glazier's fallacy

noun

The notion that destruction is good for an economy because it stimulates demand for goods and services. It is generally held to be a fallacy because there is no net benefit macroeconomically, no matter how much money some particular businesses may make.

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Meanings

noun
  1. The notion that destruction is good for an economy because it stimulates demand for goods and services. It is generally held to be a fallacy because there is no net benefit macroeconomically, no matter how much money some particular businesses may make.

Origin

From the parable of the broken window, in which destruction of window glass is said to be good because it provides some business for glaziers.

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Cite this entry
APA

glazier's fallacy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/glazier's%20fallacy

MLA

“glazier's fallacy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/glazier's%20fallacy. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “glazier's fallacy,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/glazier's%20fallacy.

Source: glazier's fallacy on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.