--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The upper 1 percent, the people down on…" description: "\"The upper 1 percent, the people down on Wall Street, the corporate executives, they're the people that control this economy.\" — Michael Moore" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/michael-moore-884_control_the-upper-1-percent-the-people-down-on-w_302481.png" --- # The upper 1 percent, the people down on Wall Street, the… ![“The upper 1 percent, the people down on Wall Street, the corporate executives, they're the people that control this economy.” quote by Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/michael-moore-884_control_the-upper-1-percent-the-people-down-on-w_302481.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/michael-moore-884_control_the-upper-1-percent-the-people-down-on-w_302481.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/michael-moore-884_control_the-upper-1-percent-the-people-down-on-w_302481.png) > “The upper 1 percent, the people down on Wall Street, the corporate executives, they're the people that control this economy.” [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. A small of power and wealth dominate economic decisions, marginalizing the majority. **In simple terms:** The rich control the economy. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge economic inequality. Themes economy power inequality elitism corporate control Mood critical concerned Type political analytical When to use this quote - policy advocacy - voting - community organizing - financial literacy - supporting cooperatives Key Concepts Capitalism wealth concentration social stratification Questions to Reflect On - How does elite control affect everyday life? - What can individuals do to shift economic power? A Different Perspective The quote overlooks grassroots economic contributions and systemic complexities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Corporate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corporate/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy/) [Executives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/executives/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Street](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/street/) [Streets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/streets/) [Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall/) [Wall St](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall-st/) [Wall street](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall-street/) ## Related quotes > [So the question is, do corporate executives, provided they stay within the law, have responsibilities in their business activities other than to make as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/so-the-question-is-do-corporate-executives-provided-they-stay-within/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [Increasingly, corporate executives who don't speak Japanese are coming into Japan. Unlike their predecessors, they expect their employees to be able to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/increasingly-corporate-executives-who-don-t-speak-japanese-are-coming/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [It kind of hit me at some point during the process that most people in the film business - not just the executives, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-judge/it-kind-of-hit-me-at-some-point-during-the-process-that-most-people/) [Mike Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-judge/) > [Businessmen... were not born chief executives. They were often people first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-jefferson/businessmen-were-not-born-chief-executives-they-were-often-people/) [Richard Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-jefferson/) > [There's so many gatekeepers to getting in front of showrunners or executives. If we pull those middlemen out, and we get women in rooms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-schroeder/there-s-so-many-gatekeepers-to-getting-in-front-of-showrunners-or/) [Allison Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-schroeder/) > [Corporate executives need to re-frame their responsibilities to include the interests of all the stakeholders in society at large; not just shareholders, but also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-mainwaring/corporate-executives-need-to-re-frame-their-responsibilities-to/) [Simon Mainwaring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-mainwaring/) > [I think most corporate executives are good honorable honest men and women who do good work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-nickles/i-think-most-corporate-executives-are-good-honorable-honest-men-and/) [Don Nickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-nickles/) > [“Sarasvathy, the professor, found that this preference for testing, rather than planning, was one of the most striking differences between entrepreneurs and corporate executives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-heath/sarasvathy-the-professor-found-that-this-preference-for-testing/) [Chip Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-heath/) > [Mainstream politicians will continue to protect existing systems of power, corporate executives will continue to maximize profit without concern, and the majority of people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jensen/mainstream-politicians-will-continue-to-protect-existing-systems-of/) [Robert Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jensen/) > [Corporate executives often buy or sell shares in their companies, and stocks rarely rise or fall significantly when those transactions are reported.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-berenson/corporate-executives-often-buy-or-sell-shares-in-their-companies-and/) [Alex Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-berenson/) > [Growing numbers of corporate executives are aware of the inextricable link between the well being of our families and the well-being of our nation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-hiatt/growing-numbers-of-corporate-executives-are-aware-of-the-inextricable/) Arnold Hiatt > [“When corporate executives get really excited, they leverage their learnings against comprehension to revolutionize English.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanya-thompson/when-corporate-executives-get-really-excited-they-leverage-their/) [Tanya Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanya-thompson/) > [“Our corporate executives speculate with their shareholders’ assets because they get big personal rewards when they win—and even if they lose, they are often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-thorp/our-corporate-executives-speculate-with-their-shareholders-assets/) [Edward O. Thorp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-thorp/) > [“Sure, but having jobs doesn't require destroying the environment which makes life possible. I mean, if you have participatory social planning, and people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/sure-but-having-jobs-doesn-t-require-destroying-the-environment-which/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [You've got Washington picking winners and losers. And so, all of a sudden, decisions are being made on what helps politicians, not what helps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeb-hensarling/you-ve-got-washington-picking-winners-and-losers-and-so-all-of-a/) [Jeb Hensarling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeb-hensarling/) ## 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 Control quotes > [We have to get control of our borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-coffman/we-have-to-get-control-of-our-borders/) [Mike Coffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-coffman/) > [Grit and self-control are related, but they're not the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/grit-and-self-control-are-related-but-they-re-not-the-same-thing/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [“You can't control who loves you...you can't let someone love you anymore than you can make someone love you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-harmon/you-can-t-control-who-loves-you-you-can-t-let-someone-love-you/) [Amy Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-harmon/) > [I thought I fought a really good Orlando Salido. I never let him get into his fight. I knew what I needed to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikey-garcia/i-thought-i-fought-a-really-good-orlando-salido-i-never-let-him-get/) [Mikey Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikey-garcia/) > [Don't think you can...know you can! You human body is the most impressive tool you'll ever own. Even if you can't control everything, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hardy/don-t-think-you-can-know-you-can-you-human-body-is-the-most/) [Jeff Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hardy/) > [If you have everything under control, you're not moving fast enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/if-you-have-everything-under-control-you-re-not-moving-fast-enough/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) > [“Without time management, you lose control of your life and do what other people tell you to do. You lose control and become a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-miller/without-time-management-you-lose-control-of-your-life-and-do-what/) Thomas Miller > [I started off as a model maker, so the first part of my career was a model maker and then a motion control camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/i-started-off-as-a-model-maker-so-the-first-part-of-my-career-was-a/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [Many of us rely on our own illusion of control. But when God makes it known to you that you're not the one steering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/many-of-us-rely-on-our-own-illusion-of-control-but-when-god-makes-it/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) > [In Congress, Florida Republicans worked with the Trump administration to secure funding for coastal restoration projects following the devastating impacts of Hurricanes Irma and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltz/in-congress-florida-republicans-worked-with-the-trump-administration/) [Michael Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltz/) > [“He who can destroy a thing has the real control of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/he-who-can-destroy-a-thing-has-the-real-control-of-it/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [Sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying or getting overly angry or to maintain control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-haysbert/sometimes-you-have-to-laugh-to-keep-from-crying-or-getting-overly/) [Dennis Haysbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-haysbert/) > [My sister-in-law works for a group that supports orphanages in Cairo. She and her colleagues take care of children left behind by circumstances beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/my-sister-in-law-works-for-a-group-that-supports-orphanages-in-cairo/) [Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/) > [Some nights I'm funny with the between-song commentary, some nights I'm not. I have no control over this. I pace the stage a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/some-nights-i-m-funny-with-the-between-song-commentary-some-nights-i/) [David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/) > [“Control never be a means to any practical end. It can never be a means to anything but more control… Like punk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/control-never-be-a-means-to-any-practical-end-it-can-never-be-a-means/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) [Browse all 6,032 Control quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The upper 1 percent, the people down on Wall Street, the corporate executives, they're the people that control this economy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Moore" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/the-upper-1-percent-the-people-down-on-wall-street-the-corporate/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Control" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/the-upper-1-percent-the-people-down-on-wall-street-the-corporate/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/michael-moore-884_control_the-upper-1-percent-the-people-down-on-w_302481.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/michael-moore-884_control_the-upper-1-percent-the-people-down-on-w_302481.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/michael-moore-884_control_the-upper-1-percent-the-people-down-on-w_302481.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The upper 1 percent, the people down on Wall Street, the corporate executives, they're the people that…” — Michael Moore", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Michael Moore", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The upper 1 percent, the people...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/the-upper-1-percent-the-people-down-on-wall-street-the-corporate/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/the-upper-1-percent-the-people-down-on-wall-street-the-corporate/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```