---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If it is wrong for you to take money from…"
description: "\"If it is wrong for you to take money from someone else who earned it, to take their money by force for your own needs, then it is certainly just as wro..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6d/neal-boortz-4250_demand_if-it-is-wrong-for-you-to-take-money-fro_55917.png"
---

#  If it is wrong for you to take money from someone else who…

![“If it is wrong for you to take money from someone else who earned it, to take their money by force for your own needs, then it is certainly just as wrong for you to demand that the government step forward and do this dirty work for you.” quote by Neal Boortz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6d/neal-boortz-4250_demand_if-it-is-wrong-for-you-to-take-money-fro_55917.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6d/neal-boortz-4250_demand_if-it-is-wrong-for-you-to-take-money-fro_55917.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6d/neal-boortz-4250_demand_if-it-is-wrong-for-you-to-take-money-fro_55917.png)

> “If it is wrong for you to take money from someone else who earned it, to take their money by force for your own needs, then it is certainly just as wrong for you to demand that the government step forward and do this dirty work for you.”

[Neal Boortz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-boortz/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The quote argues that demanding government forceful seizure of others' earnings is morally equivalent to personal theft, highlighting a consistency in ethical standards.

**In simple terms:** Government coercion mirrors personal theft.

Key Takeaway

Demanding state-sanctioned theft is ethically wrong.

Themes

ethics government power property rights justice individualism

Mood

critical skeptical serious

Type

philosophical political ethical

When to use this quote

- political debates on taxation
- protests against eminent domain
- discussions on wealth redistribution
- activist campaigns against government overreach

Key Concepts

morality state authority property personal responsibility

Practical Applications

- policy analysis
- philosophical essays

Questions to Reflect On

- Is it ever justified for a government to take private wealth for public use?
- How does this view align with social contract theory?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Demand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demand/) [Demand Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demand-government-406224/) [Dirty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dirty/) [Dirty work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dirty-work/) [Earned Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earned-money-259518/) [Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Money Earned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money-earned-353620/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Step forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/step-forward/) [Steps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steps/) [Steps forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steps-forward/) [Wrong Demand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrong-demand-778247/) [Wrong Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrong-money-778248/)

## Related quotes

> [“It was money that earned money now, not work, and that money had to have originally come from somewhere.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-dahl/it-was-money-that-earned-money-now-not-work-and-that-money-had-to/)

[Arne Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-dahl/)

> [“The money was such an obvious problem that I didn't even get to thinking about any of the others most of the time. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-evans/the-money-was-such-an-obvious-problem-that-i-didn-t-even-get-to/)

[Danielle Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-evans/)

> [There are only two things wrong with money: too much or too little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/there-are-only-two-things-wrong-with-money-too-much-or-too-little/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [“She told me of your two chief faults, your vanity, and your being, as she termed it, " all wrong about money ". I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/she-told-me-of-your-two-chief-faults-your-vanity-and-your-being-as/)

[Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/)

> [“I know what a park bench is and the landlord's knock. There are only two things wrong with money: too much or too little.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-know-what-a-park-bench-is-and-the-landlord-s-knock-there-are-only/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [Nothing is being done of any real significance. Our demand is the government must tell the truth about the crisis we're in. And that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-bradbrook/nothing-is-being-done-of-any-real-significance-our-demand-is-the/)

[Gail Bradbrook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-bradbrook/)

> [When people abuse these freedoms to enrich themselves at the expense of others, then the public will demand the government to step in. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-blackwell/when-people-abuse-these-freedoms-to-enrich-themselves-at-the-expense/)

[Ken Blackwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-blackwell/)

> [I do not have much confidence in the political system and never did. My goal has always been to change people's minds because as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/i-do-not-have-much-confidence-in-the-political-system-and-never-did/)

[Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/)

> [“we are living in a sick society filled with people who would not directly steal from their neighbor but who are willing to demand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-l-comer/we-are-living-in-a-sick-society-filled-with-people-who-would-not/)

[William L. Comer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-l-comer/)

> [Citizens continue to demand government help in fighting cybercrime, defending children from stalkers and bullies, and protecting consumers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/citizens-continue-to-demand-government-help-in-fighting-cybercrime/)

[Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/)

> [In contrast to them, Republicans argue, are minorities, organized workers, and women, who demand government policies that can only be paid for with tax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-cox-richardson/in-contrast-to-them-republicans-argue-are-minorities-organized/)

[Heather Cox Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-cox-richardson/)

> [The reality is we that have a corrupt campaign finance system which separates the American people's needs and desires from what Congress is doing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-reality-is-we-that-have-a-corrupt-campaign-finance-system-which/)

[Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/)

> [Personal rights, universally the same, demand a government framed on the ratio of the census: property demands a government framedon the ratio of owners…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/personal-rights-universally-the-same-demand-a-government-framed-on/)

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

> [I'll demand of myself and my own government what, in the past, I insisted of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-varadkar/i-ll-demand-of-myself-and-my-own-government-what-in-the-past-i/)

[Leo Varadkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-varadkar/)

> [If younger people see older people who haven't planned ahead and have to rely on charity, the young will be more likely to provide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-browne/if-younger-people-see-older-people-who-haven-t-planned-ahead-and-have/)

[Harry Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-browne/)

## More by Neal Boortz

> [“Let's just make this easy. I'm in favor of a Constitutional amendment that would read something like this: 'Neither the federal government, nor any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-boortz/let-s-just-make-this-easy-i-m-in-favor-of-a-constitutional-amendment/)

[Neal Boortz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-boortz/)

> [There is no limit to the hunger politicians have for the money you've worked so hard for. ... You can tell them to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-boortz/there-is-no-limit-to-the-hunger-politicians-have-for-the-money-you-ve/)

[Neal Boortz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-boortz/)

> [“Whenever passion prevails over reason, truth becomes a casualty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-boortz/whenever-passion-prevails-over-reason-truth-becomes-a-casualty/)

[Neal Boortz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-boortz/)

> [If you support the war on drugs in its present form, then you're only paying lip-service to the defense of freedom, and you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-boortz/if-you-support-the-war-on-drugs-in-its-present-form-then-you-re-only/)

[Neal Boortz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-boortz/)

> [How many Catholic schools do you think teach the students to question the authority of the Pope? Do you believe Christian schools teach students…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-boortz/how-many-catholic-schools-do-you-think-teach-the-students-to-question/)

[Neal Boortz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-boortz/)

> [Barring extreme physical and mental disabilities, each and every one of us is where we are today -- be it poor or wealthy, happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-boortz/barring-extreme-physical-and-mental-disabilities-each-and-every-one/)

[Neal Boortz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-boortz/)

> [Luck is opportunity met by preparation - and to be prepared or unprepared is a personal choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-boortz/luck-is-opportunity-met-by-preparation-and-to-be-prepared-or/)

[Neal Boortz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-boortz/)

> [“During most election seasons, one group of researchers or another will generate a voter questionnaire highlighting planks from the Republican, Democrat, and Libertarian election…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-boortz/during-most-election-seasons-one-group-of-researchers-or-another-will/)

[Neal Boortz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-boortz/)

> [“Because consumption comes from three sources: income, savings, and borrowings. Stating the obvious, income comes only from income. Our point? FairTax opponents will tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-boortz/because-consumption-comes-from-three-sources-income-savings-and/)

[Neal Boortz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-boortz/)

> [The lottery is a tax on ignorance, and all the losers that play the game are paying the price for their stupidity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-boortz/the-lottery-is-a-tax-on-ignorance-and-all-the-losers-that-play-the/)

[Neal Boortz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-boortz/)

> [The one thing government has which we (you or I or any corporation) DON'T have, is the ability to use deadly force to accomplish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-boortz/the-one-thing-government-has-which-we-you-or-i-or-any-corporation-don/)

[Neal Boortz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-boortz/)

> [“The FairTax takes current individual taxpayers out of the tax collection and payment business altogether. Just how many people would that be? Try 165…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-boortz/the-fairtax-takes-current-individual-taxpayers-out-of-the-tax/)

[Neal Boortz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-boortz/)

> [“Consider this: Every day in America more people get their evening news from Entertainment Tonight, an insipid syndicated television show covering celebrity news, than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-boortz/consider-this-every-day-in-america-more-people-get-their-evening-news/)

[Neal Boortz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-boortz/)

> [“The fact that FairTax principles haven’t already been passed into law is an indication of failure at every level of politics in every party.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-boortz/the-fact-that-fairtax-principles-haven-t-already-been-passed-into-law/)

[Neal Boortz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-boortz/)

> [The key to accepting responsibility for your life is to accept the fact that your choices, every one of them, are leading you inexorably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-boortz/the-key-to-accepting-responsibility-for-your-life-is-to-accept-the/)

[Neal Boortz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-boortz/)

[Explore all 114 Neal Boortz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-boortz/)

## More Demand quotes

> [Our times demand the declaration of the world's resources as the common heritage of all people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/our-times-demand-the-declaration-of-the-world-s-resources-as-the/)

[Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/)

> [Parents who are stressed or disturbed will have more difficulty in meeting their children's needs. Parents who have little support--from friends, relatives, neighbors, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/parents-who-are-stressed-or-disturbed-will-have-more-difficulty-in/)

[Sheila Kamerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-kamerman/)

> [If a person does not listen to the demands of their own spiritual and heart life and insists on a certain program, you're going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/if-a-person-does-not-listen-to-the-demands-of-their-own-spiritual-and/)

[Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/)

> [Empires fall, ids explode, great symphonies are written, and behind all of it is a single instinct that demands satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/empires-fall-ids-explode-great-symphonies-are-written-and-behind-all/)

[Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/)

> [My dogs can't do anything--and what a relief. I don't make any demands of them, and I don't try to shape them or their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-chua/my-dogs-can-t-do-anything-and-what-a-relief-i-don-t-make-any-demands/)

[Amy Chua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-chua/)

> [The trouble is. . .that everybody sneers at restrictions and demands freedom, till something annoying happens; then they demand angrily what has become of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/the-trouble-is-that-everybody-sneers-at-restrictions-and-demands/)

[Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/)

> [You be greater than your feelings. I don't demand this of you - life does. Otherwise you'll be washed away by feelings. You'll be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/you-be-greater-than-your-feelings-i-don-t-demand-this-of-you-life/)

[Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/)

> [Christianity does not oppose debauchery and uncontrollable passions and the like as much as it opposes... flat mediocrity, this nauseating atmosphere, this homey, civil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/christianity-does-not-oppose-debauchery-and-uncontrollable-passions/)

[Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/)

> [It is an interesting law of romance that a truly strong woman will choose a strong man who disagrees with her over a weak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-is-an-interesting-law-of-romance-that-a-truly-strong-woman-will/)

[Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/)

> [If we get better our customers will demand we get bigger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-truett-cathy/if-we-get-better-our-customers-will-demand-we-get-bigger/)

[S. Truett Cathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-truett-cathy/)

> [If our faith in God is not the veriest sham, it demands, and will produce, the abandonment sometimes, the subordination always, of external helps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-maclaren/if-our-faith-in-god-is-not-the-veriest-sham-it-demands-and-will/)

[Alexander MacLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-maclaren/)

> [Money should be ones demand and command one should not become slave of money..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/money-should-be-ones-demand-and-command-one-should-not-become-slave/)

[Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/)

> [There was no mistake in us making abortion legal and available on demand. That was what we call progress. Just like it was no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ruffalo/there-was-no-mistake-in-us-making-abortion-legal-and-available-on/)

[Mark Ruffalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ruffalo/)

> [Most enjoyable activities are not natural; they demand an effort that initially one is reluctant to make. But once the interaction starts to provide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/most-enjoyable-activities-are-not-natural-they-demand-an-effort-that/)

[Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/)

> [Azerbaijan unleashed the war, and was defeated in that war; Azerbaijan asked for truce (including from the Commander of Karabakh's forces) and later started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serzh-sargsyan/azerbaijan-unleashed-the-war-and-was-defeated-in-that-war-azerbaijan/)

[Serzh Sargsyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serzh-sargsyan/)

[Browse all 3,809 Demand quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demand/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "If it is wrong for you to take money from someone else who earned it, to take their money by force for your own needs, then it is certainly just as wrong for you to demand that the government step forward and do this dirty work for you.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Neal Boortz"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-boortz/if-it-is-wrong-for-you-to-take-money-from-someone-else-who-earned-it/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Demand"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-boortz/if-it-is-wrong-for-you-to-take-money-from-someone-else-who-earned-it/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6d/neal-boortz-4250_demand_if-it-is-wrong-for-you-to-take-money-fro_55917.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6d/neal-boortz-4250_demand_if-it-is-wrong-for-you-to-take-money-fro_55917.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6d/neal-boortz-4250_demand_if-it-is-wrong-for-you-to-take-money-fro_55917.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If it is wrong for you to take money from someone else who earned it, to take their money by force for your…” — Neal Boortz",
                "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": "Neal Boortz",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-boortz/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "If it is wrong for you...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-boortz/if-it-is-wrong-for-you-to-take-money-from-someone-else-who-earned-it/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-boortz/if-it-is-wrong-for-you-to-take-money-from-someone-else-who-earned-it/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
