Cost Quote by Thomas Sowell
“For society as a whole, nothing comes as a "right" to which we are "entitled." Even bare subsistence has to be produced-and produced at a cost of heavy toil for much of human history. The only way anyone can have a right to something that has to be produced is to force someone else to produce it for him. The more things are provided as rights, the less the recipients have to work and the more others have to carry their load.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Basic Economics by Thomas Sowell, 2000
Rights that require production impose a cost; when society grants such rights, others must bear the labor.
In simple terms: Rights need work; giving them for free shifts burden to others.
Key Takeaway
Consider the labor behind what you claim as a right.
Themes
economics
labor
rights
social responsibility
Mood
critical
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
analytical
When to use this quote
- welfare programs
- taxation
- social security
- public services
Key Concepts
distribution
incentives
public policy
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you define a right in a modern economy?
- What responsibilities come with entitlement?
A Different Perspective
If production is automated, the premise changes.
![“[P]opulation, when unchecked, goes on doubling itself every twenty-five years, or increases in a geometrical ratio. ... [T]he means of subsistence, under circumstances the most favorable to human industry, could not possibly be made to increase faster than in an arithmetical ratio.” quote by Thomas Malthus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/16b/thomas-malthus-7621_circumstances_p-opulation-when-unchecked-goes-on-doubl_324443.jpg)
![“[Photography is ] likewise even French impressionists. So the Sculls bought pop. It was politics, and they moved with it. And I think that could be happening, to some degree, with photography, too. It doesn't cost as much to do it, either.” quote by Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2eb/garry-winogrand-2342_cost_photography-is-likewise-even-french-impr_2802.jpg)
