---
title: "En general, l'art du gouvernement consiste a prendre le plus d'argent… — Voltaire Quote #73 | QuotesBy.net"
description: "En general, l'art du gouvernement consiste a prendre le plus d'argent qu'on peut a une grande partie des citoyens, pour le donner a une autre partie. — a quote by Voltaire."
image: "https://quotesby.net/wp-content/themes/quotesby-editorial/assets/og-default.png"
---

> # En general, l'art du gouvernement consiste a prendre le plus d'argent qu'on peut a une grande partie des citoyens, pour le donner a une autre partie.

[Voltaire](https://quotesby.net/Voltaire)\#73

[Power](https://quotesby.net/Voltaire/power/)[Politics](https://quotesby.net/Voltaire/politics/)[Equality](https://quotesby.net/Voltaire/equality/)[Taxation](https://quotesby.net/topics/taxation/)[Taxes](https://quotesby.net/topics/taxes/)

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## About this quote

What does it mean?Governments often redistribute wealth by taxing some citizens heavily to benefit others.In plain termsGoverning means taking money from many people to give to a few.What can you take from it?Taxation is often a tool for wealth redistribution.

### Where it applies

- debates on tax reform
- critiques of state spending
- political discourse

### Putting it to work

- analyze tax policy impacts
- evaluate budget allocations

### Questions to consider

- Who benefits most from current tax structures?
- Is redistribution always unjust?

### Another view

Not all government spending is redistribution; some funds public goods.

## More from Voltaire

1. > Il faut vingt ans pour mener l'homme de l'etat de plante ou il est dans le ventre de sa mere, et de l'etat de pur animal, qui est le partage de sa premiere enf…

[Permalink to quote \#72](https://quotesby.net/Voltaire/72/ "Permalink to quote 72")
2. > Rien n'est si ordinaire que d'imiter ses ennemis, et d'employer leurs armes.

[Permalink to quote \#74](https://quotesby.net/Voltaire/74/ "Permalink to quote 74")
3. > Le divorce est probablement de la meme date a peu pres que le mariage. Je crois pourtant que le mariage est de quelques semaines plus ancien.

[Permalink to quote \#71](https://quotesby.net/Voltaire/71/ "Permalink to quote 71")

## Related quotes

1. > Taxes are not levied for the benefit of the taxed.

[Robert A. Heinlein](https://quotesby.net/Robert-A.-Heinlein)[Robert A. Heinlein quote \#127](https://quotesby.net/Robert-A.-Heinlein/127/ "Permalink to quote 127")
2. > On the level of political principle, the imposition of taxes and the expenditure of tax proceeds are governmental functions. We have established elaborate cons…

[Milton Friedman](https://quotesby.net/Milton-Friedman)[Milton Friedman quote \#2](https://quotesby.net/Milton-Friedman/2/ "Permalink to quote 2")
3. > The wisdom of man never yet contrived a system of taxation that would operate with perfect equality.

[Andrew Jackson](https://quotesby.net/Andrew-Jackson)[Andrew Jackson quote \#7](https://quotesby.net/Andrew-Jackson/7/ "Permalink to quote 7")

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