---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's nothing magic about spending on…"
description: "\"There's nothing magic about spending on tanks and bombs rather than roads and bridges.\" — Paul Krugman"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2af/paul-krugman-2255_bombs_there-s-nothing-magic-about-spending-on_1258430.png"
---

#  There's nothing magic about spending on tanks and bombs…

![“There's nothing magic about spending on tanks and bombs rather than roads and bridges.” quote by Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2af/paul-krugman-2255_bombs_there-s-nothing-magic-about-spending-on_1258430.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2af/paul-krugman-2255_bombs_there-s-nothing-magic-about-spending-on_1258430.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2af/paul-krugman-2255_bombs_there-s-nothing-magic-about-spending-on_1258430.png)

> “There's nothing magic about spending on tanks and bombs rather than roads and bridges.”

[Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/)

## About This Quote

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

Spending on military hardware yields less societal benefit than investing in infrastructure like roads and bridges.

**In simple terms:** Military spending is less beneficial than infrastructure.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize infrastructure over weapons.

Themes

economics public policy infrastructure military spending

Mood

critical analytical

Type

policy economic commentary

When to use this quote

- urban planning
- budget allocation
- national defense strategy
- development projects

Key Concepts

Opportunity cost public goods economic growth

Questions to Reflect On

- How does military spending affect economic inequality?
- What are the long‑term returns of infrastructure investment?

A Different Perspective

Infrastructure projects also face political, and and long‑term maintenance costs.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Bombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bombs/) [Bombs Roads](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bombs-roads-3992044/) [Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bridges/) [Magic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic/) [Spending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spending/) [Spending Tanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spending-tanks-3992043/) [Tanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tanks/) [Tanks Bombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tanks-bombs-1207429/)

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