--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This country has achieved its commercial…" description: "\"This country has achieved its commercial and financial supremacy under a regime of private ownership. It conquered the wilderness, built our railroads,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb0/george-b-cortelyou-71469_airplane_this-country-has-achieved-its-commercial_120041.jpg" --- # This country has achieved its commercial and financial… ![“This country has achieved its commercial and financial supremacy under a regime of private ownership. It conquered the wilderness, built our railroads, our factories, our public utilities, gave us the telegraph, the telephone, the electric light, the automobile, the airplane, the radio and a…” quote by George B. Cortelyou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb0/george-b-cortelyou-71469_airplane_this-country-has-achieved-its-commercial_120041.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb0/george-b-cortelyou-71469_airplane_this-country-has-achieved-its-commercial_120041.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb0/george-b-cortelyou-71469_airplane_this-country-has-achieved-its-commercial_120041.jpg) > “This country has achieved its commercial and financial supremacy under a regime of private ownership. It conquered the wilderness, built our railroads, our factories, our public utilities, gave us the telegraph, the telephone, the electric light, the automobile, the airplane, the radio and a higher standard of living for all the people than obtains anywhere else in the world. No great invention ever came from a government-owned industry.” George B. Cortelyou ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Private ownership drove America’s industrial and technological breakthroughs, suggesting government‑run enterprises rarely innovate. **In simple terms:** Private sector spurred major inventions. Key Takeaway Private initiative fuels progress. Themes innovation private ownership industrialization technology Mood assertive historical Type statement historical When to use this quote - policy debates - startup ecosystems - infrastructure projects Key Concepts economic history public vs private sector Practical Applications - encourage private R&D incentives - protect entrepreneurial freedom Questions to Reflect On - What conditions enable private innovation? - How can public and private sectors collaborate? A Different Perspective Government programs have produced key advances (e.g., internet, space). ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Automobile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/automobile/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Electric light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/electric-light/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Great inventions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-inventions/) [Higher standards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/higher-standards/) [Industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/industry/) [Innovation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation/) [Invention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invention/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Ownership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ownership/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Privacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/privacy/) [Radio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/radio/) [Railroads](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/railroads/) [Standards of living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standards-of-living/) [Supremacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supremacy/) [Wilderness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wilderness/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [When the nations of the world look upon the United States, they see a country which has achieved what they would all like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/when-the-nations-of-the-world-look-upon-the-united-states-they-see-a/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [The U.S. government doesn't build your computers, nor do you fly aboard a U.S. government owned and operated airline. Private industry routinely takes technologies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-diamandis/the-u-s-government-doesn-t-build-your-computers-nor-do-you-fly-aboard/) [Peter Diamandis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-diamandis/) > [“Communal ownership means that all benefit for a short time; private ownership means that few people benefit over the course of an extended period…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-robert-morse/communal-ownership-means-that-all-benefit-for-a-short-time-private/) [Eric Robert Morse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-robert-morse/) > [The program of liberalism if condensed into a single word, would have to read: property, that is, private ownership of the means of production.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-program-of-liberalism-if-condensed-into-a-single-word-would-have/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Worker ownership within a state capitalist, semi-market system is better than private ownership but it has inherent problems. Markets have well-known inherent inefficiencies. They're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/worker-ownership-within-a-state-capitalist-semi-market-system-is/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Whoever prefers life to death, happiness to suffering, well-being to misery must defend without compromise private ownership in the means of production.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/whoever-prefers-life-to-death-happiness-to-suffering-well-being-to/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [“In a society in which nearly everybody is dominated by somebody else's mind or by a disembodied mind, it becomes increasingly difficult to learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/in-a-society-in-which-nearly-everybody-is-dominated-by-somebody-else/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [The transfer of Wall Street from private ownership to public ownership has been a big step backward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/the-transfer-of-wall-street-from-private-ownership-to-public/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [During the Soviet era, private ownership was a crime punishable with up to five years in prison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatoly-chubais/during-the-soviet-era-private-ownership-was-a-crime-punishable-with/) [Anatoly Chubais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatoly-chubais/) > [We have seen that this great labor question cannot be solved save by assuming as a principle that private ownership must be held sacred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/we-have-seen-that-this-great-labor-question-cannot-be-solved-save-by/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [As we settle into 2013, I predict this: We'll see companies that promote this shift from private ownership thrive. More people will be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-jurich/as-we-settle-into-2013-i-predict-this-we-ll-see-companies-that/) [Lynn Jurich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-jurich/) > [I think private ownership is generally superior to public because you care about the land more and it doesnt get trashed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-malone/i-think-private-ownership-is-generally-superior-to-public-because-you/) [John C. Malone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-malone/) > [Private ownership of land is the nether mill-stone. Material progress is the upper mill-stone. Between them, with an increasing pressure, the working classes are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-george/private-ownership-of-land-is-the-nether-mill-stone-material-progress/) [Henry George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-george/) > [For they have always unanimously maintained that nature, rather the Creator Himself, has given man the right of private ownership not only that individuals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-pius-xi/for-they-have-always-unanimously-maintained-that-nature-rather-the/) [Pope Pius XI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-pius-xi/) > [The foundation of any and every civilization, including our own, is private ownership of the means of production. Whoever wishes to criticize modern civilization,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-foundation-of-any-and-every-civilization-including-our-own-is/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) ## More by George B. Cortelyou > [The greatest asset of any nation is the spirit of its people, and the greatest danger that can menace any nation is the breakdown…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-b-cortelyou/the-greatest-asset-of-any-nation-is-the-spirit-of-its-people-and-the/) George B. Cortelyou > [It is the privilege and duty of the present generation to pass on to its successors, unimpaired, the heritage of liberty bequeathed to it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-b-cortelyou/it-is-the-privilege-and-duty-of-the-present-generation-to-pass-on-to/) George B. Cortelyou > [There was reason for STILLMAN'S EXTREME SECRECY. HE WAS PREPARING TO EXTEND THE CITY BANK'S POWER OVER THE EARTH AND FULLY RECOGNIZED THAT THIS…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-b-cortelyou/there-was-reason-for-stillman-s-extreme-secrecy-he-was-preparing-to/) George B. Cortelyou Explore all 4 George B. Cortelyou quotes ## More Airplane quotes > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [I shoot in black and white, sometimes color, sometimes if it looks good I shoot out the window of the airplanes or whatever, anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/i-shoot-in-black-and-white-sometimes-color-sometimes-if-it-looks-good/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) > [I've jumped out of an airplane 34 times. I've dove 212 feet under water. I've done a lot of things that defied death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/i-ve-jumped-out-of-an-airplane-34-times-i-ve-dove-212-feet-under/) [Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/) > [I believe that anyone who flies in an airplane and doesn't spend most of his time looking out the window wastes his money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-reisner/i-believe-that-anyone-who-flies-in-an-airplane-and-doesn-t-spend-most/) [Marc Reisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-reisner/) > [We live in a world where it has become politically correct to avoid absolutes. Many want all religions to be given the same honor,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-live-in-a-world-where-it-has-become-politically-correct-to-avoid/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [On the second airplane to france and we're done ! yeyyyyyyyyy !! this one was more full :P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shmmopy/on-the-second-airplane-to-france-and-we-re-done-yeyyyyyyyyy-this-one/) Shmmopy > [The way I see it, you can either work for a living or you can fly airplanes. Me, I'd rather fly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/len-morgan/the-way-i-see-it-you-can-either-work-for-a-living-or-you-can-fly/) Len Morgan > [I'm 17 years old. I'm not a straight-A student or anything. 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I've been trying to figure out how Bob Dole's luggage got on my airplane...I told the doctor, I said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-ve-been-racking-my-brain-i-ve-been-trying-to-figure-out-how-bob/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Sometimes life is like being stuck in the middle-seat of an airplane, next to a ridiculously fat person and a crying baby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-life-is-like-being-stuck-in-the-middle-seat-of-an-airplane/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm sure the most favorite airplane in my career would still be the Sabre F86 cleft wing , which allowed me to be credited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/i-m-sure-the-most-favorite-airplane-in-my-career-would-still-be-the/) [Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/) > [I do not use airplanes. They strike me as unsporting. You can have an automobile accident-and survive. You can be on a sinking ship-and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/i-do-not-use-airplanes-they-strike-me-as-unsporting-you-can-have-an/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [John Travolta said he sometimes lets his friends take control of his airplane even though they don't know what they're doing. Then Travolta said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/john-travolta-said-he-sometimes-lets-his-friends-take-control-of-his/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) Browse all 935 Airplane quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "This country has achieved its commercial and financial supremacy under a regime of private ownership. 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