---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The private sector is first of all much…"
description: "\"The private sector is first of all much larger than the public sector. The waste we see in that sector does not result from the fact that people spend ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dec/robert-h-frank-16805_achieve_the-private-sector-is-first-of-all-much_2409826.png"
---

#  The private sector is first of all much larger than the…

![“The private sector is first of all much larger than the public sector. The waste we see in that sector does not result from the fact that people spend their money carelessly. Mostly, it occurs because what one family must spend to achieve its goals often depends heavily on what other families spend.” quote by Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dec/robert-h-frank-16805_achieve_the-private-sector-is-first-of-all-much_2409826.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dec/robert-h-frank-16805_achieve_the-private-sector-is-first-of-all-much_2409826.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dec/robert-h-frank-16805_achieve_the-private-sector-is-first-of-all-much_2409826.png)

> “The private sector is first of all much larger than the public sector. The waste we see in that sector does not result from the fact that people spend their money carelessly. Mostly, it occurs because what one family must spend to achieve its goals often depends heavily on what other families spend.”

[Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/)

## About This Quote

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

The private sector’s size means waste often stems from interdependent spending decisions among families, not merely careless individual spending.

**In simple terms:** Waste in the private sector arises from linked family spending, not just carelessness.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and address systemic spending interdependencies.

Themes

economics public policy private sector waste interdependence

Mood

analytical critical

Type

economic policy-oriented

When to use this quote

- budget planning
- family finance
- government regulation
- business strategy

Key Concepts

behavioral economics public finance resource allocation

Questions to Reflect On

- How can policies influence collective spending?
- What incentives reduce waste across families?

A Different Perspective

Changing individual behavior alone may not fix systemic waste.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Private sector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/private-sector/) [Public sector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-sector/) [Waste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waste/)

## Related quotes

> [Rethinking capitalism means rethinking the role of the public sector, the role of the private sector, the role of finance, and the relationship between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariana-mazzucato/rethinking-capitalism-means-rethinking-the-role-of-the-public-sector/)

[Mariana Mazzucato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariana-mazzucato/)

> [The fastest growing occupation in the private sector is security guards. The fastest growing occupation in the public sector is prison guards. (1992)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reich/the-fastest-growing-occupation-in-the-private-sector-is-security/)

[Robert Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reich/)

> [Somehow, failures in the public sector are always judged as systematic. The private sector thus exists to ride to the rescue - and their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perlstein/somehow-failures-in-the-public-sector-are-always-judged-as-systematic/)

[Rick Perlstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perlstein/)

> [I think we should, as the public sector or politicians, stop creating an illusion that it is the public sector that drives growth and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-stubb/i-think-we-should-as-the-public-sector-or-politicians-stop-creating/)

[Alexander Stubb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-stubb/)

> [The public sector can only feed off the private sector; it necessarily lives parasitically upon the private economy. But this means that the productive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/the-public-sector-can-only-feed-off-the-private-sector-it-necessarily/)

[Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/)

> [Careful economic research has shown public-sector workers receive a level of compensation, pension benefits, and retiree health coverage in excess of what comparable workers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beauprez/careful-economic-research-has-shown-public-sector-workers-receive-a/)

[Bob Beauprez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beauprez/)

> [We need to make it very clear - whether it's Russia, China, Iran or anybody else - the United States has much greater capacity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-need-to-make-it-very-clear-whether-it-s-russia-china-iran-or/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [“Former Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan has said that the public sector should always play the dominant role in providing care services, but there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-a-haseltine/former-health-minister-khaw-boon-wan-has-said-that-the-public-sector/)

William A. Haseltine

> [There is definitely a need for increasing capacity in higher education; a large part of this is being met in the technical education segment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pallam-raju/there-is-definitely-a-need-for-increasing-capacity-in-higher/)

[Pallam Raju](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pallam-raju/)

> [We cannot just rely on the public sector or the private sector. We all need to work together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-schulman/we-cannot-just-rely-on-the-public-sector-or-the-private-sector-we-all/)

[Dan Schulman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-schulman/)

> [Economic management involves the operation of economic frameworks in real time - for example, in the private sector, the management of complex financial institutions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bernanke/economic-management-involves-the-operation-of-economic-frameworks-in/)

[Ben Bernanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bernanke/)

> [It takes four private-sector jobs to support every public-sector employee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-pearce/it-takes-four-private-sector-jobs-to-support-every-public-sector/)

[Russell Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-pearce/)

> [People share a universal behavioural trait: if there are profits to be made, the effort to get that money will attract investment. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-buchanan/people-share-a-universal-behavioural-trait-if-there-are-profits-to-be/)

[James M. Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-buchanan/)

> [Tax reduction has an almost irresistible appeal to the politician, and it is no doubt also gratifying to the citizen. It means more dollars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/tax-reduction-has-an-almost-irresistible-appeal-to-the-politician-and/)

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

> [I think there's a longer shortlist for that particular position and others.Highly qualified men and women who have come to Bedminster, come to Trump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellyanne-conway/i-think-there-s-a-longer-shortlist-for-that-particular-position-and/)

[Kellyanne Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellyanne-conway/)

## More by Robert H. Frank

> [If the search is for examples that contradict the predictions of standard economic models, a good rule of thumb is to start in France.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/if-the-search-is-for-examples-that-contradict-the-predictions-of/)

[Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/)

> [When people bump up against one another in the course of pursuing their goals, it is in everyone's interest to resolve any resulting problems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/when-people-bump-up-against-one-another-in-the-course-of-pursuing/)

[Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/)

> [It is no exaggeration to say that rising inequality has driven many of the 99 percent into a financial ditch. It also helped spawn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/it-is-no-exaggeration-to-say-that-rising-inequality-has-driven-many/)

[Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/)

> [We could curtail private spending by several trillion dollars a year without requiring painful sacrifices from anyone. That would be more than enough to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/we-could-curtail-private-spending-by-several-trillion-dollars-a-year/)

[Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/)

> [The most glaring deficiency in traditional economic models is that they completely ignore the role of context in evaluation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/the-most-glaring-deficiency-in-traditional-economic-models-is-that/)

[Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/)

> [Adam Smith's uncritically enthusiastic modern disciples portray his invisible hand theory as saying that market forces reliably harness selfish individuals to serve the common…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/adam-smith-s-uncritically-enthusiastic-modern-disciples-portray-his/)

[Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/)

> [Trusting others puts us at risk. Yet failure to trust entails risk as well. The ability to navigate through this minefield successfully is one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/trusting-others-puts-us-at-risk-yet-failure-to-trust-entails-risk-as/)

[Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/)

> [Rising inequality hasn't really accomplished anything of value for its ostensible beneficiaries, the top one percent. They've all built bigger mansions and staged more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/rising-inequality-hasn-t-really-accomplished-anything-of-value-for/)

[Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/)

> [As economists have long noted, the puzzle is not that so few people vote, it's that so many do. After all, no individual's vote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/as-economists-have-long-noted-the-puzzle-is-not-that-so-few-people/)

[Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/)

> [Pass down values every day through your actions, your words and your time with your kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/pass-down-values-every-day-through-your-actions-your-words-and-your/)

[Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/)

> [No society has ever succeeded without a decent government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/no-society-has-ever-succeeded-without-a-decent-government/)

[Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/)

> [When the rich build bigger, they shift the frame of reference that shapes the demands of the near rich, who travel in the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/when-the-rich-build-bigger-they-shift-the-frame-of-reference-that/)

[Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/)

> [If top marginal income tax rates are set too high, they discourage productive economic activity. In the limit, a top marginal income tax rate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/if-top-marginal-income-tax-rates-are-set-too-high-they-discourage/)

[Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/)

> [For the three decades after WWII, incomes grew at about 3 percent a year for people up and down the income ladder, but since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/for-the-three-decades-after-wwii-incomes-grew-at-about-3-percent-a/)

[Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/)

> [“Reflect on your present blessings, of which every man has many, not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/reflect-on-your-present-blessings-of-which-every-man-has-many-not-on/)

[Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/)

[Explore all 39 Robert H. Frank quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/)

## More Achieve quotes

> [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/)

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

> [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/)

[Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/)

> [Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous, self-determined, and connected to one another. And when that drive is liberated, people achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/human-beings-have-an-innate-inner-drive-to-be-autonomous-self/)

[Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/)

> [Focus on becoming more to achieve more while doing less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/focus-on-becoming-more-to-achieve-more-while-doing-less/)

[Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/)

> [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/)

[Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/)

> [I'm a film guy. I love it. When I read the screenplay, I knew that there would be no HD camera that could achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deon-taylor/i-m-a-film-guy-i-love-it-when-i-read-the-screenplay-i-knew-that-there/)

Deon Taylor

> [One achieves true human dignity only when one serves. Only he is great who subjects himself to taking part in the achievement of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/one-achieves-true-human-dignity-only-when-one-serves-only-he-is-great/)

Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera

> [I'm optimistic Hong Kong will achieve universal suffrage - no matter the attitude of Beijing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/i-m-optimistic-hong-kong-will-achieve-universal-suffrage-no-matter/)

[Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/)

> [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/)

[Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/)

> [Governments follow their people. A great deal has to do with the vision of the leadership of governments. They have a vision, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khurshid/governments-follow-their-people-a-great-deal-has-to-do-with-the/)

[Salman Khurshid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khurshid/)

> [To achieve victory we must mass our forces at the hub of all power &amp; movement. The enemy's 'Center of Gravity'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-achieve-victory-we-must-mass-our-forces-at-the-hub-of-all-power/)

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

> [If your only goal is to become rich, you will never achieve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/if-your-only-goal-is-to-become-rich-you-will-never-achieve-it/)

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

> [To achieve something you've never achieved before, you must become someone you've never been before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shubham-joshi/to-achieve-something-you-ve-never-achieved-before-you-must-become/)

[Shubham Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shubham-joshi/)

> [I've identified as bisexual since I was a teenager, and if we want to achieve equality for all in our policies, we need more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-hill/i-ve-identified-as-bisexual-since-i-was-a-teenager-and-if-we-want-to/)

[Katie Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-hill/)

Browse all 6,390 Achieve quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The private sector is first of all much larger than the public sector. The waste we see in that sector does not result from the fact that people spend their money carelessly. Mostly, it occurs because what one family must spend to achieve its goals often depends heavily on what other families spend.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Robert H. Frank"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/the-private-sector-is-first-of-all-much-larger-than-the-public-sector/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Achieve"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/the-private-sector-is-first-of-all-much-larger-than-the-public-sector/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dec/robert-h-frank-16805_achieve_the-private-sector-is-first-of-all-much_2409826.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dec/robert-h-frank-16805_achieve_the-private-sector-is-first-of-all-much_2409826.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dec/robert-h-frank-16805_achieve_the-private-sector-is-first-of-all-much_2409826.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The private sector is first of all much larger than the public sector. The waste we see in that sector does…” — Robert H. Frank",
                "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": "Robert H. Frank",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The private sector is first of...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/the-private-sector-is-first-of-all-much-larger-than-the-public-sector/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/the-private-sector-is-first-of-all-much-larger-than-the-public-sector/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
