--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The way we’ve set up corporations, even a…" description: "\"“The way we’ve set up corporations, even a majority vote of stockholders cannot demand that a corporation’s policies reflect the public good or preserv..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/400/david-suzuki-1744_corporations_the-way-we-ve-set-up-corporations-even-a_2980948.jpg" --- # The way we’ve set up corporations, even a majority vote of… ![“The way we’ve set up corporations, even a majority vote of stockholders cannot demand that a corporation’s policies reflect the public good or preserve the environment for future use. That’s because profit is the one and only motive. It’s up to government and it’s up to people to protect the…” quote by David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/400/david-suzuki-1744_corporations_the-way-we-ve-set-up-corporations-even-a_2980948.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/400/david-suzuki-1744_corporations_the-way-we-ve-set-up-corporations-even-a_2980948.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/400/david-suzuki-1744_corporations_the-way-we-ve-set-up-corporations-even-a_2980948.jpg) > ““The way we’ve set up corporations, even a majority vote of stockholders cannot demand that a corporation’s policies reflect the public good or preserve the environment for future use. That’s because profit is the one and only motive. It’s up to government and it’s up to people to protect the public interest. Corporations are simply not allowed to.”” [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Corporate profit motives limit their ability to prioritize public good or environmental protection; government and citizens must intervene. **In simple terms:** Profit‑driven corporations ignore public and environmental needs; government and people must act. Key Takeaway Demand regulation and civic action. Themes environment corporate governance public policy Mood urgent concerned Type political educational When to use this quote - policy advocacy - community organizing - shareholder activism - legislative lobbying Key Concepts profit motive public interest environmental stewardship Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens effectively pressure corporations? - What incentives could align profit with public good? A Different Perspective Corporations can voluntarily adopt sustainable practices; regulation may be resisted. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Corporation Policies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corporation-policies-4636016/) [Corporations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corporations/) [Corporations Majority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corporations-majority-4636017/) [Corporations Simply](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corporations-simply-2730500/) [Public Corporations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-corporations-3102293/) [Public interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-interest/) ## Related quotes > [On Sept. 12, 2016, there was a momentary realignment in the constellation of global business. For the first time, the five largest public corporations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/on-sept-12-2016-there-was-a-momentary-realignment-in-the/) [Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/) > [I'm not singing the virtues of corporations simply 'cause they exist. But by the same token I'm not gonna be like your average liberal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-m-not-singing-the-virtues-of-corporations-simply-cause-they-exist/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“There are essentially five things public corporations can do with a dollar earned: reinvest in the business, acquire other businesses or assets, pay down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-pecaut/there-are-essentially-five-things-public-corporations-can-do-with-a/) [Daniel Pecaut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-pecaut/) > [“The media have indeed informed the public about threats to our air, water and food. Ever since 1962, when Rachel Carson published Silent Spring,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/the-media-have-indeed-informed-the-public-about-threats-to-our-air/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [“There has grown up in the minds of certain groups in this country the notion that because a man or corporation has made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/there-has-grown-up-in-the-minds-of-certain-groups-in-this-country-the/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“The goal is all-out war on the public sphere and the public interest, whether in the form of antipollution regulations or programs for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/the-goal-is-all-out-war-on-the-public-sphere-and-the-public-interest/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [Corporations are not people. They shouldn't be funding. They shouldn't be funding campaigns at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/corporations-are-not-people-they-shouldn-t-be-funding-they-shouldn-t/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [Salmon farming-the placement of large metal or mesh net cages in the ocean to grow fish-was pioneered in Norway in the 1960s. Since then,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/salmon-farming-the-placement-of-large-metal-or-mesh-net-cages-in-the/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [Corporations are economic entities or structures, and yet they're allowed to fund political candidates, and when those candidates are elected, guess who gets in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/corporations-are-economic-entities-or-structures-and-yet-they-re/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [“People of the middle sort like us, thinking people that is, are always tongue-tied and awkward. What is the reason of it? Whether it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crime-and-punishment-fyodor-dostoevsky/people-of-the-middle-sort-like-us-thinking-people-that-is-are-always/) [Crime and Punishment; Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crime-and-punishment-fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [Advertising justifies its existence when used in the public interest-it is much too powerful a tool to use solely for commercial purposes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-gossage/advertising-justifies-its-existence-when-used-in-the-public-interest/) [Howard Gossage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-gossage/) > [“A mere enumeration of government activity is evidence -- often the sole evidence offered -- of "inadequate" nongovernment institutions, whose "inability" to cope with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/a-mere-enumeration-of-government-activity-is-evidence-often-the-sole/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [ The diseased pride \[of artistic individualists\] was not even conscious of a public interest, and would have found all political terms utterly tasteless and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-diseased-pride-of-artistic-individualists-was-not-even-conscious/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [What country can preserve its liberties if its rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/what-country-can-preserve-its-liberties-if-its-rulers-are-not-warned/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [A free society depends upon a high degree of mutual trust. The public will not give that trust to officials who are not seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-cox/a-free-society-depends-upon-a-high-degree-of-mutual-trust-the-public/) [Archibald Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-cox/) ## More by David Suzuki > [Because countries often have differing political and economic systems, agreements are needed to protect those invested in trade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/because-countries-often-have-differing-political-and-economic-systems/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [Over and over, we hear politicians say they can't spend our tax dollars on environmental protection when the economy is so fragile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/over-and-over-we-hear-politicians-say-they-can-t-spend-our-tax/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [Aboriginal people are key because they have a different sense of where we belong and how we interact with nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/aboriginal-people-are-key-because-they-have-a-different-sense-of/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [We are upsetting the atmosphere upon which all life depends. In the late 80s when I began to take climate change seriously, we referred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/we-are-upsetting-the-atmosphere-upon-which-all-life-depends-in-the/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [Treaties, agreements and organizations to help settle disputes may be necessary, but they often favor the interests of business over citizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/treaties-agreements-and-organizations-to-help-settle-disputes-may-be/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [Each of us now has 2.27 kg (5 lbs) of plastic embedded in our bodies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/each-of-us-now-has-2-27-kg-5-lbs-of-plastic-embedded-in-our-bodies/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [Nature surrounds us, from parks and backyards to streets and alleyways. Next time you go out for a walk, tread gently and remember that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/nature-surrounds-us-from-parks-and-backyards-to-streets-and-alleyways/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [The human brain had a vast memory storage. It made us curious and very creative. Those were the characteristics that gave us an advantage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/the-human-brain-had-a-vast-memory-storage-it-made-us-curious-and-very/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [If we pollute the air, water and soil that keep us alive and well, and destroy the biodiversity that allows natural systems to function,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/if-we-pollute-the-air-water-and-soil-that-keep-us-alive-and-well-and/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [The one thing I feel is very hopeful, however, is the overwhelming participation of women in the movement for change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/the-one-thing-i-feel-is-very-hopeful-however-is-the-overwhelming/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [“As we distance ourselves further from the natural world, we are increasingly surrounded by and dependent on our own inventions. We become enslaved by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/as-we-distance-ourselves-further-from-the-natural-world-we-are/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [Every breath is a sacrament, an affirmation of our connection with all other living things, a renewal of our link with our ancestors and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/every-breath-is-a-sacrament-an-affirmation-of-our-connection-with-all/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [With an estimated population of nine billion people by 2050, we cannot continue to consume resources at the same rate and maintain our quality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/with-an-estimated-population-of-nine-billion-people-by-2050-we-cannot/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [Although it's the second largest country in the world, our useful area has been reduced. Our immigration policy is disgusting: We plunder southern countries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/although-it-s-the-second-largest-country-in-the-world-our-useful-area/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [Environmentalism has failed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/environmentalism-has-failed/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) [Explore all 212 David Suzuki quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) ## More Corporations quotes > [It makes no sense to talk of the social obligations of the corporation without reference to its economic obligations. The two are intertwined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-r-raymond/it-makes-no-sense-to-talk-of-the-social-obligations-of-the/) [Lee R. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-r-raymond/) > [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Everything affects hip-hop. The question is, how does it affect the money that corporations are going to invest to put out different kinds of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-i-am/everything-affects-hip-hop-the-question-is-how-does-it-affect-the/) [will.i.am](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-i-am/) > [Corporations have nothing to do with values, and they know it, and sometimes say it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kierans/corporations-have-nothing-to-do-with-values-and-they-know-it-and/) [Eric Kierans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-kierans/) > [Corporations invest in sophisticated CRM, or Customer Relationship Management, programs to effectively oversee their relationship with their customers at every point during the buying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-ostrofsky/corporations-invest-in-sophisticated-crm-or-customer-relationship/) [Marc Ostrofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-ostrofsky/) > [“Whatever happened in those more than one hundred years, from the time my great-great-great grandfather studied law to the time when my own father…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwenn-wright/whatever-happened-in-those-more-than-one-hundred-years-from-the-time/) [Gwenn Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwenn-wright/) > [I am somewhat influenced by the years that I've spent trying to actually get things done, whether it was reforming education in Arkansas or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-am-somewhat-influenced-by-the-years-that-i-ve-spent-trying-to/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [There are questions as to whether it should even exist. Who should corporations be responsive to, the management of a corporation? Theoretically they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-questions-as-to-whether-it-should-even-exist-who-should/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“Subsequently there ensues an epoch of complex, proliferating intrigues and conspiracies among the ranks of double agents, whose agendas become so densely intertwined that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-ligotti/subsequently-there-ensues-an-epoch-of-complex-proliferating-intrigues/) [Thomas Ligotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-ligotti/) > [I'm not only a fan of Apple products, I have stock in the company. 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They're counting on you to be standing at attention with your hand over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/they-re-counting-on-your-patriotism-to-distract-you-from-their/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) [Browse all 1,673 Corporations quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corporations/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The way we’ve set up corporations, even a majority vote of stockholders cannot demand that a corporation’s policies reflect the public good or preserve the environment for future use. That’s because profit is the one and only motive. It’s up to government and it’s up to people to protect the public interest. 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