--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: if consumer demand should increase for…" description: "\"“if consumer demand should increase for the goods or services of any private business, the private firm is delighted; it woos and welcomes the new busi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24c/murray-n-rothbard-18059_business_if-consumer-demand-should-increase-for-t_3062245.jpg" --- # if consumer demand should increase for the goods or… ![“if consumer demand should increase for the goods or services of any private business, the private firm is delighted; it woos and welcomes the new business and expands its operations eagerly to fill the new orders. Government, in contrast, generally meets this situation by sourly urging or even…” quote by Murray N. Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24c/murray-n-rothbard-18059_business_if-consumer-demand-should-increase-for-t_3062245.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24c/murray-n-rothbard-18059_business_if-consumer-demand-should-increase-for-t_3062245.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24c/murray-n-rothbard-18059_business_if-consumer-demand-should-increase-for-t_3062245.jpg) > ““if consumer demand should increase for the goods or services of any private business, the private firm is delighted; it woos and welcomes the new business and expands its operations eagerly to fill the new orders. Government, in contrast, generally meets this situation by sourly urging or even ordering consumers to “buy” less, and allows shortages to develop, along with deterioration in the quality of its service. Thus, the increased consumer use of government streets in the cities is met by aggravated traffic congestion and by continuing denunciations and threats against people who drive their own cars. The New York City administration, for example, is continually threatening to outlaw the use of private cars in Manhattan, where congestion has been most troublesome. It is only government, of course, that would ever think of bludgeoning consumers in this way; it is only government that has the audacity to “solve” traffic congestion by forcing private cars (or trucks or taxis or whatever) off the road. According to this principle, of course, the “ideal” solution to traffic congestion is simply to outlaw all vehicles! But this sort of attitude toward the consumer is not confined to traffic on the streets. New York City, for example, has suffered periodically from a water “shortage.” Here is a situation where, for many years, the city government has had a compulsory monopoly of the supply of water to its citizens. Failing to supply enough water, and failing to price that water in such a way as to clear the market, to equate supply and demand (which private enterprise does automatically), New York’s response to water shortages has always been to blame not itself, but the consumer, whose sin has been to use “too much” water. The city administration could only react by outlawing the sprinkling of lawns, restricting use of water, and demanding that people drink less water. In this way, government transfers its own failings to the scapegoat user, who is threatened and bludgeoned instead of being served well and efficiently. There has been similar response by government to the ever-accelerating crime problem in New York City. Instead of providing efficient police protection, the city’s reaction has been to force the innocent citizen to stay out of crime-prone areas. Thus, after Central Park in Manhattan became a notorious center for muggings and other crime in the night hours, New York City’s “solution” to the problem was to impose a curfew, banning use of the park in those hours. In short, if an innocent citizen wants to stay in Central Park at night, it is he who is arrested for disobeying the curfew; it is, of course, easier to arrest him than to rid the park of crime. In short, while the long-held motto of private enterprise is that “the customer is always right,” the implicit maxim of government operation is that the customer is always to be blamed.”” [Murray N. Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-n-rothbard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Government often restricts consumer choices, blaming shortages on users rather than addressing supply problems. **In simple terms:** Governments blame consumers for shortages instead of fixing supply. Key Takeaway Question policies that empower consumers and improve market efficiency. Themes government economics consumer rights regulation public policy Mood critical skeptical analytical Type policy economics critique When to use this quote - Urban traffic management - water supply planning - public utility regulation - consumer advocacy Key Concepts Monopoly externalities price signals market failure Questions to Reflect On - How could market mechanisms reduce traffic congestion? - What incentives would encourage responsible water use? A Different Perspective Government actions can create inefficiencies and resentment if not market‑based. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Central park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/central-park/) [Citizen Wants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizen-wants-5141359/) [Consumer Demand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumer-demand-246714/) [Demand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demand/) [Demand Private](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demand-private-5141358/) [New york city](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york-city/) [Police protection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/police-protection/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Response Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/response-government-350844/) [Supply and demand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supply-and-demand/) [Traffic congestion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/traffic-congestion/) [Water Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water-short/) [York City](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/york-city/) ## Related quotes > [I'm generally never at a lack for words, but it's indescribable how poor the response was from our own government officials, ... 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Government, in contrast, generally meets this situation by sourly urging or even ordering consumers to “buy” less, and allows shortages to develop, along with deterioration in the quality of its service. Thus, the increased consumer use of government streets in the cities is met by aggravated traffic congestion and by continuing denunciations and threats against people who drive their own cars. The New York City administration, for example, is continually threatening to outlaw the use of private cars in Manhattan, where congestion has been most troublesome. It is only government, of course, that would ever think of bludgeoning consumers in this way; it is only government that has the audacity to “solve” traffic congestion by forcing private cars (or trucks or taxis or whatever) off the road. According to this principle, of course, the “ideal” solution to traffic congestion is simply to outlaw all vehicles! But this sort of attitude toward the consumer is not confined to traffic on the streets. New York City, for example, has suffered periodically from a water “shortage.” Here is a situation where, for many years, the city government has had a compulsory monopoly of the supply of water to its citizens. Failing to supply enough water, and failing to price that water in such a way as to clear the market, to equate supply and demand (which private enterprise does automatically), New York’s response to water shortages has always been to blame not itself, but the consumer, whose sin has been to use “too much” water. The city administration could only react by outlawing the sprinkling of lawns, restricting use of water, and demanding that people drink less water. In this way, government transfers its own failings to the scapegoat user, who is threatened and bludgeoned instead of being served well and efficiently. There has been similar response by government to the ever-accelerating crime problem in New York City. Instead of providing efficient police protection, the city’s reaction has been to force the innocent citizen to stay out of crime-prone areas. Thus, after Central Park in Manhattan became a notorious center for muggings and other crime in the night hours, New York City’s “solution” to the problem was to impose a curfew, banning use of the park in those hours. In short, if an innocent citizen wants to stay in Central Park at night, it is he who is arrested for disobeying the curfew; it is, of course, easier to arrest him than to rid the park of crime. In short, while the long-held motto of private enterprise is that “the customer is always right,” the implicit maxim of government operation is that the customer is always to be blamed.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Murray N. 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