--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is doubtful that the government knows…" description: "\"It is doubtful that the government knows much more than the public does about how government [Economic] policies will work.\" — W. Allen Wallis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3a/w-allen-wallis-84453_doe_it-is-doubtful-that-the-government-knows_2946483.png" --- # It is doubtful that the government knows much more than… ![“It is doubtful that the government knows much more than the public does about how government [Economic] policies will work.” quote by W. Allen Wallis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3a/w-allen-wallis-84453_doe_it-is-doubtful-that-the-government-knows_2946483.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3a/w-allen-wallis-84453_doe_it-is-doubtful-that-the-government-knows_2946483.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3a/w-allen-wallis-84453_doe_it-is-doubtful-that-the-government-knows_2946483.png) > “It is doubtful that the government knows much more than the public does about how government \[Economic\] policies will work.” W. Allen Wallis ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The statement doubts that government experts understand policy impacts any better than the general public. **In simple terms:** Government may not know more than citizens about policy effects. Key Takeaway Question authority and seek diverse perspectives. Themes skepticism government policy knowledge public opinion Mood critical inquisitive Type analytical informative When to use this quote - voting - public debate - policy analysis - media consumption - civic engagement Key Concepts political science economics critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - How informed are you about policy issues? - When should you trust expert advice? A Different Perspective It may overlook the expertise of specialists in complex fields. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Economic policies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic-policies/) [Economic policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic-policy/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [When you see government leaders really bullying business, you know that government's economic policy is failing. They get angry and they get desperate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amity-shlaes/when-you-see-government-leaders-really-bullying-business-you-know/) [Amity Shlaes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amity-shlaes/) > [I have always believed that the ultimate purpose of economic policies and development policy is to meet the basic needs of our people. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manmohan-singh/i-have-always-believed-that-the-ultimate-purpose-of-economic-policies/) [Manmohan Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manmohan-singh/) > [ I don't think it's going to be related to social or economic policies; it's going to be the fact that \[Barack Obama\] said let's… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/i-don-t-think-it-s-going-to-be-related-to-social-or-economic-policies/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Economic policies command bipartisan support only when they're incoherent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-landsburg/economic-policies-command-bipartisan-support-only-when-they-re/) [Steven Landsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-landsburg/) > [As long as women and the "feminine" such as caring and caregiving are devalued, we cannot realistically expect more caring economic policies. Young people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riane-eisler/as-long-as-women-and-the-feminine-such-as-caring-and-caregiving-are/) [Riane Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riane-eisler/) > [Trickle down economics is a fraud. Giving tax breaks to the rich and large corporations does not create jobs. It simply makes the rich…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/trickle-down-economics-is-a-fraud-giving-tax-breaks-to-the-rich-and/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [In 1988, when democracy was restored, the military establishment was still very powerful. The extremist groups were still there. And when the aid and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/in-1988-when-democracy-was-restored-the-military-establishment-was/) [Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/) > [Progressive economic policies lead to a sustainable economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/progressive-economic-policies-lead-to-a-sustainable-economy/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [Any nation that allows the government to dominate its monetary and economic policies will ultimately suffer grave consequences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/any-nation-that-allows-the-government-to-dominate-its-monetary-and/) [James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/) > [Economic policies need to be analyzed in terms of the incentives they create, rather than the hopes that inspired them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/economic-policies-need-to-be-analyzed-in-terms-of-the-incentives-they/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Now it is unambiguously clear that trickle-down economics does not work. But what does that mean? That means we have to structure our economic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/now-it-is-unambiguously-clear-that-trickle-down-economics-does-not/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [I think it's important for people to say look, what does each party and each candidate have to offer for you. If you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-think-it-s-important-for-people-to-say-look-what-does-each-party/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [ Inappropriate macro economic policies in some economies, characterised by \[a\] low savings rate and high consumption \[and\] failure of financial supervision and regulation to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wen-jiabao/inappropriate-macro-economic-policies-in-some-economies-characterised/) [Wen Jiabao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wen-jiabao/) > [It's God's will that millions of people are gonna die this year because of some outmoded economic policies? No, it's not!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/it-s-god-s-will-that-millions-of-people-are-gonna-die-this-year/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [In a democracy the responsibility for the Government's economic policies, which so affect the economy, normally rests with the elected representative of the people:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wright-patman/in-a-democracy-the-responsibility-for-the-government-s-economic/) [Wright Patman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wright-patman/) ## More by W. Allen Wallis > [When you pay social security taxes, you are in no way making provision for your own retirement. You are paying the pensions of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-allen-wallis/when-you-pay-social-security-taxes-you-are-in-no-way-making-provision/) W. Allen Wallis > [Statistics may be defined as "a body of methods for making wise decisions in the face of uncertainty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-allen-wallis/statistics-may-be-defined-as-a-body-of-methods-for-making-wise/) W. Allen Wallis Explore all 3 W. Allen Wallis quotes ## 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. What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/one-of-the-things-the-united-states-does-well-is-building-coalitions/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [If Wall Street crashes, does Main Street follow? Not necessarily.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bernanke/if-wall-street-crashes-does-main-street-follow-not-necessarily/) [Ben Bernanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bernanke/) > [It does not seem to me to be sufficiently recognized everywhere among the officials that the existence or non-existence of our people and Empire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-von-hindenburg/it-does-not-seem-to-me-to-be-sufficiently-recognized-everywhere-among/) [Paul von Hindenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-von-hindenburg/) Browse all 25,574 Doe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is doubtful that the government knows much more than the public does about how government [Economic] policies will work.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "W. Allen Wallis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-allen-wallis/it-is-doubtful-that-the-government-knows-much-more-than-the-public/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Doe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-allen-wallis/it-is-doubtful-that-the-government-knows-much-more-than-the-public/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3a/w-allen-wallis-84453_doe_it-is-doubtful-that-the-government-knows_2946483.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3a/w-allen-wallis-84453_doe_it-is-doubtful-that-the-government-knows_2946483.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3a/w-allen-wallis-84453_doe_it-is-doubtful-that-the-government-knows_2946483.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is doubtful that the government knows much more than the public does about how government [Economic]…” — W. Allen Wallis", "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": "W. Allen Wallis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-allen-wallis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is doubtful that the government...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-allen-wallis/it-is-doubtful-that-the-government-knows-much-more-than-the-public/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-allen-wallis/it-is-doubtful-that-the-government-knows-much-more-than-the-public/#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 } } ] } ```