--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Outside of its legitimate function…" description: "\"Outside of its legitimate function, government does nothing as well or economically as the private sector.\" — Ronald Reagan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62e/ronald-reagan-119_doe_outside-of-its-legitimate-function-gover_2042790.jpg" --- # Outside of its legitimate function, government does… ![“Outside of its legitimate function, government does nothing as well or economically as the private sector.” quote by Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62e/ronald-reagan-119_doe_outside-of-its-legitimate-function-gover_2042790.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62e/ronald-reagan-119_doe_outside-of-its-legitimate-function-gover_2042790.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62e/ronald-reagan-119_doe_outside-of-its-legitimate-function-gover_2042790.jpg) > “Outside of its legitimate function, government does nothing as well or economically as the private sector.” [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. Government often lacks the efficiency and innovation of private enterprises, leading to less effective outcomes. **In simple terms:** Government is less efficient than private sector. Key Takeaway Consider private-sector solutions. Themes efficiency government private sector Mood critical analytical Type political commentary When to use this quote - budget planning - public services - policy reform - business partnerships Key Concepts public policy market dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can government improve efficiency? - When should private sector lead? A Different Perspective Private sector may ignore public welfare. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Economically Private](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economically-private-1696827/) [Function](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/function/) [Function Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/function-government-275651/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-does/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Private sector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/private-sector/) [Public servants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-servants/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) ## Related quotes > [Public servants say, always with the best of intentions, 'What greater service we could render if only we had a little more money and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/public-servants-say-always-with-the-best-of-intentions-what-greater/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Government has laid its hand on health, housing, farming, industry, commerce, education, and to an ever-increasing degree interferes with the people's right to know.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/government-has-laid-its-hand-on-health-housing-farming-industry/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Government must not supersede the will of the people or the responsibilities of the people. The function of government is not to confer happiness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/government-must-not-supersede-the-will-of-the-people-or-the/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [I thought the function of the government was to promote the general welfare, not to provide it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-thought-the-function-of-the-government-was-to-promote-the-general/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The basic function of the government everywhere in all times, whatever title it adopts and whatever its origin and organisation may be, is always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errico-malatesta/the-basic-function-of-the-government-everywhere-in-all-times-whatever/) [Errico Malatesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errico-malatesta/) > [I'm one of those people who believes that part of the greatness of the United States is our private sector. 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Government's view of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/government-is-not-a-solution-to-our-problem-government-is-the-problem-2/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [We have to realize that this country in its private sector has been fighting the most successful war on poverty the world has seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/we-have-to-realize-that-this-country-in-its-private-sector-has-been/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The economic welfare of all our people must ultimately stem not from government programs, but from the wealth created by a vigorous private sector.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-economic-welfare-of-all-our-people-must-ultimately-stem-not-from/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) ## 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 Doe quotes > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture. MARTIN LUTHER, letter to Chancellor Gregory Brück, January 13,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-cannot-forbid-a-person-to-marry-several-wives-for-it-does-not/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [Sometimes a sign or a quote is simply interesting by itself and does not require anything beyond being framed on a page.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/sometimes-a-sign-or-a-quote-is-simply-interesting-by-itself-and-does/) [Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/) > [A home is not a museum. It doesn't have to be furnished with Picasso paintings, or Sheraton suites, or Oriental rugs, or Chinese pottery.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-cain/a-home-is-not-a-museum-it-doesn-t-have-to-be-furnished-with-picasso/) [James M. Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-cain/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [He's a fool that marries; but he's a greater fool that does not marry a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wycherley/he-s-a-fool-that-marries-but-he-s-a-greater-fool-that-does-not-marry/) [William Wycherley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wycherley/) > [Nothing old is ever reborn but neither does it totally disappear. And that which has once been born, will always reappear in a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvar-aalto/nothing-old-is-ever-reborn-but-neither-does-it-totally-disappear-and/) [Alvar Aalto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvar-aalto/) > [One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. 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