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About this quote

What does it mean?
Friedman suggests government programs are linked to industrial pollution or negative externalities.
In plain terms
Every government program has a polluting cost hidden away.
What can you take from it?
Government programs often have hidden economic or environmental costs.

Where it applies

  • policy critique
  • environmental analysis
  • economic review

Putting it to work

  • identify hidden costs
  • critique government spending

Questions to consider

  • Are all programs wasteful?
  • What are the hidden costs?

Another view

Not all government programs result in physical pollution.

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