--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A power has risen up in the government…" description: "\"A power has risen up in the government greater than the people themselves, consisting of many and various powerful interests, combined in one mass, and..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92a/john-c-calhoun-4136_bankers-and-banks_a-power-has-risen-up-in-the-government-g_1191339.png" --- # A power has risen up in the government greater than the… ![“A power has risen up in the government greater than the people themselves, consisting of many and various powerful interests, combined in one mass, and held together by the cohesive power of the vast surplus in banks.” quote by John C. Calhoun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92a/john-c-calhoun-4136_bankers-and-banks_a-power-has-risen-up-in-the-government-g_1191339.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92a/john-c-calhoun-4136_bankers-and-banks_a-power-has-risen-up-in-the-government-g_1191339.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92a/john-c-calhoun-4136_bankers-and-banks_a-power-has-risen-up-in-the-government-g_1191339.png) > “A power has risen up in the government greater than the people themselves, consisting of many and various powerful interests, combined in one mass, and held together by the cohesive power of the vast surplus in banks.” [John C. Calhoun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-calhoun/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A powerful coalition of financial elites dominates government, outweighing ordinary citizens' influence. **In simple terms:** Banks and elites control politics more than people. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge economic concentration. Themes politics economics power elitism democracy Mood cautious critical Type political analytical When to use this quote - campaign finance reform - public awareness - grassroots organizing - policy advocacy Key Concepts olig oligopoly political economy institutional capture Questions to Reflect On - How does financial power shape policy decisions? - What mechanisms can reduce elite influence? A Different Perspective Powerful interests can resist reform through entrenched networks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bankers and banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bankers-and-banks/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government tyranny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-tyranny/) [Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Mass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mass/) [Monetary system](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monetary-system/) [One world government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-world-government/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Tyranny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tyranny/) ## Related quotes > [A power has risen up in the government greater than the people themselves, consisting of many and various and powerful interests, combined into one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-calhoun/a-power-has-risen-up-in-the-government-greater-than-the-people/) [John C. 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Humphrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-h-humphrey/) > [If the individual has a right to govern himself, all external government is tyranny. Hence the necessity of abolishing the State.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/if-the-individual-has-a-right-to-govern-himself-all-external/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) > [“Tyranny is a form of perversion. We come to love it. Every government is a tyranny to a degree, and the more evil it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-ryman/tyranny-is-a-form-of-perversion-we-come-to-love-it-every-government/) [Geoff Ryman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-ryman/) > [No government power can be abused long. Mankind will not bear it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/no-government-power-can-be-abused-long-mankind-will-not-bear-it/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Does the government fear us? Or do we fear the government? 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Calhoun > [The danger in our system is that the general government, which represents the interests of the whole, may encroach on the states, which represent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-calhoun/the-danger-in-our-system-is-that-the-general-government-which/) [John C. Calhoun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-calhoun/) > [Of the two, I considered it more important to avoid a war with England about Oregon than a war with Mexico, important as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-calhoun/of-the-two-i-considered-it-more-important-to-avoid-a-war-with-england/) [John C. Calhoun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-calhoun/) > [The error is in the assumption that the General Government is a party to the constitutional compact. The States ... formed the compact, acting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-calhoun/the-error-is-in-the-assumption-that-the-general-government-is-a-party/) [John C. 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Calhoun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-calhoun/) [Explore all 115 John C. Calhoun quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-calhoun/) ## More Bankers and banks quotes > [There is too much sour grapes for my taste in the present American attitude. 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