---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For a nation, the choices that determine…"
description: "\"For a nation, the choices that determine whether income doubles in one generation or two dwarf all other economic policy concerns.\" — Paul Romer"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d6/paul-romer-12969_choices_for-a-nation-the-choices-that-determine_175859.jpg"
---

#  For a nation, the choices that determine whether income…

![“For a nation, the choices that determine whether income doubles in one generation or two dwarf all other economic policy concerns.” quote by Paul Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d6/paul-romer-12969_choices_for-a-nation-the-choices-that-determine_175859.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d6/paul-romer-12969_choices_for-a-nation-the-choices-that-determine_175859.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d6/paul-romer-12969_choices_for-a-nation-the-choices-that-determine_175859.jpg)

> “For a nation, the choices that determine whether income doubles in one generation or two dwarf all other economic policy concerns.”

[Paul Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-romer/)

## About This Quote

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

Economic growth across generations is the most critical policy issue, outweighing other concerns.

**In simple terms:** Long‑term income growth matters more than other policies.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize policies that boost generational income.

Themes

economic policy intergenerational equity growth wealth creation policy priority

Mood

analytical forward‑looking

Type

economic philosophical

When to use this quote

- education reform
- tax incentives for innovation
- infrastructure investment
- social mobility programs

Key Concepts

macroeconomics human capital innovation inequality

Questions to Reflect On

- How can long‑term growth be balanced with immediate needs?
- What policies best support intergenerational wealth?

A Different Perspective

May underestimate short‑term needs and political feasibility.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Doubles Generation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubles-generation-1892068/) [Economic policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic-policy/) [Generation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generation/) [Income Doubles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/income-doubles-1892066/) [Nation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nation/) [Nation Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nation-choices-1892067/) [Policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/policy/) [Policy Concerns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/policy-concerns-1892069/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/)

## Related quotes

> [There are certain moments in the history of a nation when the choices made define the decades to come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/there-are-certain-moments-in-the-history-of-a-nation-when-the-choices/)

[George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/)

> [The Idea of Anti-imperialism is... to be considered on several grounds. First, it is traditionally pervasive in the United States, though given its most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-conquest/the-idea-of-anti-imperialism-is-to-be-considered-on-several-grounds/)

[Robert Conquest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-conquest/)

> [It's God's will that millions of people are gonna die this year because of some outmoded economic policies? No, it's not!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/it-s-god-s-will-that-millions-of-people-are-gonna-die-this-year/)

[Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/)

> [Unemployment in the sense of distress is widely disappearing. . . . We in America today are nearer to the final triumph over poverty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-hoover/unemployment-in-the-sense-of-distress-is-widely-disappearing-we-in/)

[Herbert Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-hoover/)

> [The countries that have risen and separated out as a result of the collapse of the Soviet Union are, on the whole, following freer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-countries-that-have-risen-and-separated-out-as-a-result-of-the/)

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

> [ That was an exception within the \[Barack\] Obama administration's economic policy, a crisis that he inherited from the previous administration, and felt it was… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-woodruff/that-was-an-exception-within-the-barack-obama-administration-s/)

[Judy Woodruff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-woodruff/)

> [And judging what is appropriate or not appropriate for a country, I think it is important in particular in judging what is the appropriate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-papademos/and-judging-what-is-appropriate-or-not-appropriate-for-a-country-i/)

[Lucas Papademos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-papademos/)

> [Look at what Bush has done. The economy took an incredible hit after September 11. That was a huge shock to the economy. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-o-donnell/look-at-what-bush-has-done-the-economy-took-an-incredible-hit-after/)

[Christine O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-o-donnell/)

> [Mr. David Stockman has said that supply-side economics was merely a cover for the trickle-down approach to economic policy—what an older and less elegant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/mr-david-stockman-has-said-that-supply-side-economics-was-merely-a/)

[John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/)

> [We have the most flexible and adaptive economy. Making sure we sustain the ability of the American economy to perform well is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-snow/we-have-the-most-flexible-and-adaptive-economy-making-sure-we-sustain/)

[John W. Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-snow/)

> [I think that one of the things that we all agree to is that the touchstone for economic policy is, does it allow the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-think-that-one-of-the-things-that-we-all-agree-to-is-that-the/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [Good economic policy requires not so much the bravado to implement drastic change as the strength and wisdom to make reasonable trade-offs over the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-blair-henry/good-economic-policy-requires-not-so-much-the-bravado-to-implement/)

[Peter Blair Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-blair-henry/)

> [I have always believed that the ultimate purpose of economic policies and development policy is to meet the basic needs of our people. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manmohan-singh/i-have-always-believed-that-the-ultimate-purpose-of-economic-policies/)

[Manmohan Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manmohan-singh/)

> [In a normal time, I don't think economic policy makes a large difference one way or another. But in times of crisis it makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zandi/in-a-normal-time-i-don-t-think-economic-policy-makes-a-large/)

[Mark Zandi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zandi/)

> [The corporation is not an independent "person" with its own rights, needs, and desires that regulators must respect. It is a state created tool…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-bakan/the-corporation-is-not-an-independent-person-with-its-own-rights/)

[Joel Bakan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-bakan/)

## More by Paul Romer

> [Charter Cities has been approached in many different ways, by many people acting as individuals or as representatives of organizations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-romer/charter-cities-has-been-approached-in-many-different-ways-by-many/)

[Paul Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-romer/)

> [Unfortunately, we don't have a bankruptcy process. Suppose the state actually just gets to the point where it cannot meet all of its promises…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-romer/unfortunately-we-don-t-have-a-bankruptcy-process-suppose-the-state/)

[Paul Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-romer/)

> [I'd rather live in a world where firms don't have these enormous incentives to spy on individuals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-romer/i-d-rather-live-in-a-world-where-firms-don-t-have-these-enormous/)

[Paul Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-romer/)

> [When we speak of institutions, economists mean more than just organizations. We mean conventions, even rules, about how things are done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-romer/when-we-speak-of-institutions-economists-mean-more-than-just/)

[Paul Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-romer/)

> [Good law includes a commitment to transparency and an insistence that no person or entity with a conflict of interest should have influence on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-romer/good-law-includes-a-commitment-to-transparency-and-an-insistence-that/)

[Paul Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-romer/)

> [No one from Charter Cities, can have any financial interest in any project in Honduras; no one can accept consulting fees from the Honduran…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-romer/no-one-from-charter-cities-can-have-any-financial-interest-in-any/)

[Paul Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-romer/)

> [In the 1950s, Hong Kong was a place where millions of people could go, from the mainland, to start in jobs like sewing shirts,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-romer/in-the-1950s-hong-kong-was-a-place-where-millions-of-people-could-go/)

[Paul Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-romer/)

> [In the developing world, most people don't yet live in big well-run cities. Given the chance to move to one, hundreds of millions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-romer/in-the-developing-world-most-people-don-t-yet-live-in-big-well-run/)

[Paul Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-romer/)

> [Fracking is an amazing instance of discovery of many things that come together to make it much cheaper to extract oil and gas. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-romer/fracking-is-an-amazing-instance-of-discovery-of-many-things-that-come/)

[Paul Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-romer/)

> [My number-one recommendation is to invest in people. Humans that are well trained are the inputs into this discovery process. And there's big opportunities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-romer/my-number-one-recommendation-is-to-invest-in-people-humans-that-are/)

[Paul Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-romer/)

> [After 1960, anyone who wanted to discuss almost any aspect of U.S. public policy - from how to make cars safer to whether to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-romer/after-1960-anyone-who-wanted-to-discuss-almost-any-aspect-of-u-s/)

[Paul Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-romer/)

> [The economy is this huge innovation discovery machine. What the government can do usefully is to focus some of that effort where things turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-romer/the-economy-is-this-huge-innovation-discovery-machine-what-the/)

[Paul Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-romer/)

> [One of the most powerful insights in economics is this idea of a division of labor. You do the thing you're good at. Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-romer/one-of-the-most-powerful-insights-in-economics-is-this-idea-of-a/)

[Paul Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-romer/)

> [If you go back to the really long-run questions that interested me, the big question was why, over the centuries, the millennia, has growth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-romer/if-you-go-back-to-the-really-long-run-questions-that-interested-me/)

[Paul Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-romer/)

> [For an investment banker, the choice between a payment that doubles with every square on the chessboard and one that doubles with every other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-romer/for-an-investment-banker-the-choice-between-a-payment-that-doubles/)

[Paul Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-romer/)

[Explore all 52 Paul Romer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-romer/)

## More Choices quotes

> [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/)

[Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/)

> [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/)

[Alison James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-james/)

> [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/)

[Pancho Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pancho-barnes/)

> [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/)

[Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/)

> [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/)

[Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/)

> [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/)

[Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/)

> [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/)

[Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/)

> [Clarissa," he said, "here with the vampire, I see. When things have settled a bit, we really must discuss you choice in pets..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/clarissa-he-said-here-with-the-vampire-i-see-when-things-have-settled/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/)

[Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/)

> [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/)

[Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/)

> [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/)

[Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/)

> [I don't know that any woman could ever not think about that at some point - even making the choice not to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-watts/i-don-t-know-that-any-woman-could-ever-not-think-about-that-at-some/)

[Naomi Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-watts/)

> [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/)

[Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/)

[Browse all 11,466 Choices quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "For a nation, the choices that determine whether income doubles in one generation or two dwarf all other economic policy concerns.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Paul Romer"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-romer/for-a-nation-the-choices-that-determine-whether-income-doubles-in-one/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Choices"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-romer/for-a-nation-the-choices-that-determine-whether-income-doubles-in-one/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d6/paul-romer-12969_choices_for-a-nation-the-choices-that-determine_175859.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d6/paul-romer-12969_choices_for-a-nation-the-choices-that-determine_175859.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d6/paul-romer-12969_choices_for-a-nation-the-choices-that-determine_175859.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“For a nation, the choices that determine whether income doubles in one generation or two dwarf all other…” — Paul Romer",
                "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": "Paul Romer",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-romer/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "For a nation, the choices that...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-romer/for-a-nation-the-choices-that-determine-whether-income-doubles-in-one/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-romer/for-a-nation-the-choices-that-determine-whether-income-doubles-in-one/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
