natural-te_2630705.png)

> “When something goes wrong, the natural tendency is to say, "By God, we need to pass a law and do something."”

[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.

When problems arise, people often demand legislation, but law alone may not solve underlying issues.

**In simple terms:** People rush to laws when things go wrong.

Key Takeaway

Consider non‑legislative solutions.

Themes

policy law human behavior economics decision making

Mood

skeptical inquisitive

Type

philosophical analytical

When to use this quote

- government response
- public debate
- community initiatives
- private sector innovation

Key Concepts

regulatory response public policy behavioral economics

Questions to Reflect On

- What problems are better solved by market mechanisms?
- When is legislation truly necessary?

A Different Perspective

Laws can be ineffective without cultural change.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/)

## Related quotes

> [When you get in a job, the tendency is to say, 'I've got to know it. I've got to give direction to others. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-m-mulcahy/when-you-get-in-a-job-the-tendency-is-to-say-i-ve-got-to-know-it-i-ve/)

[Anne M. Mulcahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-m-mulcahy/)

> [The natural tendency of all human behavior is toward the path of least resistance. When you resist this tendency, you become stronger and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/the-natural-tendency-of-all-human-behavior-is-toward-the-path-of/)

[Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/)

> [I have a natural tendency to resist conformity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-hernandez/i-have-a-natural-tendency-to-resist-conformity/)

[Keith Hernandez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-hernandez/)

> [Indeed the general natural Tendency of Reading good History, must be, to fix in the Minds of Youth deep Impressions of the Beauty and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/indeed-the-general-natural-tendency-of-reading-good-history-must-be/)

[Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/)

> [We were born with a natural tendency to focus on love. Our imaginations were creative and flourishing, and we knew how to use them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/we-were-born-with-a-natural-tendency-to-focus-on-love-our/)

[Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/)

> [Our natural tendency is to project onto other people our own belief and value systems, in ways in which we are not even aware.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/our-natural-tendency-is-to-project-onto-other-people-our-own-belief/)

[Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/)

> [When we dislike someone, or feel threatened by someone, the natural tendency is to focus on something we dislike about the person, something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-redfield/when-we-dislike-someone-or-feel-threatened-by-someone-the-natural/)

[James Redfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-redfield/)

> [We have but to remember man's natural tendency to satisfy his desires with the minimum of effort to realize how political power will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-chodorov/we-have-but-to-remember-man-s-natural-tendency-to-satisfy-his-desires/)

[Frank Chodorov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-chodorov/)

> [I think that education today is a form of child abuse. The natural tendency of children is to solve problems, but we try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/i-think-that-education-today-is-a-form-of-child-abuse-the-natural/)

[Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/)

> [Money is a very powerful thing, which you hardly notice when it goes right, but which can create havoc when it goes wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/money-is-a-very-powerful-thing-which-you-hardly-notice-when-it-goes/)

[Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/)

> [The tendency of humanity is towards the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/the-tendency-of-humanity-is-towards-the-forbidden/)

[Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/)

> [We pass for what we are. Character teaches above our wills. Men imagine that they communicate thier virtue or vice by overt actions, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/we-pass-for-what-we-are-character-teaches-above-our-wills-men-imagine/)

[Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/)

> [I actually have a weird tendency to say things to people that they were just about to say. I always freak my best friend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-lee-smith/i-actually-have-a-weird-tendency-to-say-things-to-people-that-they/)

[Lauren Lee Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-lee-smith/)

> [There is a tendency among men as well as women ... so soon as they have acquired a little knowledge of some kind, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murasaki-shikibu/there-is-a-tendency-among-men-as-well-as-women-so-soon-as-they-have/)

[Murasaki Shikibu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murasaki-shikibu/)

> [Pettiness is the tendency of people without large purposes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/pettiness-is-the-tendency-of-people-without-large-purposes/)

[George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/)

## 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 Law quotes

> [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/)

[Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/)

> [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/)

[Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/)

> [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/)

[Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/)

> [ \[Islam\] Leaves no room of human legislation in an Islamic state, because herein all legislative functions vest in God and the only function left… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abul-a-la-maududi/islam-leaves-no-room-of-human-legislation-in-an-islamic-state-because/)

[Abul A'la Maududi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abul-a-la-maududi/)

> [The law is like apparel, which alters with the time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dodderidge/the-law-is-like-apparel-which-alters-with-the-time/)

John Dodderidge

> [I am convinced that we will never build a democratic state based on rule of law if we do not at the same time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/i-am-convinced-that-we-will-never-build-a-democratic-state-based-on/)

[Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/)

> [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/)

[Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/)

> [Dictatorship is rule based directly upon force and unrestricted by any laws. The revolutionary dictatorship of the proletariat is rule won and maintained by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-lenin/dictatorship-is-rule-based-directly-upon-force-and-unrestricted-by/)

[Vladimir Lenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-lenin/)

> [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/)

[Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/)

> [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/)

[Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/)

> [Laws undertake to punish only overt acts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/laws-undertake-to-punish-only-overt-acts/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [A man has a right to use a saw, an axe, a plane, separately; may he not combine their uses on the same piece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/a-man-has-a-right-to-use-a-saw-an-axe-a-plane-separately-may-he-not/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [In relations between the rich and the strong, between the rich and the poor, between the master and the servant, it's liberty that grinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-relations-between-the-rich-and-the-strong-between-the-rich-and-the/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“The laws of every country must be analogous to some common principle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-laws-of-every-country-must-be-analogous-to-some-common-principle/)

[Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/)

> [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 16,973 Law quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "When something goes wrong, the natural tendency is to say, \"By God, we need to pass a law and do something.\"",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Milton Friedman"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/when-something-goes-wrong-the-natural-tendency-is-to-say-by-god-we/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Law"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/when-something-goes-wrong-the-natural-tendency-is-to-say-by-god-we/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ff/milton-friedman-616_law_when-something-goes-wrong-the-natural-te_2630705.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ff/milton-friedman-616_law_when-something-goes-wrong-the-natural-te_2630705.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ff/milton-friedman-616_law_when-something-goes-wrong-the-natural-te_2630705.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“When something goes wrong, the natural tendency is to say, \"By God, we need to pass a law and do something.\"” — 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": "When something goes wrong, the natural...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/when-something-goes-wrong-the-natural-tendency-is-to-say-by-god-we/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/when-something-goes-wrong-the-natural-tendency-is-to-say-by-god-we/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
