---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It turns out that the rich are much…"
description: "\"It turns out that the rich are much better placed to feed at the public trough. The poor get crumbs.\" — Steve Hanke"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/steve-hanke-18876_better_it-turns-out-that-the-rich-are-much-bett_1967498.jpg"
---

#  It turns out that the rich are much better placed to feed…

![“It turns out that the rich are much better placed to feed at the public trough. The poor get crumbs.” quote by Steve Hanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/steve-hanke-18876_better_it-turns-out-that-the-rich-are-much-bett_1967498.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/steve-hanke-18876_better_it-turns-out-that-the-rich-are-much-bett_1967498.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/steve-hanke-18876_better_it-turns-out-that-the-rich-are-much-bett_1967498.jpg)

> “It turns out that the rich are much better placed to feed at the public trough. The poor get crumbs.”

[Steve Hanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-hanke/)

## About This Quote

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

Wealthy individuals and corporations often capture the majority of public resources, leaving only minimal benefits for the poor.

**In simple terms:** The rich get most of the public benefits, the poor get little.

Key Takeaway

Advocate for more equitable resource distribution.

Themes

inequality public policy wealth distribution

Mood

critical concerned

Type

political economic

When to use this quote

- tax reform
- social welfare programs
- public budgeting
- community investment

Key Concepts

Economic disparity public goods social justice

Questions to Reflect On

- How can societies balance incentives for wealth creation with fair public benefit sharing?
- What mechanisms ensure the poor receive more than crumbs?

A Different Perspective

Redistribution policies can be politically contentious and may face strong opposition.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better/) [Better place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-place/) [Feed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feed/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Much](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/much/) [Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor/) [Poor Crumbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-crumbs-3283100/) [Public Trough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-trough-3283101/) [Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rich/) [Rich Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rich-better-298216/) [Trough Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trough-poor-3283099/) [Turns Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turns-rich-3283102/)

## Related quotes

> [Being is good, but getting rich is better… If the gods had only the riches of men's adoration, they would be as poor as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/being-is-good-but-getting-rich-is-better-if-the-gods-had-only-the/)

[Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/)

> [Boys, I have been rich and I have been poor, and believe me being rich is better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-e-lewis/boys-i-have-been-rich-and-i-have-been-poor-and-believe-me-being-rich/)

[Joe E. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-e-lewis/)

> [“I've been rich and I've been poor, and rich is better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-west/i-ve-been-rich-and-i-ve-been-poor-and-rich-is-better/)

[Mae West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-west/)

> [“I've been been rich I've been poor Rich is better I've been young I've been old Young is better”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cher/i-ve-been-been-rich-i-ve-been-poor-rich-is-better-i-ve-been-young-i/)

[Cher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cher/)

> [The interesting thing about me is that I was born poor, and I've lived rich and I've lived poor, and I know how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polly-bergen/the-interesting-thing-about-me-is-that-i-was-born-poor-and-i-ve-lived/)

[Polly Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polly-bergen/)

> [I've been poor and I've been rich, and rich is better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bessie-smith/i-ve-been-poor-and-i-ve-been-rich-and-rich-is-better/)

[Bessie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bessie-smith/)

> [I have been poor and I have been rich. Rich is better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-tucker/i-have-been-poor-and-i-have-been-rich-rich-is-better/)

[Sophie Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-tucker/)

> [“Richard didn't mind Gwyn being rich...Having always been poor was good preparation for being rich. Better than having always been rich...The well and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/richard-didn-t-mind-gwyn-being-rich-having-always-been-poor-was-good/)

[Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/)

> [Cute is good, rich is better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/cute-is-good-rich-is-better/)

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

> [“I knew what it was like to be poor, and that once you had become rich, anything was better than being poor again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/belinda-alexandra/i-knew-what-it-was-like-to-be-poor-and-that-once-you-had-become-rich/)

[Belinda Alexandra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/belinda-alexandra/)

> [“I have been rich, and I have been poor. Believe me baby, rich is better!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-fitzgerald/i-have-been-rich-and-i-have-been-poor-believe-me-baby-rich-is-better/)

[Ella Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-fitzgerald/)

> [I've been rich and I've been poor. Rich is better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-tucker/i-ve-been-rich-and-i-ve-been-poor-rich-is-better/)

[Sophie Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-tucker/)

> [Rich is not better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nell-carter/rich-is-not-better/)

[Nell Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nell-carter/)

> [The rich would do better with a smaller share of a rapidly growing economy then they're doing now with a large share of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reich/the-rich-would-do-better-with-a-smaller-share-of-a-rapidly-growing/)

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

> [My sister-in-law works for a group that supports orphanages in Cairo. She and her colleagues take care of children left behind by circumstances beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/my-sister-in-law-works-for-a-group-that-supports-orphanages-in-cairo/)

[Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/)

## More by Steve Hanke

> [In 2008, Bitcoin was mysteriously introduced to the world in an obscure, technical paper written under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. By late 2013, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-hanke/in-2008-bitcoin-was-mysteriously-introduced-to-the-world-in-an/)

[Steve Hanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-hanke/)

> [A minimum wage leads to higher levels of unemployment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-hanke/a-minimum-wage-leads-to-higher-levels-of-unemployment/)

[Steve Hanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-hanke/)

> [Since China embraced Deng Xiaoping's reforms on 22 December 1978, China has experimented with different exchange-rate regimes. Until 1994, the yuan was in an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-hanke/since-china-embraced-deng-xiaoping-s-reforms-on-22-december-1978/)

[Steve Hanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-hanke/)

> [Until the Fed dumps inflation targeting and the U.S. abandons its weak-dollar policy, inflation will rule the day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-hanke/until-the-fed-dumps-inflation-targeting-and-the-u-s-abandons-its-weak/)

[Steve Hanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-hanke/)

> [With the passing of Milton Friedman on November 16, 2006, we lost one of the great champions of free markets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-hanke/with-the-passing-of-milton-friedman-on-november-16-2006-we-lost-one/)

[Steve Hanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-hanke/)

> [The IMF is set up to deal with liquidity crises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-hanke/the-imf-is-set-up-to-deal-with-liquidity-crises/)

[Steve Hanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-hanke/)

> [Contrary to what most people think, bank money is much more important than state money. In Greece, for example, bank money makes up 84.26%…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-hanke/contrary-to-what-most-people-think-bank-money-is-much-more-important/)

[Steve Hanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-hanke/)

> [Trade balances are determined by national savings propensities, not exchange rates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-hanke/trade-balances-are-determined-by-national-savings-propensities-not/)

[Steve Hanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-hanke/)

> [In April 2013, Nathaniel Popper of 'The New York Times' reported on Bitcoin in an article titled, 'Digital Money is Gaining Champions in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-hanke/in-april-2013-nathaniel-popper-of-the-new-york-times-reported-on/)

[Steve Hanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-hanke/)

> [Mercantilism was an insidious economic theory that held Europe in its thrall in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-hanke/mercantilism-was-an-insidious-economic-theory-that-held-europe-in-its/)

[Steve Hanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-hanke/)

> [In January 2013, one could buy a Bitcoin for about $13. By late November, one Bitcoin would have set a buyer back over $1100.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-hanke/in-january-2013-one-could-buy-a-bitcoin-for-about-13-by-late-november/)

[Steve Hanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-hanke/)

> [There has never been a failure of a currency board anywhere in the world. These are tough systems, and when I say they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-hanke/there-has-never-been-a-failure-of-a-currency-board-anywhere-in-the/)

[Steve Hanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-hanke/)

> [During the Greenspan-Bernanke era, the Fed has embraced the view that stability in the economy and stability in prices are mutually consistent. As long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-hanke/during-the-greenspan-bernanke-era-the-fed-has-embraced-the-view-that/)

[Steve Hanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-hanke/)

> [There is always the potential for a central bank to engage in discretionary monetary policy and to break the one-to-one link between changes in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-hanke/there-is-always-the-potential-for-a-central-bank-to-engage-in/)

[Steve Hanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-hanke/)

> [After the maxi yuan depreciation of 1994 and until 2005, exchange-rate fixity was the order of the day, with little movement in the CNY/USD rate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-hanke/after-the-maxi-yuan-depreciation-of-1994-and-until-2005-exchange-rate/)

[Steve Hanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-hanke/)

[Explore all 34 Steve Hanke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-hanke/)

## More Better quotes

> [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/)

[Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/)

> [Everybody has their cliques, and I was very shy. I'm still very shy. Music opened up doors. I would get to my choir class,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-fonsi/everybody-has-their-cliques-and-i-was-very-shy-i-m-still-very-shy/)

[Luis Fonsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-fonsi/)

> [You can't force people to feel in a certain way, and the sooner you understand that,the better. I feel everything has its way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidharth-malhotra/you-can-t-force-people-to-feel-in-a-certain-way-and-the-sooner-you/)

[Sidharth Malhotra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidharth-malhotra/)

> [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/)

[Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/)

> [The bigger the canvas, the better I do. I'm not so good at understated, kitchen-sink kinds of parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/the-bigger-the-canvas-the-better-i-do-i-m-not-so-good-at-understated/)

[Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/)

> [The Little you Give !! The Better it Gets !!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-stanyer/the-little-you-give-the-better-it-gets/)

[Mario Stanyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-stanyer/)

> [A strong, durable Puerto Rican economy will leave the island better prepared to handle future natural disasters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/a-strong-durable-puerto-rican-economy-will-leave-the-island-better/)

[Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/)

> [In my first 100 days as Ontario's Minister of Transportation, I found a willing municipal partner in the City of Toronto that shares our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-mulroney/in-my-first-100-days-as-ontario-s-minister-of-transportation-i-found/)

[Caroline Mulroney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-mulroney/)

> [It hasn't been a conscious thing, like, 'I don't want to listen to a bunch of dudes,' but I genuinely like music by women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soccer-mommy/it-hasn-t-been-a-conscious-thing-like-i-don-t-want-to-listen-to-a/)

[Soccer Mommy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soccer-mommy/)

> [Life is going to hit you some line drives, and sometimes you'll have to think fast. However, it's better to think first than to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/life-is-going-to-hit-you-some-line-drives-and-sometimes-you-ll-have/)

[John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/)

> [I like to collaborate with other people for studio recordings because I believe collaboration, in any form, makes music better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/i-like-to-collaborate-with-other-people-for-studio-recordings-because/)

[Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/)

> [Absolutely, you can improve and become better at toughness. It's a talent, but it can be acquired, too. I think of it like building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harbaugh/absolutely-you-can-improve-and-become-better-at-toughness-it-s-a/)

[Jim Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harbaugh/)

> [Not having drops and not taking plays off, if I do that it will make everyone around me better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demaryius-thomas/not-having-drops-and-not-taking-plays-off-if-i-do-that-it-will-make/)

[Demaryius Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demaryius-thomas/)

> [Cara Delevingne and I took an eyebrow selfie. We both have prominent eyebrows, but hers are much better than mine. Maybe we should do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-poulter/cara-delevingne-and-i-took-an-eyebrow-selfie-we-both-have-prominent/)

[Will Poulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-poulter/)

> [I never really look at it past one year. I look at last year and my whole goal is to be a better player…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-williams/i-never-really-look-at-it-past-one-year-i-look-at-last-year-and-my/)

[Trent Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-williams/)

[Browse all 17,085 Better quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "It turns out that the rich are much better placed to feed at the public trough. The poor get crumbs.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Steve Hanke"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-hanke/it-turns-out-that-the-rich-are-much-better-placed-to-feed-at-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Better"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-hanke/it-turns-out-that-the-rich-are-much-better-placed-to-feed-at-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/steve-hanke-18876_better_it-turns-out-that-the-rich-are-much-bett_1967498.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/steve-hanke-18876_better_it-turns-out-that-the-rich-are-much-bett_1967498.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/steve-hanke-18876_better_it-turns-out-that-the-rich-are-much-bett_1967498.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It turns out that the rich are much better placed to feed at the public trough. The poor get crumbs.” — Steve Hanke",
                "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": "Steve Hanke",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-hanke/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "It turns out that the rich...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-hanke/it-turns-out-that-the-rich-are-much-better-placed-to-feed-at-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-hanke/it-turns-out-that-the-rich-are-much-better-placed-to-feed-at-the/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
