--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The real challenge is figuring out how…" description: "\"The real challenge is figuring out how the United States can regain control of its future from its new oligarchy and restore its position as a prospero..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcd/charles-ferguson-28952_challenges_the-real-challenge-is-figuring-out-how-t_1712226.jpg" --- # The real challenge is figuring out how the United States… ![“The real challenge is figuring out how the United States can regain control of its future from its new oligarchy and restore its position as a prosperous, fair, well-educated nation. For if we don't, the current pattern of great concentration of wealth and power will worsen, and we may face the…” quote by Charles Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcd/charles-ferguson-28952_challenges_the-real-challenge-is-figuring-out-how-t_1712226.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcd/charles-ferguson-28952_challenges_the-real-challenge-is-figuring-out-how-t_1712226.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcd/charles-ferguson-28952_challenges_the-real-challenge-is-figuring-out-how-t_1712226.jpg) > “The real challenge is figuring out how the United States can regain control of its future from its new oligarchy and restore its position as a prosperous, fair, well-educated nation. For if we don't, the current pattern of great concentration of wealth and power will worsen, and we may face the steady immiseration of most of the American population.” [Charles Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-ferguson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. America must reclaim its future from concentrated wealth and power to restore prosperity and fairness. **In simple terms:** Prevent wealth concentration to protect democracy. Key Takeaway Support policies that limit oligarchic power. Themes politics economics social justice Mood urgent serious Type political analytical When to use this quote - voting - community organizing - policy advocacy Key Concepts wealth inequality democratic renewal education reform Questions to Reflect On - What concrete steps can citizens take? - How can education reduce inequality? A Different Perspective Changing entrenched systems is extremely difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Concentration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concentration/) [Concentration of wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concentration-of-wealth/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Oligarchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oligarchy/) [Patterns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patterns/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Prosperous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prosperous/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) ## Related quotes > [“The real power in America is held by a fast-emerging new Oligarchy of pimps and preachers who see no need for Democracy or fairness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/the-real-power-in-america-is-held-by-a-fast-emerging-new-oligarchy-of/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [The real power in America is held by a fast-emerging new Oligarchy of pimps and preachers who see no need for Democracy or fairness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/the-real-power-in-america-is-held-by-a-fast-emerging-new-oligarchy-of-2/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“The new oligarchy must increasingly rely on the advice of scientists until in the end the politicians become merely the scientists’ puppets.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/the-new-oligarchy-must-increasingly-rely-on-the-advice-of-scientists/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [I came from a state where 35 percent self-identify as Tea Partiers, so I'm a bit distorted perhaps in my appreciation for the larger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-carson/i-came-from-a-state-where-35-percent-self-identify-as-tea-partiers-so/) [Brad Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-carson/) > [Half the American population no longer reads newspapers: plainly, they are the clever half.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/half-the-american-population-no-longer-reads-newspapers-plainly-they/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [...there is an optimal balance, depending on the manner of man's life, between the density of human population and the tolerances of nature. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-f-kennan/there-is-an-optimal-balance-depending-on-the-manner-of-man-s-life/) [George F. Kennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-f-kennan/) > [I think one big thing about the United States is that the American population, they may be excited about Iraq or one thing or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/i-think-one-big-thing-about-the-united-states-is-that-the-american/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [It is not more people that are needed in the world but better people, physically, morally and mentally. This question of raising the quality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-e-meyer/it-is-not-more-people-that-are-needed-in-the-world-but-better-people/) Agnes E Meyer > [There is a segment of the American population that has been excluded from the national myth, and that should be redressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-zwick/there-is-a-segment-of-the-american-population-that-has-been-excluded/) [Edward Zwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-zwick/) > [During my years in the United States, I met a lot of evangelicals; they comprise a quarter of the American population, and are utterly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macdonald/during-my-years-in-the-united-states-i-met-a-lot-of-evangelicals-they/) [Neil Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macdonald/) > [Gentlemen, as sure as I'm sitting here now, the result of continuation of a non-system, the ostrich-like head-in-the-sand attitude, the constant rejection of any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/gentlemen-as-sure-as-i-m-sitting-here-now-the-result-of-continuation/) [Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/) > [“During the forty-five months of World War II, the United States lost just under 1 percent of its adult male population; during the Civil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-philbrick/during-the-forty-five-months-of-world-war-ii-the-united-states-lost-2/) [Nathaniel Philbrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-philbrick/) > [“If you ask me to leave now, I will.” Slowly his mouth curved into that heart-stopping smile. “And then you’ll miss what comes next.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-enoch/if-you-ask-me-to-leave-now-i-will-slowly-his-mouth-curved-into-that/) [Suzanne Enoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-enoch/) > [A lie impacts you as much as to those you lie to, especially when you end up living it. Come clean and face the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola/a-lie-impacts-you-as-much-as-to-those-you-lie-to-especially-when-you/) [Kemmy Nola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemmy-nola/) > [“Don’t let life pass you by as you shrink back. Don’t let passivity create a mummylike, survival-type existence for you. Find people who want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cloud/don-t-let-life-pass-you-by-as-you-shrink-back-don-t-let-passivity/) [Henry Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cloud/) ## More by Charles Ferguson > [I thought I should try something relatively inexpensive, relatively contained, relatively small. I started working on a feature, a film I'd still like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-ferguson/i-thought-i-should-try-something-relatively-inexpensive-relatively/) [Charles Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-ferguson/) > [If allowed to continue, this process will turn the United States into a declining, unfair society with an impoverished, angry, uneducated population under the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-ferguson/if-allowed-to-continue-this-process-will-turn-the-united-states-into/) [Charles Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-ferguson/) > [I'm actually all in favor of freeing the entrepreneurial spirit - but it turns out, interestingly, that you actually need very strict regulations to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-ferguson/i-m-actually-all-in-favor-of-freeing-the-entrepreneurial-spirit-but/) [Charles Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-ferguson/) > [I sort of plunged into filmmaking. I decided I'd jump off the deep end, so I started thinking about what kind of a movie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-ferguson/i-sort-of-plunged-into-filmmaking-i-decided-i-d-jump-off-the-deep-end/) [Charles Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-ferguson/) > [It is no exaggeration to say that since the 1980s, much of the global financial sector has become criminalised, creating an industry culture that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-ferguson/it-is-no-exaggeration-to-say-that-since-the-1980s-much-of-the-global/) [Charles Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-ferguson/) > [When the financial crisis arrived, it seemed to me that this was something I had to make a movie about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-ferguson/when-the-financial-crisis-arrived-it-seemed-to-me-that-this-was/) [Charles Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-ferguson/) > [But that's not how most of the people mentioned in this book became wealthy. Most of them became wealthy by being well connected and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-ferguson/but-that-s-not-how-most-of-the-people-mentioned-in-this-book-became/) [Charles Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-ferguson/) > [I used to be a businessman and I enjoyed what I did and I thought that it was socially useful. I don't have anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-ferguson/i-used-to-be-a-businessman-and-i-enjoyed-what-i-did-and-i-thought/) [Charles Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-ferguson/) > [I'd been a film maniac since I was very young; by the time I was eight or nine years old, I was hooked on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-ferguson/i-d-been-a-film-maniac-since-i-was-very-young-by-the-time-i-was-eight/) [Charles Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-ferguson/) > [When the U.S. government is serious about doing something that's complicated and difficult, it can do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-ferguson/when-the-u-s-government-is-serious-about-doing-something-that-s/) [Charles Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-ferguson/) > [A very high fraction of America's economic problems come not from our difficulties with education or globalization or competition with the Chinese or whatever.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-ferguson/a-very-high-fraction-of-america-s-economic-problems-come-not-from-our/) [Charles Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-ferguson/) > [Forgive me, I must start by pointing out that three years after our horrific financial crisis caused by financial fraud, not a single financial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-ferguson/forgive-me-i-must-start-by-pointing-out-that-three-years-after-our/) [Charles Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-ferguson/) > [Everyone knows, or has strongly suspected, that capital theory is difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-ferguson/everyone-knows-or-has-strongly-suspected-that-capital-theory-is/) [Charles Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-ferguson/) > [A fierce and sentimental addiction to forms makes us shudder at change. It is much easier to say that the system is all right-only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-ferguson/a-fierce-and-sentimental-addiction-to-forms-makes-us-shudder-at/) [Charles Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-ferguson/) > [WikiLeaks combines several of my prior interests in technology, policy questions, and journalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-ferguson/wikileaks-combines-several-of-my-prior-interests-in-technology-policy/) [Charles Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-ferguson/) [Explore all 19 Charles Ferguson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-ferguson/) ## More Challenges quotes > [I know for my wife and I, we always loved the idea of being young parents. It is an incredibly inspiring and challenging job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hanson/i-know-for-my-wife-and-i-we-always-loved-the-idea-of-being-young/) [Taylor Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hanson/) > [Our biggest challenge is to eliminate the popular perception that economists don't have anything useful to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zandi/our-biggest-challenge-is-to-eliminate-the-popular-perception-that/) [Mark Zandi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zandi/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [I think the next 50 years are going to present the human race with challenges that so far exceed the limitations of geopolitical boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-think-the-next-50-years-are-going-to-present-the-human-race-with/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [“Doing the work to transform your dreams into reality is like walking across the earth. It can be that hard, and it can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragos-bratasanu/doing-the-work-to-transform-your-dreams-into-reality-is-like-walking/) [Dragos Bratasanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragos-bratasanu/) > [I want to be perceived as a guy who played his best in all facets, not just scoring. A guy who loved challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-want-to-be-perceived-as-a-guy-who-played-his-best-in-all-facets-not/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [People in great groups have blinders on. Their work is all they see. They value failures as learning opportunities. They are optimistic, not realistic,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/people-in-great-groups-have-blinders-on-their-work-is-all-they-see/) [Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/) > [If, as I anticipate, a wide array of personal, portable information/communication devices becomes increasingly important and widespread for information-intensive users, it will be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/if-as-i-anticipate-a-wide-array-of-personal-portable-information/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [“Two powerful, little words I've learned to use when facing challenges, fears, and doubts— so what? ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/two-powerful-little-words-i-ve-learned-to-use-when-facing-challenges/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [It's a challenge to work a character's arc into a format in which you only have a very limited amount of time to grow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginnifer-goodwin/it-s-a-challenge-to-work-a-character-s-arc-into-a-format-in-which-you/) [Ginnifer Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginnifer-goodwin/) > [I personally think if something's not a challenge, there's no point doing it, because you're not gonna learn much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-personally-think-if-something-s-not-a-challenge-there-s-no-point/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Men want a challenge, but they want a challenge they can win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-gaskell/men-want-a-challenge-but-they-want-a-challenge-they-can-win/) Whitney Gaskell > [Growing up with a parent in the army, I saw firsthand the challenges our service members face when transitioning to new jobs after time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/growing-up-with-a-parent-in-the-army-i-saw-firsthand-the-challenges/) [Sharice Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharice-davids/) > [Nobody challenges me. I challenge myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakuntala-devi/nobody-challenges-me-i-challenge-myself/) [Shakuntala Devi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakuntala-devi/) > [Challenging is good, like good conversation, yes? Who wants to have dinner with the same old easy listening music sounding friends all the time?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/challenging-is-good-like-good-conversation-yes-who-wants-to-have/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) [Browse all 8,851 Challenges quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The real challenge is figuring out how the United States can regain control of its future from its new oligarchy and restore its position as a prosperous, fair, well-educated nation. 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