--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our laws demand that a corporation have a…" description: "\"Our laws demand that a corporation have a fiduciary responsibility with shareholders to maximize profits. They are legally required to make as much mon..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf3/michael-moore-884_corporations_our-laws-demand-that-a-corporation-have_2377324.png" --- # Our laws demand that a corporation have a fiduciary… ![“Our laws demand that a corporation have a fiduciary responsibility with shareholders to maximize profits. They are legally required to make as much money as possible, any way possible within 'the law.'” quote by Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf3/michael-moore-884_corporations_our-laws-demand-that-a-corporation-have_2377324.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf3/michael-moore-884_corporations_our-laws-demand-that-a-corporation-have_2377324.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf3/michael-moore-884_corporations_our-laws-demand-that-a-corporation-have_2377324.png) > “Our laws demand that a corporation have a fiduciary responsibility with shareholders to maximize profits. They are legally required to make as much money as possible, any way possible within 'the law.'” [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Corporations are legally bound to maximize shareholder profit, often at any legal cost, highlighting systemic incentives for profit over ethics. **In simple terms:** Legal duty forces firms to prioritize profit above all. Key Takeaway Advocate for stronger corporate responsibility laws. Themes economics ethics law Mood critical thought‑provoking Type political philosophical When to use this quote - policy reform - investment decisions - consumer activism Key Concepts shareholder theory corporate governance Questions to Reflect On - Should profit be the sole goal? - How can ethics be enforced? A Different Perspective Legal constraints may limit ethical choices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Corporation Fiduciary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corporation-fiduciary-5876608/) [Corporations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corporations/) [Demand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demand/) [Fiduciary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiduciary/) [Fiduciary Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiduciary-responsibility-728580/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Profit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profit/) [Profits Legally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profits-legally-5876610/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Responsibility Shareholders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility-shareholders-1350985/) [Shareholders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shareholders/) [Shareholders Maximize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shareholders-maximize-5876609/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Within](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/within/) ## Related quotes > [The whole question of fiduciary responsibility is a very old concept. You could make a movie about someone making that rule at any point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/the-whole-question-of-fiduciary-responsibility-is-a-very-old-concept/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [If one has been blessed or have been fortunate enough to have got much more than normal wealth, it is but natural that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azim-premji/if-one-has-been-blessed-or-have-been-fortunate-enough-to-have-got/) [Azim Premji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azim-premji/) > [The unhappy theory of business ethics is this: you have a fiduciary responsibility to maximize profit. Period. To do anything other than that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-unhappy-theory-of-business-ethics-is-this-you-have-a-fiduciary/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [In terms of companies, they must stand for something bigger. They must be dedicated to something larger than financial results. I reject the Milton…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/srikumar-rao/in-terms-of-companies-they-must-stand-for-something-bigger-they-must/) [Srikumar Rao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/srikumar-rao/) > [I love the Knicks and Rangers, right, but you still have a responsibility to your shareholders. They're not there because they're fans. You don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-dolan/i-love-the-knicks-and-rangers-right-but-you-still-have-a/) [James L. Dolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-dolan/) > [A corporation's responsibility is to the shareholders, not its retirees and employees. Companies are doing everything they can to get rid of pension plans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stein/a-corporation-s-responsibility-is-to-the-shareholders-not-its/) [Ben Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stein/) > [I know different ways of looking at things. I have my stockholders, and I feel a very keen responsibility to the shareholders, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/i-know-different-ways-of-looking-at-things-i-have-my-stockholders-and/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [There can be no other criterion, no other standard than gold. Yes, gold which never changes, which can be shaped into ingots, bars, coins,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/there-can-be-no-other-criterion-no-other-standard-than-gold-yes-gold/) [Charles de Gaulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-gaulle/) > [Invest in low-turnover, passively managed index funds... and stay away from profit-driven investment management organizations... The mutual fund industry is a colossal failure... resulting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-swensen/invest-in-low-turnover-passively-managed-index-funds-and-stay-away/) [David F. Swensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-swensen/) > [We need a mutual fund industry with both vision and values; a vision of fiduciary duty and shareholder service, and values rooted in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/we-need-a-mutual-fund-industry-with-both-vision-and-values-a-vision/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [A fiduciary standard means, basically, put the interests of the client first. No excuses. Period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/a-fiduciary-standard-means-basically-put-the-interests-of-the-client/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [I think a problem for most people in a fiduciary capacity is to eliminate self and greed and all those things so that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shep-gordon/i-think-a-problem-for-most-people-in-a-fiduciary-capacity-is-to/) [Shep Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shep-gordon/) > [We need to reorganize our entire system of retirement plan investing and to develop federal standards of fiduciary duty for pension trustees and fund…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/we-need-to-reorganize-our-entire-system-of-retirement-plan-investing/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [And so it can be very much in the interest of bank A to sell-short bank B shares, or buy CDSes on bank B,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-chanos/and-so-it-can-be-very-much-in-the-interest-of-bank-a-to-sell-short/) [James Chanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-chanos/) > [“Structured Notes. These are perhaps one of the more exciting tools available today, but, unfortunately, they are rarely offered to the general public because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/structured-notes-these-are-perhaps-one-of-the-more-exciting-tools/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) ## More by Michael Moore > [If you reduce the guns and the ammo, you'll reduce the murders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/if-you-reduce-the-guns-and-the-ammo-you-ll-reduce-the-murders/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [You share things with people and I think information, and art, and ideas should be shared.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/you-share-things-with-people-and-i-think-information-and-art-and/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [The purpose of art actually is, in many cases, to make you feel quite uncomfortable. Or at least to go to that place that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/the-purpose-of-art-actually-is-in-many-cases-to-make-you-feel-quite/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [Capitalism is against the things that we say we believe in - democracy, freedom of choice, fairness. It's not about any of those things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/capitalism-is-against-the-things-that-we-say-we-believe-in-democracy/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [We live in a time when fictitious election results elect a fictitious president. We live in a time where we have a man sending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/we-live-in-a-time-when-fictitious-election-results-elect-a-fictitious/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [A government run by billionaires for billionaires is an affront to freedom and morality and humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/a-government-run-by-billionaires-for-billionaires-is-an-affront-to/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [There Is No Terrorist Threat In This Country. This Is A Lie. This Is The Biggest Lie We've Been Told.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/there-is-no-terrorist-threat-in-this-country-this-is-a-lie-this-is/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [The real problem with the IRS is that they let General Electric not pay any taxes -- and 50 other corporations -- that's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/the-real-problem-with-the-irs-is-that-they-let-general-electric-not/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [Hope for the best is what we do, right from the moment we're born.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/hope-for-the-best-is-what-we-do-right-from-the-moment-we-re-born/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [I get called 'controversial' all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/i-get-called-controversial-all-the-time/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [This book, 'Stupid White Men,' has sold now over four million copies worldwide. Probably about half of that may be in the U.S. and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/this-book-stupid-white-men-has-sold-now-over-four-million-copies/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [There's nothing pure about capitalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/there-s-nothing-pure-about-capitalism/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [If we say, 'The government sucks,' we're kind of saying that we suck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/if-we-say-the-government-sucks-we-re-kind-of-saying-that-we-suck/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [Nobody was talking about healthcare until 'Sicko' came out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/nobody-was-talking-about-healthcare-until-sicko-came-out/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [I have enormous respect for anyone who would offer to sacrifice their life to defend my right to live. Is there any greater gift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/i-have-enormous-respect-for-anyone-who-would-offer-to-sacrifice-their/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) [Explore all 339 Michael Moore quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) ## 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. I think Steve Jobs has started one of the greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-rock/i-m-not-only-a-fan-of-apple-products-i-have-stock-in-the-company-i/) [Kid Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-rock/) > [At Epcot Center the Disney corporation has focused its attention on two things greatly in need of Disneyfication: the tedious future and the annoying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/at-epcot-center-the-disney-corporation-has-focused-its-attention-on/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [There can be no effective control of corporations while their political activity remains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/there-can-be-no-effective-control-of-corporations-while-their/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Since FDR's New Deal, corporations and wealthy families have been non-stop finding new ways to get tax breaks, deregulation and entitlements from the government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/since-fdr-s-new-deal-corporations-and-wealthy-families-have-been-non/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > [There's a whole journalistic-industrial complex dedicated to keeping newsprint, TV screens and radio waves clean of destabilizing scoops damaging to corporations or the state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-cockburn/there-s-a-whole-journalistic-industrial-complex-dedicated-to-keeping/) [Alexander Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-cockburn/) > [They're counting on your patriotism to distract you from their plunder. 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": "Our laws demand that a corporation have a fiduciary responsibility with shareholders to maximize profits. 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