--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The intertwining of corporations and…" description: "\"The intertwining of corporations and government has become so extensive in this century that the notion of a democratic balancing act has become a dang..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/317/charles-derber-43051_balancing-act_the-intertwining-of-corporations-and-gov_923002.jpg" --- # The intertwining of corporations and government has become… ![“The intertwining of corporations and government has become so extensive in this century that the notion of a democratic balancing act has become a dangerous illusion-and one of the cornerstones of the corporate mystique.” quote by Charles Derber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/317/charles-derber-43051_balancing-act_the-intertwining-of-corporations-and-gov_923002.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/317/charles-derber-43051_balancing-act_the-intertwining-of-corporations-and-gov_923002.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/317/charles-derber-43051_balancing-act_the-intertwining-of-corporations-and-gov_923002.jpg) > “The intertwining of corporations and government has become so extensive in this century that the notion of a democratic balancing act has become a dangerous illusion-and one of the cornerstones of the corporate mystique.” [Charles Derber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-derber/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Corporate and government ties blur democratic checks, creating a false sense of balance. **In simple terms:** Powerful alliances can undermine democracy. Key Takeaway Watch for hidden influences. Themes politics corporate power democracy illusion balance Mood critical concerned Type analytical thought‑provoking When to use this quote - policy analysis - activism - media literacy - academic study Key Concepts institutional capture public policy citizen engagement Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens restore democratic balance? - What mechanisms expose corporate influence? A Different Perspective Complex systems resist simple solutions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Balancing act](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balancing-act/) [Century](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/century/) [Cornerstones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cornerstones/) [Corporate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corporate/) [Corporate Mystique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corporate-mystique-1443065/) [Corporations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corporations/) [Corporations Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corporations-government-501342/) [Dangerous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dangerous/) [Democratic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democratic/) [Democratic Balancing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democratic-balancing-1443063/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Illusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illusion/) [Intertwining Corporations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intertwining-corporations-1443064/) [Mystique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mystique/) [Notion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/notion/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [The First Amendment does not extend to corporations. 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The opportunity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/it-s-what-we-wrestle-with-every-single-day-the-intersection-of/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Communication is a continual balancing act, juggling the conflicting needs for intimacy and independence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/communication-is-a-continual-balancing-act-juggling-the-conflicting/) [Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/) > [“I once asked you what anxiety felt like, and you told me that most days left you riddled with bullet holes. Every morning came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-s/i-once-asked-you-what-anxiety-felt-like-and-you-told-me-that-most/) [d.a.s](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-s/) ## More by Charles Derber > [“Nationalism and jingoism—essential corollaries of militarism—are also systemic imperatives because they divide the global working classes, and bind them to the elites oppressing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-derber/nationalism-and-jingoism-essential-corollaries-of-militarism-are-also/) [Charles Derber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-derber/) > [“For progressive universalizers, the vision is an egalitarian society leveling the playing field and delivering good jobs and fair rewards across class, race, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-derber/for-progressive-universalizers-the-vision-is-an-egalitarian-society/) [Charles Derber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-derber/) > [“I think we can survive—and resist both US authoritarianism and corporatism while creating a democratic revolution—only if the majority of Americans either become the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-derber/i-think-we-can-survive-and-resist-both-us-authoritarianism-and/) [Charles Derber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-derber/) > [Today, as in the Gilded Age, we live in a world where a morality of personal responsibility rubs shoulders with a culture of greed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-derber/today-as-in-the-gilded-age-we-live-in-a-world-where-a-morality-of/) [Charles Derber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-derber/) > [The Upton Sinclair of today's global economy is Charles Kernaghan, the New York based muckraker most famous for his expose of sweatshops producing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-derber/the-upton-sinclair-of-today-s-global-economy-is-charles-kernaghan-the/) [Charles Derber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-derber/) > [“Change begins at home”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-derber/change-begins-at-home/) [Charles Derber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-derber/) > [Quite simply, there can be no popular sovereignty without a real belief in the value of government. If government does not assume and carry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-derber/quite-simply-there-can-be-no-popular-sovereignty-without-a-real/) [Charles Derber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-derber/) > [The poor, no less than the rich, stay tuned in to the Dream Machine in bad times as well as good…By 1995, millions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-derber/the-poor-no-less-than-the-rich-stay-tuned-in-to-the-dream-machine-in/) [Charles Derber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-derber/) [Explore all 9 Charles Derber quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-derber/) ## More Balancing act quotes > [“I once asked you what anxiety felt like, and you told me that most days left you riddled with bullet holes. 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Yes, you will indeed!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/and-will-you-succeed-yes-you-will-indeed/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [When you listen to the music, you can also see the film or read the article, and it's all part of the same journey…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-crowe/when-you-listen-to-the-music-you-can-also-see-the-film-or-read-the/) [Cameron Crowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-crowe/) > [“Life is a balancing act that can be fun if you let it. Appreciation and striving both have a vital role in your well-being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-a-balancing-act-that-can-be-fun-if-you-let-it-appreciation/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The last one's hard. 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To survivein the world, we have to act in concert with others,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/communication-is-a-continualbalancing-act-juggling-the-conflicting/) [Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/) > [We're going to sing about things that matter to us. The balancing act is to present these ideas but also make the music exciting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/we-re-going-to-sing-about-things-that-matter-to-us-the-balancing-act/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [“Even when we can pinpoint “something good” that came out of a tragedy, it never balances out what we have lost. How could anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-custis-james/even-when-we-can-pinpoint-something-good-that-came-out-of-a-tragedy/) [Carolyn Custis James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-custis-james/) > [Redistributing tokens is a balancing act. 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