--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Politics isn't about helping people, it's…" description: "\"Politics isn't about helping people, it's about maintaining whatever people have got, whatever it takes to maintain their position at the expense of us..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee8/ashley-walters-5156_helping-people_politics-isn-t-about-helping-people-it-s_1653528.jpg" --- # Politics isn't about helping people, it's about… ![“Politics isn't about helping people, it's about maintaining whatever people have got, whatever it takes to maintain their position at the expense of us.” quote by Ashley Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee8/ashley-walters-5156_helping-people_politics-isn-t-about-helping-people-it-s_1653528.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee8/ashley-walters-5156_helping-people_politics-isn-t-about-helping-people-it-s_1653528.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee8/ashley-walters-5156_helping-people_politics-isn-t-about-helping-people-it-s_1653528.jpg) > “Politics isn't about helping people, it's about maintaining whatever people have got, whatever it takes to maintain their position at the expense of us.” [Ashley Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-walters/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Politics often protects existing power structures at the public’s expense. **In simple terms:** Politics preserves power, not people. Key Takeaway Question who benefits from policies. Themes political power inequality public interest Mood critical skeptical Type political analytical When to use this quote - Activism - policy analysis - community organizing - journalism Key Concepts Sociology critical theory Questions to Reflect On - Who truly benefits from a given policy? - How can citizens shift power dynamics? A Different Perspective Not all politics is self‑serving; some aim to help. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Helping people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping-people/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [“If something in the ad isn’t helping you achieve that objective then it’s detracting from it and you should get rid of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-dib/if-something-in-the-ad-isn-t-helping-you-achieve-that-objective-then/) [Allan Dib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-dib/) > [“And frankly, if IT isn’t helping you operate how you want—and need—to operate, you are wasting money. There is no chance that your IT…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-weill/and-frankly-if-it-isn-t-helping-you-operate-how-you-want-and-need-to/) Peter Weill > [Obama can't be everything to everyone. He changed. He did. I never thought I'd hear Obama say, "Let's go back to nuclear arms," but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-pinckney/obama-can-t-be-everything-to-everyone-he-changed-he-did-i-never/) [Darryl Pinckney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-pinckney/) > [Remember: real politics isn't about figureheads and seats in parliament. Real politics is about ideas. And there can be no doubt regarding the extreme…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/remember-real-politics-isn-t-about-figureheads-and-seats-in/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [The term 'the American Left' is as near to being meaningless or nonsensical as any term could really be in politics. It isn't really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-term-the-american-left-is-as-near-to-being-meaningless-or/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Politics isn't what defines a person, and it shouldn't define a relationship. I made the mistake of letting that intrude on my relationships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-davis/politics-isn-t-what-defines-a-person-and-it-shouldn-t-define-a/) [Patti Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-davis/) > [Politics isn't something that really interested me; I, of course, care about what's going on in the world, but so much of political discourse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-o-malley/politics-isn-t-something-that-really-interested-me-i-of-course-care/) [Mike O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-o-malley/) > [I'm no longer interested in making political films. There's something old-fashioned about them. Young people now don't care for politics. It isn't present in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernardo-bertolucci/i-m-no-longer-interested-in-making-political-films-there-s-something/) [Bernardo Bertolucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernardo-bertolucci/) > [On the show, we are not trying to get people to eat their vegetables; we are not trying to get people to become Democrats.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sheen/on-the-show-we-are-not-trying-to-get-people-to-eat-their-vegetables/) [Martin Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sheen/) > [Sitting out of politics isn't really an option if you don't want things to slide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-pill/sitting-out-of-politics-isn-t-really-an-option-if-you-don-t-want/) [Alison Pill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-pill/) > [Either you're a political comedian or you're a stand-up. Just talking about politics isn't enough. People who talk about airplane food, you don't call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-seder/either-you-re-a-political-comedian-or-you-re-a-stand-up-just-talking/) [Sam Seder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-seder/) > [You would be naive to suggest that politics isn't complicated or isn't a game, but you don't create change through cynicism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-gregoire-trudeau/you-would-be-naive-to-suggest-that-politics-isn-t-complicated-or-isn/) [Sophie Gregoire Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-gregoire-trudeau/) > [Politics isn't just about doing the right thing. It's also about winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-estrich/politics-isn-t-just-about-doing-the-right-thing-it-s-also-about/) [Susan Estrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-estrich/) > [The choice in politics isn't usually between black and white. It's between two horrible shades of gray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-thorneycroft/the-choice-in-politics-isn-t-usually-between-black-and-white-it-s/) Lord Thorneycroft > [Politics isn't fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-burr/politics-isn-t-fun/) [Richard Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-burr/) ## More by Ashley Walters > [My mum put me into the Sylvia Young Theatre School aged four, and I'd go there at weekends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-walters/my-mum-put-me-into-the-sylvia-young-theatre-school-aged-four-and-i-d/) [Ashley Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-walters/) > [My heart truly lies in good scripts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-walters/my-heart-truly-lies-in-good-scripts/) [Ashley Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-walters/) > [I never wanted my kids to have the experience of not knowing me or where they came from. I never want them to wonder,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-walters/i-never-wanted-my-kids-to-have-the-experience-of-not-knowing-me-or/) [Ashley Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-walters/) > [I stayed well clear of roles like 'Top Boy' for years before I did it, but I had to do it because the script…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-walters/i-stayed-well-clear-of-roles-like-top-boy-for-years-before-i-did-it/) [Ashley Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-walters/) > [When I was released from prison, I didn't want to leave my house for the first three months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-walters/when-i-was-released-from-prison-i-didn-t-want-to-leave-my-house-for/) [Ashley Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-walters/) > [For me, exercise isn't really about being healthy, it's more about vanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-walters/for-me-exercise-isn-t-really-about-being-healthy-it-s-more-about/) [Ashley Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-walters/) > [When I was young, I would go to youth clubs after school, run by my teachers and there were places to go where you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-walters/when-i-was-young-i-would-go-to-youth-clubs-after-school-run-by-my/) [Ashley Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-walters/) > [I'm not a fan of social media, to be honest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-walters/i-m-not-a-fan-of-social-media-to-be-honest/) [Ashley Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-walters/) > [It would be beautiful to be able to walk up and down Peckham still, because I love it; it's where I grew up. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-walters/it-would-be-beautiful-to-be-able-to-walk-up-and-down-peckham-still/) [Ashley Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-walters/) > [I loved English and I tell kids that without English I wouldn't be able to rap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-walters/i-loved-english-and-i-tell-kids-that-without-english-i-wouldn-t-be/) [Ashley Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-walters/) > [So Solid was more to me about the camaraderie, the unit between me and the other boys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-walters/so-solid-was-more-to-me-about-the-camaraderie-the-unit-between-me-and/) [Ashley Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-walters/) > [I find it really, really, really hard to have relationships with other men. That's one of my biggest problems. Women I seem to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-walters/i-find-it-really-really-really-hard-to-have-relationships-with-other/) [Ashley Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-walters/) > [I don't want to force anyone to give me a job. I want to be the right person for the part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-walters/i-don-t-want-to-force-anyone-to-give-me-a-job-i-want-to-be-the-right/) [Ashley Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-walters/) > [In my opinion, gentrification can sometimes affect what's happening on the ends. You're placing people in different places, moving them around, and you're taking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-walters/in-my-opinion-gentrification-can-sometimes-affect-what-s-happening-on/) [Ashley Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-walters/) > [I didn't actually rob anyone but once I was kidnapped by two older boys for half a day and they were trying to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-walters/i-didn-t-actually-rob-anyone-but-once-i-was-kidnapped-by-two-older/) [Ashley Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-walters/) [Explore all 103 Ashley Walters quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-walters/) ## More Helping people quotes > [“Helpers in every corner, helpers in every hood. That's how we'll make the move, to reform from rude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/helpers-in-every-corner-helpers-in-every-hood-that-s-how-we-ll-make/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“When a bad experience shakes your faith in humanity, hold those depressing thoughts and ask yourself. 1. How many things in life have you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drishti-bablani/when-a-bad-experience-shakes-your-faith-in-humanity-hold-those/) [Drishti Bablani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drishti-bablani/) > [I would never want to take TOMS or myself into an issues debate. That's not what we're about. We're about helping people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-mycoskie/i-would-never-want-to-take-toms-or-myself-into-an-issues-debate-that/) [Blake Mycoskie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-mycoskie/) > [We have a visceral reaction to the idea that anyone would make very much money helping other people. Interesting that we don't have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-pallotta/we-have-a-visceral-reaction-to-the-idea-that-anyone-would-make-very/) [Dan Pallotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-pallotta/) > [I never thought in terms of being a leader. I thought very simply in terms of helping people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hume/i-never-thought-in-terms-of-being-a-leader-i-thought-very-simply-in/) [John Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hume/) > [More than half of all the hip hop record sales are white people, and I think that might be a result of my record…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanilla-ice/more-than-half-of-all-the-hip-hop-record-sales-are-white-people-and-i/) [Vanilla Ice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanilla-ice/) > [Everything I've ever thought about doing has been, in some sense, about helping people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacinda-ardern/everything-i-ve-ever-thought-about-doing-has-been-in-some-sense-about/) [Jacinda Ardern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacinda-ardern/) > [I sometimes wonder whether our churches--living as we do in American death-denying culture, relentlessly smiling through our praise choruses--are inadvertently helping people live not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-galli/i-sometimes-wonder-whether-our-churches-living-as-we-do-in-american/) [Mark Galli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-galli/) > [“Strategic Commonality “Social media has capitalized on helping people find others who share their similar interests, shared experiences, and common passions. With social media,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/strategic-commonality-social-media-has-capitalized-on-helping-people/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [I've always been very good at helping other people finish their songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/i-ve-always-been-very-good-at-helping-other-people-finish-their-songs/) [Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/) > [There is power in helping people get excited about what they do and inspiring and motivating them to unleash their full potential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-morrison/there-is-power-in-helping-people-get-excited-about-what-they-do-and/) [Denise Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-morrison/) > [“If you cannot stretch out a helping hand for the needy, bless them by folding your hands.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pawan-pandit/if-you-cannot-stretch-out-a-helping-hand-for-the-needy-bless-them-by/) Pawan Pandit > [Honesty is about the scars. It's about the blemishes. But it's more than just bragging about failure, which could be a form of ego.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/honesty-is-about-the-scars-it-s-about-the-blemishes-but-it-s-more/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [I like helping people with there problems, but I can't even help myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-like-helping-people-with-there-problems-but-i-can-t-even-help-myself/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you love helping people, and you love trying to bring comfort and peace to their life at a very, very difficult time, youre…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-southerland/if-you-love-helping-people-and-you-love-trying-to-bring-comfort-and/) [Steve Southerland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-southerland/) [Browse all 510 Helping people quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping-people/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Politics isn't about helping people, it's about maintaining whatever people have got, whatever it takes to maintain their position at the expense of us.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ashley Walters" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-walters/politics-isn-t-about-helping-people-it-s-about-maintaining-whatever/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Helping people" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-walters/politics-isn-t-about-helping-people-it-s-about-maintaining-whatever/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee8/ashley-walters-5156_helping-people_politics-isn-t-about-helping-people-it-s_1653528.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee8/ashley-walters-5156_helping-people_politics-isn-t-about-helping-people-it-s_1653528.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee8/ashley-walters-5156_helping-people_politics-isn-t-about-helping-people-it-s_1653528.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Politics isn't about helping people, it's about maintaining whatever people have got, whatever it takes to…” — Ashley Walters", "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": "Ashley Walters", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-walters/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Politics isn't about helping people, it's...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-walters/politics-isn-t-about-helping-people-it-s-about-maintaining-whatever/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-walters/politics-isn-t-about-helping-people-it-s-about-maintaining-whatever/#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 } } ] } ```