--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When citizens believe that the elite care…" description: "\"When citizens believe that the elite care more about those across the ocean than those across the train tracks, insurance has broken down, we divide in..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb5/angus-deaton-5260_believe_when-citizens-believe-that-the-elite-car_1142706.jpg" --- # When citizens believe that the elite care more about those… ![“When citizens believe that the elite care more about those across the ocean than those across the train tracks, insurance has broken down, we divide into factions, and those who are left behind become angry and disillusioned with a politics that no longer serves them.” quote by Angus Deaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb5/angus-deaton-5260_believe_when-citizens-believe-that-the-elite-car_1142706.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb5/angus-deaton-5260_believe_when-citizens-believe-that-the-elite-car_1142706.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb5/angus-deaton-5260_believe_when-citizens-believe-that-the-elite-car_1142706.jpg) > “When citizens believe that the elite care more about those across the ocean than those across the train tracks, insurance has broken down, we divide into factions, and those who are left behind become angry and disillusioned with a politics that no longer serves them.” [Angus Deaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-deaton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When people think elites care more about distant others, trust erodes, leading to division and anger. **In simple terms:** Perceived elite neglect fuels division. Key Takeaway Rebuild trust through local focus. Themes politics trust inequality Mood analytical concerned Type academic advice When to use this quote - community meetings - policy reforms - media literacy - grassroots organizing Key Concepts social contract public policy Questions to Reflect On - How can elites demonstrate local commitment? - What policies bridge gaps? A Different Perspective Complex causes beyond perception. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Angry Disillusioned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angry-disillusioned-3192608/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Broken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/broken/) [Citizens Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizens-believe-362804/) [Disillusioned Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disillusioned-politics-283972/) [Divide Factions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divide-factions-3192607/) [Factions Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/factions-left-3192606/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Left behind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left-behind/) [Ocean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ocean/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Train](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/train/) [Train tracks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/train-tracks/) ## Related quotes > [Our modern world of old story is completely failing humanity. This is the reason that increasing numbers of people have become and are becoming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/satish-kumar/our-modern-world-of-old-story-is-completely-failing-humanity-this-is/) [Satish Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/satish-kumar/) > [I think people are just really disappointed, disappointed with Blair as well, who's just like Bush's lapdog. I think everyone's just disillusioned with politics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-weller/i-think-people-are-just-really-disappointed-disappointed-with-blair/) [Paul Weller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-weller/) > [I feel pretty disillusioned about the politics and politicians in this country - and angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-sharp/i-feel-pretty-disillusioned-about-the-politics-and-politicians-in/) [Lesley Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-sharp/) > [If citizens do not believe they can change their leaders through the ballot box, they will find other ways, even at the risk of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/if-citizens-do-not-believe-they-can-change-their-leaders-through-the/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [If enough citizens believe their national security’s in jeopardy then politicians who propose wars will receive the support they need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-morcan/if-enough-citizens-believe-their-national-security-s-in-jeopardy-then/) [James Morcan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-morcan/) > [I believe that in order for our democratic system to work as intended, the average person must have faith in their government. Citizens must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elissa-slotkin/i-believe-that-in-order-for-our-democratic-system-to-work-as-intended/) [Elissa Slotkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elissa-slotkin/) > [A large portion of our citizens, who will not believe, even on the evidence of facts, that any public evils exist, or are impending.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fisher-ames/a-large-portion-of-our-citizens-who-will-not-believe-even-on-the/) [Fisher Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fisher-ames/) > [“At bottom, today's Democrats from Baucus to Waters are united in only two beliefs, and they demand that American citizens believe in only two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-steyn/at-bottom-today-s-democrats-from-baucus-to-waters-are-united-in-only/) [Mark Steyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-steyn/) > [“Any government that presumes to direct how its people relate to ultimate truths either believes it is the only guide to those truths, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-shah/any-government-that-presumes-to-direct-how-its-people-relate-to/) [Timothy Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-shah/) > [What motivates me is the desire to bring up a whole new generation of active citizens who believe in peace and social justice and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/what-motivates-me-is-the-desire-to-bring-up-a-whole-new-generation-of/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“I told him some of my best stories: the one about the sewer and the train tracks and the neighbor's dogs. Weylyn seemed unimpressed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-emmie-lang/i-told-him-some-of-my-best-stories-the-one-about-the-sewer-and-the/) [Ruth Emmie Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-emmie-lang/) > [“No one is born with prejudicial feelings, they are developed and nurtured within us by our experiences and upbringing. Consider the many factors involved:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dudley-c-rutherford/no-one-is-born-with-prejudicial-feelings-they-are-developed-and/) [Dudley C. Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dudley-c-rutherford/) > [“She slept beneath a tree that night, sitting upright. She imagined she would have been scared for her life out in the open, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/she-slept-beneath-a-tree-that-night-sitting-upright-she-imagined-she/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“For decades afterwards, I punished myself with images of Sofia standing naked in the snow, shivering, clutching a chunk of cement that a guard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-maryles-shankman/for-decades-afterwards-i-punished-myself-with-images-of-sofia/) [Helen Maryles Shankman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-maryles-shankman/) > [“One story was about a deaf man who was driving in the country, when safety bars were lowered across the road at a railroad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-ann-walker/one-story-was-about-a-deaf-man-who-was-driving-in-the-country-when/) [Lou Ann Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-ann-walker/) ## More by Angus Deaton > [I don't think income solely determines health. I think lots of other things determine health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-deaton/i-don-t-think-income-solely-determines-health-i-think-lots-of-other/) [Angus Deaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-deaton/) > [I, who do not believe in socialized health-care, would advocate a single-payment system... because it will get this monster that we've created out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-deaton/i-who-do-not-believe-in-socialized-health-care-would-advocate-a/) [Angus Deaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-deaton/) > [Many people have mixed views about unions, but unions used to give people some measure of control at work. They gave them a social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-deaton/many-people-have-mixed-views-about-unions-but-unions-used-to-give/) [Angus Deaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-deaton/) > [I've always - and not always happily - considered myself an outsider. Certainly at Fettes. And then the Scots are always outsiders in England.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-deaton/i-ve-always-and-not-always-happily-considered-myself-an-outsider/) [Angus Deaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-deaton/) > [People who have children, by and large, want children. People who don't want children are people who, by and large, don't want to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-deaton/people-who-have-children-by-and-large-want-children-people-who-don-t/) [Angus Deaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-deaton/) > [The first thing we need to understand when we think about globalization is that it has benefited an enormous number of people who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-deaton/the-first-thing-we-need-to-understand-when-we-think-about/) [Angus Deaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-deaton/) > [High quality, open, transparent, and uncensored data are needed to support democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-deaton/high-quality-open-transparent-and-uncensored-data-are-needed-to/) [Angus Deaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-deaton/) > [Success breeds inequality, and you don't want to choke off success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-deaton/success-breeds-inequality-and-you-don-t-want-to-choke-off-success/) [Angus Deaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-deaton/) > [“It can be bad if the winners try to stop others from following them, pulling up the ladders behind them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-deaton/it-can-be-bad-if-the-winners-try-to-stop-others-from-following-them/) [Angus Deaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-deaton/) > [A good theoretical account must explain all of the evidence that we see. If it doesn't work everywhere, we have no idea what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-deaton/a-good-theoretical-account-must-explain-all-of-the-evidence-that-we/) [Angus Deaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-deaton/) > [Growth does not bring any 'automatic' improvement in the health component of wellbeing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-deaton/growth-does-not-bring-any-automatic-improvement-in-the-health/) [Angus Deaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-deaton/) > [In Scotland, I was brought up to think of policemen as allies and to ask one for help when I needed it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-deaton/in-scotland-i-was-brought-up-to-think-of-policemen-as-allies-and-to/) [Angus Deaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-deaton/) > [It's hard to know what's going to be replaced by technology tomorrow. It feels like we're all at risk. I feel only safe as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-deaton/it-s-hard-to-know-what-s-going-to-be-replaced-by-technology-tomorrow/) [Angus Deaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-deaton/) > [The history of Montana has been of the government giving land grants to people that could not possibly turn it into decent farms. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-deaton/the-history-of-montana-has-been-of-the-government-giving-land-grants/) [Angus Deaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-deaton/) > [I have the great good fortune that one of my collaborators in work, Anne Case, is also my collaborator in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-deaton/i-have-the-great-good-fortune-that-one-of-my-collaborators-in-work/) [Angus Deaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-deaton/) [Explore all 102 Angus Deaton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-deaton/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) [Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When citizens believe that the elite care more about those across the ocean than those across the train tracks, insurance has broken down, we divide into factions, and those who are left behind become angry and disillusioned with a politics that no longer serves them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Angus Deaton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-deaton/when-citizens-believe-that-the-elite-care-more-about-those-across-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-deaton/when-citizens-believe-that-the-elite-care-more-about-those-across-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb5/angus-deaton-5260_believe_when-citizens-believe-that-the-elite-car_1142706.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb5/angus-deaton-5260_believe_when-citizens-believe-that-the-elite-car_1142706.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb5/angus-deaton-5260_believe_when-citizens-believe-that-the-elite-car_1142706.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When citizens believe that the elite care more about those across the ocean than those across the train…” — Angus Deaton", "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": "Angus Deaton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-deaton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When citizens believe that the elite...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-deaton/when-citizens-believe-that-the-elite-care-more-about-those-across-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-deaton/when-citizens-believe-that-the-elite-care-more-about-those-across-the/#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 } } ] } ```