--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: governments don't produce economic growth…" description: "\"“governments don't produce economic growth people do.”\" — Ronald Reagan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/768/ronald-reagan-119_economic-growth_governments-don-t-produce-economic-growt_204132.jpg" --- # governments don't produce economic growth people do. ![“governments don't produce economic growth people do.” quote by Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/768/ronald-reagan-119_economic-growth_governments-don-t-produce-economic-growt_204132.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/768/ronald-reagan-119_economic-growth_governments-don-t-produce-economic-growt_204132.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/768/ronald-reagan-119_economic-growth_governments-don-t-produce-economic-growt_204132.jpg) > ““governments don't produce economic growth people do.”” [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) ## 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 stems from individual initiative, not government action. **In simple terms:** People drive growth, not governments. Key Takeaway Empower individuals to innovate. Themes economics individualism government growth Mood optimistic determined Type political motivational When to use this quote - starting a business - career advancement - community projects - policy advocacy Key Concepts capitalism entrepreneurship policy innovation Questions to Reflect On - How can policies best support entrepreneurial spirit? - What responsibilities do governments have in fostering growth? A Different Perspective Government can still create supportive environments; not all growth is purely individual. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Economic growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic-growth/) [Governments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/governments/) [Governments Don](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/governments-don-489374/) [Growth People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth-people-2123833/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Produce Economic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/produce-economic-2123834/) ## Related quotes > [“As I have often said, governments don’t produce economic growth, people do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/as-i-have-often-said-governments-don-t-produce-economic-growth-people/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Governments don't want a population capable of critical thinking, they want obedient workers, people just smart enough to run the machines and just dumb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/governments-don-t-want-a-population-capable-of-critical-thinking-they/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [And as a matter of fact, governments don't act, governments only react. The bankers make the decisions, and then governments decide how are we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/and-as-a-matter-of-fact-governments-don-t-act-governments-only-react/) [Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/) > [We're not going to meddle in the internal life of other peoples and other governments, because we don't want them meddling in ours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andres-manuel-lopez-obrador/we-re-not-going-to-meddle-in-the-internal-life-of-other-peoples-and/) [Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andres-manuel-lopez-obrador/) > [Governments don't control people like they used to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/governments-don-t-control-people-like-they-used-to/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I cannot be any clearer, minority governments don't work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annastacia-palaszczuk/i-cannot-be-any-clearer-minority-governments-don-t-work/) [Annastacia Palaszczuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annastacia-palaszczuk/) > [“Governments don't protect people, people protect governments." "Order is organic, it can’t just be ordered up." "The more complexity, the more unpredictability and therefore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-samuels/governments-don-t-protect-people-people-protect-governments-order-is/) [Lawrence Samuels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-samuels/) > [Governments that don't need to broaden their tax base have few incentives to respond to the needs of their people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-dresser/governments-that-don-t-need-to-broaden-their-tax-base-have-few/) [Denise Dresser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-dresser/) > [Governments don't like harmony.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anubhav-sinha/governments-don-t-like-harmony/) [Anubhav Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anubhav-sinha/) > [Governments mostly don't do much. And you've also got to understand the level of incompetence out there. Nobody knows what they're doing. They just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-breslin/governments-mostly-don-t-do-much-and-you-ve-also-got-to-understand/) [Jimmy Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-breslin/) > [Governments don't control things. A government can't control the economy without controlling people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/governments-don-t-control-things-a-government-can-t-control-the/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Governments don't reduce deficits by raising taxes on the people; governments reduce deficits by controlling spending and stimulating new wealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/governments-don-t-reduce-deficits-by-raising-taxes-on-the-people/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [“As I have often said, governments don’t produce economic growth, people do. What government can do is encourage Americans to tap their well of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/as-i-have-often-said-governments-don-t-produce-economic-growth-people-2/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [To triple the growth of your organization, triple the growth of your people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/to-triple-the-growth-of-your-organization-triple-the-growth-of-your/) [Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/) > [Life is about growth. People are not perfect when they're 21 years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walton/life-is-about-growth-people-are-not-perfect-when-they-re-21-years-old/) [Bill Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walton/) ## More by Ronald Reagan > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [You know, by the time you reach my age, you've made plenty of mistakes if you've lived your life properly. So you learn. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/you-know-by-the-time-you-reach-my-age-you-ve-made-plenty-of-mistakes/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Yes, across Europe, this wall will fall. For it cannot withstand faith; it cannot withstand truth. The wall cannot withstand freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/yes-across-europe-this-wall-will-fall-for-it-cannot-withstand-faith/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Simple fairness dictates that government must not raise taxes on families struggling to pay their bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/simple-fairness-dictates-that-government-must-not-raise-taxes-on/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The time has come to turn to God and reassert our trust in Him for the healing of America - our country is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-time-has-come-to-turn-to-god-and-reassert-our-trust-in-him-for/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Professional politicians like to talk about the value of experience in government. Nuts! The only experience you gain in politics is how to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/professional-politicians-like-to-talk-about-the-value-of-experience/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The WPA was one of the most productive elements of FDR's alphabet soup of agencies because it put people to work building roads, bridges,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-wpa-was-one-of-the-most-productive-elements-of-fdr-s-alphabet/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Where there's liberty, art succeeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/where-there-s-liberty-art-succeeds/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Since I came to the White House, I got two hearing aids, a colon operation, skin cancer, a prostate operation, and I was shot.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/since-i-came-to-the-white-house-i-got-two-hearing-aids-a-colon/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [A moment I've been dreading. George brought his ne're-do-well son around this morning and asked me to find the kid a job. Not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/a-moment-i-ve-been-dreading-george-brought-his-ne-re-do-well-son/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [On Father's Day, we pay tribute to all in our society who have taken on the responsibilitie s and joys of fatherhood. Whether our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/on-father-s-day-we-pay-tribute-to-all-in-our-society-who-have-taken/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you don't care who gets the credit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/there-is-no-limit-to-the-amount-of-good-you-can-do-if-you-don-t-care/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [It's not that liberals aren't smart, it's just that so much of what they know isn't so](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/it-s-not-that-liberals-aren-t-smart-it-s-just-that-so-much-of-what/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Love your country, not for her power or wealth, but for her selflessness and her idealism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/love-your-country-not-for-her-power-or-wealth-but-for-her/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) [Explore all 1,244 Ronald Reagan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) ## More Economic growth quotes > [Advances in technology will continue to reach far into every sector of our economy. Future job and economic growth in industry, defense, transportation, agriculture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bond/advances-in-technology-will-continue-to-reach-far-into-every-sector/) [Christopher Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bond/) > [“Economic growth continued by means of a succession of new products which found growing and ultimately massive demand. Some of the new products were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-a-hudson/economic-growth-continued-by-means-of-a-succession-of-new-products/) [Edward A. Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-a-hudson/) > [The average well-being of our societies is not dependent any longer on national income and economic growth. ... But the differences between us and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-g-wilkinson/the-average-well-being-of-our-societies-is-not-dependent-any-longer/) [Richard G. Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-g-wilkinson/) > [In short, both experience and economic theory imply that the US could now t to a more competitive dollar without experiencing either increased inflation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-feldstein/in-short-both-experience-and-economic-theory-imply-that-the-us-could/) [Martin Feldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-feldstein/) > [I was the chairman of the Budget Committee and the lead architect the last time it happened in Washington, and when we did it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/i-was-the-chairman-of-the-budget-committee-and-the-lead-architect-the/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [“Since the 1960s, the national “average” of U.S. students on international tests has been middling to poor at best. Yet, the nation experienced unprecedented…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-marselle/since-the-1960s-the-national-average-of-u-s-students-on-international/) [Terry Marselle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-marselle/) > [Economic growth and 'future superpower' status is all very good but that doesn't guarantee dignity for every individual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arvind-kejriwal/economic-growth-and-future-superpower-status-is-all-very-good-but/) [Arvind Kejriwal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arvind-kejriwal/) > [Education affects every major challenge we face in society. It creates economic growth, paves the way for peace and stability and helps erase the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakira/education-affects-every-major-challenge-we-face-in-society-it-creates/) [Shakira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakira/) > [Increased spending, growing government debt and overreaching regulations are stifling job creation and economic growth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-craft/increased-spending-growing-government-debt-and-overreaching/) [Joe Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-craft/) > [Following one of the most violent conflicts in human history, the United States and Japan built a deep and abiding friendship - an alliance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-rhodes/following-one-of-the-most-violent-conflicts-in-human-history-the/) [Ben Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-rhodes/) > [“For their never-ending endeavours to obtain or retain wealth, countries desperately need companies, because they—unlike most human beings—have the means of production, and human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/for-their-never-ending-endeavours-to-obtain-or-retain-wealth/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Economic growth is our North Star. Anyone who suggests we can just cut our way to prosperity isn't being honest. Anyone who suggests we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-moore/economic-growth-is-our-north-star-anyone-who-suggests-we-can-just-cut/) [Wes Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-moore/) > [“The English state thus constructed a system, later followed by other European countries, in which the ruler was subject to the law and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-wade/the-english-state-thus-constructed-a-system-later-followed-by-other/) [Nicholas Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-wade/) > [Entrepreneurship is the cornerstone to African development and the key to local value creation in Africa. I am determined to ensure that Africa's next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-elumelu/entrepreneurship-is-the-cornerstone-to-african-development-and-the/) [Tony Elumelu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-elumelu/) > [Does inequality in the distribution of income increase or decrease in the course of a country's economic growth?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-kuznets/does-inequality-in-the-distribution-of-income-increase-or-decrease-in/) [Simon Kuznets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-kuznets/) [Browse all 732 Economic growth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic-growth/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“governments don't produce economic growth people do.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ronald Reagan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/governments-don-t-produce-economic-growth-people-do/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Economic growth" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/governments-don-t-produce-economic-growth-people-do/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/768/ronald-reagan-119_economic-growth_governments-don-t-produce-economic-growt_204132.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/768/ronald-reagan-119_economic-growth_governments-don-t-produce-economic-growt_204132.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/768/ronald-reagan-119_economic-growth_governments-don-t-produce-economic-growt_204132.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“governments don't produce economic growth people do.” — Ronald Reagan", "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": "Ronald Reagan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“governments don't produce economic growth people...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/governments-don-t-produce-economic-growth-people-do/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/governments-don-t-produce-economic-growth-people-do/#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 } } ] } ```