--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: the presumption is that the government…" description: "\"“the presumption is that the government, with rare exception, will not know anything that law-abiding citizens are doing. That is why we are called pri..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34c/glenn-greenwald-1215_politics_the-presumption-is-that-the-government-w_2996151.jpg" --- # the presumption is that the government, with rare… ![“the presumption is that the government, with rare exception, will not know anything that law-abiding citizens are doing. That is why we are called private individuals, functioning in our private capacity. Transparency is for those who carry out public duties and exercise public power. Privacy is…” quote by Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34c/glenn-greenwald-1215_politics_the-presumption-is-that-the-government-w_2996151.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34c/glenn-greenwald-1215_politics_the-presumption-is-that-the-government-w_2996151.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34c/glenn-greenwald-1215_politics_the-presumption-is-that-the-government-w_2996151.jpg) > ““the presumption is that the government, with rare exception, will not know anything that law-abiding citizens are doing. That is why we are called private individuals, functioning in our private capacity. Transparency is for those who carry out public duties and exercise public power. Privacy is for everyone else.”” [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Government transparency applies to public officials; privacy belongs to private citizens. **In simple terms:** Public power must be transparent; private lives stay private. Key Takeaway Advocate for clear privacy boundaries. Themes privacy government transparency Mood analytical serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - social media - legal policy - personal data Key Concepts civil liberties public accountability Questions to Reflect On - What defines public vs. private? - How can privacy be protected legally? A Different Perspective May ignore legitimate surveillance needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Functioning Private](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/functioning-private-4733420/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Presumption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presumption/) [Presumption Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presumption-government-4733418/) [Private Individuals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/private-individuals-373510/) [Transparency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transparency/) ## Related quotes > [ The way things are supposed to work is that we're supposed to know virtually everything about what they \[the government\] do: that's why they're… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/the-way-things-are-supposed-to-work-is-that-we-re-supposed-to-know/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [So long as governments set the example of killing their enemies, private individuals will occasionally kill theirs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/so-long-as-governments-set-the-example-of-killing-their-enemies/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [In the end, it is because the media are driven by the power and wealth of private individuals that they turn private lives into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/in-the-end-it-is-because-the-media-are-driven-by-the-power-and-wealth/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) > [All of us, whether public figures or private individuals, should feel safe in our own homes and not fear surveillance from nosy neighbours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-widdecombe/all-of-us-whether-public-figures-or-private-individuals-should-feel/) [Ann Widdecombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-widdecombe/) > [The recent inspection find in the private home of a scientist of a box of some 3,000 pages of documents, much of it relating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-blix/the-recent-inspection-find-in-the-private-home-of-a-scientist-of-a/) [Hans Blix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-blix/) > [I'd like to see the government get out of war altogether and leave the whole field to private individuals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-heller/i-d-like-to-see-the-government-get-out-of-war-altogether-and-leave/) [Joseph Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-heller/) > [It is not the opinions or the vices of private individuals that are harmful to the State, but rather the behavior of public figures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marquis-de-sade/it-is-not-the-opinions-or-the-vices-of-private-individuals-that-are/) [Marquis de Sade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marquis-de-sade/) > [The freedom of speech of private individuals includes the right to not agree, not to listen, and not to finance one's own antagonists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/the-freedom-of-speech-of-private-individuals-includes-the-right-to/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [Technology can also be used so that private individuals will have access to the way centralized decisions are being made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/technology-can-also-be-used-so-that-private-individuals-will-have/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [But, is it possible for princes and ministers to be enlightened, when private individuals are not so?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baptiste-say/but-is-it-possible-for-princes-and-ministers-to-be-enlightened-when/) [Jean-Baptiste Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baptiste-say/) > [In America, no other distinction between man and man had ever been known but that of persons in office exercising powers by authority of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/in-america-no-other-distinction-between-man-and-man-had-ever-been/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [ The \[U.S.\] Constitution is a limitation on the government, not on private individuals ... it does not prescribe the conduct of private individuals, only… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/the-u-s-constitution-is-a-limitation-on-the-government-not-on-private/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [The only compensation, gained through the influence of nongovernmental organizations, consisted in slightly broadening for private individuals the possibility of access and appeal to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-cassin/the-only-compensation-gained-through-the-influence-of-nongovernmental/) [Rene Cassin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rene-cassin/) > [Americans love to mock the idea of monarchy, and yet we have our own de facto monarchy. 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