--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Surely by now there can be few here who…" description: "\"Surely by now there can be few here who still believe the purpose of government is to protect us from the destructive activities of corporations. At la..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3a/derrick-jensen-2824_believe_surely-by-now-there-can-be-few-here-who_857143.png" --- # Surely by now there can be few here who still believe the… ![“Surely by now there can be few here who still believe the purpose of government is to protect us from the destructive activities of corporations. At last most of us must understand that the opposite is true: that the primary purpose of government is to protect those who run the economy from the…” quote by Derrick Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3a/derrick-jensen-2824_believe_surely-by-now-there-can-be-few-here-who_857143.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3a/derrick-jensen-2824_believe_surely-by-now-there-can-be-few-here-who_857143.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3a/derrick-jensen-2824_believe_surely-by-now-there-can-be-few-here-who_857143.png) > “Surely by now there can be few here who still believe the purpose of government is to protect us from the destructive activities of corporations. At last most of us must understand that the opposite is true: that the primary purpose of government is to protect those who run the economy from the outrage of injured citizens.” [Derrick Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-jensen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Government primarily shields corporate interests, not citizens, from corporate harm. **In simple terms:** Governments protect corporations. Key Takeaway Question who benefits from policies. Themes politics power corporate influence Mood critical concerned Type political analytical When to use this quote - voting decisions - activism - consumer choices - legislative reform Key Concepts economics public policy ethics Questions to Reflect On - Who truly benefits from regulation? - How can citizens reclaim power? A Different Perspective Complex power dynamics can be hard to change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Corporations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corporations/) [Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Opposites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposites/) [Outrage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outrage/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Purpose of government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose-of-government/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) ## Related quotes > [If you like small government you need to work hard at having a strong national defense that is not so militant. Personal liberty is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/if-you-like-small-government-you-need-to-work-hard-at-having-a-strong/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [The chief purpose of government is to protect life. Abandon that and you have abandoned all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-chief-purpose-of-government-is-to-protect-life-abandon-that-and/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The fundamental purpose of government is to protect its citizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/the-fundamental-purpose-of-government-is-to-protect-its-citizens/) [Arlen Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/) > [The Founding Father expressed in words for all to read the ideal of Government based upon the dignity of the individual. That ideal previously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/the-founding-father-expressed-in-words-for-all-to-read-the-ideal-of/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [“The purpose of government, and therefore of law, is not to cause justice to prevail, but rather, to prevent injustice from reigning. Justice is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-befumo/the-purpose-of-government-and-therefore-of-law-is-not-to-cause/) [Joseph Befumo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-befumo/) > [The purpose of government is to enable the people of a nation to live in safety and happiness. Government exists for the interests of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-purpose-of-government-is-to-enable-the-people-of-a-nation-to-live/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The sheer number of government employees and welfare recipients effectively transforms the purpose of government from maintaining order to confiscating as much as possible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bovard/the-sheer-number-of-government-employees-and-welfare-recipients/) [James Bovard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bovard/) > [The purpose of government is to rein in the rights of the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/the-purpose-of-government-is-to-rein-in-the-rights-of-the-people/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [I am more interested in the purpose of government than its mechanics-though the means should at least be good enough to lead to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aminu-kano/i-am-more-interested-in-the-purpose-of-government-than-its-mechanics/) [Aminu Kano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aminu-kano/) > [The purpose of government is for those who run it to plunder those who do not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-dilorenzo/the-purpose-of-government-is-for-those-who-run-it-to-plunder-those/) [Thomas DiLorenzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-dilorenzo/) > [Left to me, the whole purpose of government is for the security of the citizens, like the security of lives and property.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibrahim-babangida/left-to-me-the-whole-purpose-of-government-is-for-the-security-of-the/) [Ibrahim Babangida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibrahim-babangida/) > [The good of the people must be the great purpose of government. By the laws of nature and of reason, the governors are invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/the-good-of-the-people-must-be-the-great-purpose-of-government-by-the/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [I have always felt that the real purpose of government is to enhance the lives of people and that a leader can best do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-r-ford/i-have-always-felt-that-the-real-purpose-of-government-is-to-enhance/) [Gerald R. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-r-ford/) > [The most fundamental purpose of government is defense, not empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-sobran/the-most-fundamental-purpose-of-government-is-defense-not-empire/) [Joseph Sobran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-sobran/) > [“I think the purpose of government is for a population to accomplish its mutually agreed-upon goals without every citizen having to accomplish those goals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-peate/i-think-the-purpose-of-government-is-for-a-population-to-accomplish/) [Robert Peate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-peate/) ## More by Derrick Jensen > [The global industrial economy is the engine for massive environmental degradation and massive human (and nonhuman) impoverishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-jensen/the-global-industrial-economy-is-the-engine-for-massive-environmental/) [Derrick Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-jensen/) > [“In sum, one of the primary things I learned was how to kill time. I learned also to wish away my life. I learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-jensen/in-sum-one-of-the-primary-things-i-learned-was-how-to-kill-time-i/) [Derrick Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-jensen/) > [“I had broken the most basic commandment of our culture: Thou shalt pretend there is nothing wrong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-jensen/i-had-broken-the-most-basic-commandment-of-our-culture-thou-shalt/) [Derrick Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-jensen/) > [“Someone asked me once at a talk why I so stress the positive with my students yet am such an unstinting critic of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-jensen/someone-asked-me-once-at-a-talk-why-i-so-stress-the-positive-with-my/) [Derrick Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-jensen/) > [If the world is presented as resources to be exploited, then, more than likely, you're going to exploit the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-jensen/if-the-world-is-presented-as-resources-to-be-exploited-then-more-than/) [Derrick Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-jensen/) > [It's no wonder we don't defend the land where we live. We don't live here. We live in television programs and movies and books…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-jensen/it-s-no-wonder-we-don-t-defend-the-land-where-we-live-we-don-t-live/) [Derrick Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-jensen/) > [“ISOLATION DOES STRANGE THINGS to a person’s mind. This is true for any social creature, human or otherwise. Monkeys taken from their mothers at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-jensen/isolation-does-strange-things-to-a-person-s-mind-this-is-true-for-any/) [Derrick Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-jensen/) > [My great-grandmother grew up in a sod house in Nebraska. When she was a tiny girl - in other words, only four human generations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-jensen/my-great-grandmother-grew-up-in-a-sod-house-in-nebraska-when-she-was/) [Derrick Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-jensen/) > [Where will you drive your own picket stake? Where will you choose to make your stand? Give me a threshold, a specific point at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-jensen/where-will-you-drive-your-own-picket-stake-where-will-you-choose-to/) [Derrick Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-jensen/) > [“So often, environmentalists and others working to slow the destruction are capable of plainly describing the problems (Who wouldn’t be? The problems are neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-jensen/so-often-environmentalists-and-others-working-to-slow-the-destruction/) [Derrick Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-jensen/) > [Forests precede us and deserts dog our heels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-jensen/forests-precede-us-and-deserts-dog-our-heels/) [Derrick Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-jensen/) > [“The condition of alienation, of being asleep, of being unconscious, of being out of one’s mind, is the condition of the normal man. Society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-jensen/the-condition-of-alienation-of-being-asleep-of-being-unconscious-of/) [Derrick Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-jensen/) > [So many indigenous people have said to me that the fundamental difference between Western and indigenous ways of being is that even the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-jensen/so-many-indigenous-people-have-said-to-me-that-the-fundamental/) [Derrick Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-jensen/) > [When dams were erected on the Columbia, salmon battered themselves against the concrete, trying to return home. I expect no less from us. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-jensen/when-dams-were-erected-on-the-columbia-salmon-battered-themselves/) [Derrick Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-jensen/) > [People say 'what do you mean' when you talk about 'bringing down civilization.' What I really mean is depriving the rich of the ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-jensen/people-say-what-do-you-mean-when-you-talk-about-bringing-down/) [Derrick Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-jensen/) [Explore all 149 Derrick Jensen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-jensen/) ## 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 ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Surely by now there can be few here who still believe the purpose of government is to protect us from the destructive activities of corporations. 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