I say thank God for government waste. If government is doing bad things, it's only the waste that prevents the harm from being greater.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Friedman argues that inefficiency in government operations can inadvertently limit the scale of potential harm caused by harmful policies.
- In plain terms
- Waste in government slows down bad actions, reducing their negative impact.
- What can you take from it?
- Inefficiency can sometimes act as a brake on harmful government policies.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Does inefficiency always reduce harm?
- Is waste ever beneficial?
Another view
Waste is not a reliable or ethical mechanism for limiting harm.
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