--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In order to continue in office, any…" description: "\"In order to continue in office, any government (not simply a 'democratic' government) must have the support of the majority of its subjects. This suppo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f4/murray-rothbard-1563_democratic-governmen_in-order-to-continue-in-office-any-gover_2849603.jpg" --- # In order to continue in office, any government (not simply… ![“In order to continue in office, any government (not simply a 'democratic' government) must have the support of the majority of its subjects. This support, it must be noted, need not be active enthusiasm; it may well be passive resignation as if to an inevitable law of nature.” quote by Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f4/murray-rothbard-1563_democratic-governmen_in-order-to-continue-in-office-any-gover_2849603.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f4/murray-rothbard-1563_democratic-governmen_in-order-to-continue-in-office-any-gover_2849603.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f4/murray-rothbard-1563_democratic-governmen_in-order-to-continue-in-office-any-gover_2849603.jpg) > “In order to continue in office, any government (not simply a 'democratic' government) must have the support of the majority of its subjects. This support, it must be noted, need not be active enthusiasm; it may well be passive resignation as if to an inevitable law of nature.” [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A government stays in power by securing majority support, which can be passive acceptance rather than active enthusiasm. **In simple terms:** Governments need majority support, even if passive. Key Takeaway Seek genuine engagement, not just resignation. Themes politics power legitimacy Mood cautious critical Type political analytical When to use this quote - elections - policy implementation - public protests - media narratives Key Concepts social contract authority consent Questions to Reflect On - How can a regime detect passive resignation? - What mechanisms convert passive acceptance into active support? A Different Perspective Passive support can mask underlying dissent and instability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Continue Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/continue-office-3783867/) [Democratic government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democratic-government/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-support-838581/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Law of nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law-of-nature/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Office Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/office-government-1477230/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/) [Support Majority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support-majority-523712/) ## Related quotes > [The second office of this government is honorable and easy, the first is but a splendid misery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-second-office-of-this-government-is-honorable-and-easy-the-first/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The second office in the government is honorable and easy; the first is but a splendid misery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-second-office-in-the-government-is-honorable-and-easy-the-first/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [I would never run for any office or government position. I'm not into it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chance-the-rapper/i-would-never-run-for-any-office-or-government-position-i-m-not-into/) [Chance The Rapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chance-the-rapper/) > [The Democratic Party will live and continue to receive the support of the majority of Americans just so long as it remains a liberal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/the-democratic-party-will-live-and-continue-to-receive-the-support-of/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [I think Republicans need to do a better job of reaching out to everyone in the United States. Politics is always about getting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/i-think-republicans-need-to-do-a-better-job-of-reaching-out-to/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [There has never been a successful social movement for any minority without the support of the majority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hudson-taylor/there-has-never-been-a-successful-social-movement-for-any-minority/) [Hudson Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hudson-taylor/) > [“They didn't need the support of the majority. Sometimes all that's needed is a group of people loud enough and influential enough to change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-sinisalo/they-didn-t-need-the-support-of-the-majority-sometimes-all-that-s/) [Johanna Sinisalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-sinisalo/) > [Although I am still in favour of a National Government in these difficult times, and shall probably be found in the great majority of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-macmillan/although-i-am-still-in-favour-of-a-national-government-in-these/) [Harold MacMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-macmillan/) > [In the event of any action which clearly threatened Polish independence and which the Polish Government accordingly considered it vital to resist with their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neville-chamberlain/in-the-event-of-any-action-which-clearly-threatened-polish/) [Neville Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-chamberlain/) > [We've already gotten a significant grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and a university consortium. I think the whole sector of Foundations, potentially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-ve-already-gotten-a-significant-grant-from-the-andrew-w-mellon/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm grateful to the state and central government for all their support for my academy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kom/i-m-grateful-to-the-state-and-central-government-for-all-their/) [Mary Kom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-kom/) > [Though the people support the government; the government should not support the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-cleveland/though-the-people-support-the-government-the-government-should-not/) [Grover Cleveland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-cleveland/) > [There must be no abuse of people and they did ask that the South Africa Government should give them whatever support they needed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/there-must-be-no-abuse-of-people-and-they-did-ask-that-the-south/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [I need money. I have a staff of 30, and four houses, never mind the government, to support.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hope/i-need-money-i-have-a-staff-of-30-and-four-houses-never-mind-the/) [Bob Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hope/) > [Government support is not only investing in upstream areas like basic research, but also in downstream areas like applied research and early-stage financing for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariana-mazzucato/government-support-is-not-only-investing-in-upstream-areas-like-basic/) [Mariana Mazzucato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariana-mazzucato/) ## More by Murray Rothbard > [I think one of the most important directions to be pursued in the 'sciences of human action' is to develop a natural-law ethics based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/i-think-one-of-the-most-important-directions-to-be-pursued-in-the/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [Since the State necessarily lives by the compulsory confiscation of private capital, and since its expansion necessarily involves ever-greater incursions on private individuals and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/since-the-state-necessarily-lives-by-the-compulsory-confiscation-of/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [Falling prices through increased production is a wonderful long-run tendency of untrammeled capitalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/falling-prices-through-increased-production-is-a-wonderful-long-run/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [To deprecate human reason by saying that none of us is or can be omniscient is absurd, for it takes an impossible standard as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/to-deprecate-human-reason-by-saying-that-none-of-us-is-or-can-be/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [Cops must be unleashed, and allowed to administer instant punishment, subject of course to liability when they are in error.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/cops-must-be-unleashed-and-allowed-to-administer-instant-punishment/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [Subjectivism is not an absolute principle; it is a necessary but not sufficient condition for sound methodology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/subjectivism-is-not-an-absolute-principle-it-is-a-necessary-but-not/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [We must therefore turn to history for enlightenment; here we find that none of the proclaimed anarchist groups correspond to the libertarian position, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/we-must-therefore-turn-to-history-for-enlightenment-here-we-find-that/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [John Stuart was the quintessence of soft rather than hardcore, a woolly minded man of mush in striking contrast to his steel-edged father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/john-stuart-was-the-quintessence-of-soft-rather-than-hardcore-a/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [What do intellectuals and opinion makers get from big government? An increasing number of cushy jobs in the bureaucracy, or in the government-subsidized sector,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/what-do-intellectuals-and-opinion-makers-get-from-big-government-an/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [The major reason for Keynes's rejection of communism was simply that he could scarcely identify with the grubby proletariat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/the-major-reason-for-keynes-s-rejection-of-communism-was-simply-that/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [Liberty and morality had to win their way slowly over many centuries, until finally expanding liberty made possible the great technological advance of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/liberty-and-morality-had-to-win-their-way-slowly-over-many-centuries/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [The State has invariably shown a striking talent for the expansion of its powers beyond any limits that might be imposed upon it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/the-state-has-invariably-shown-a-striking-talent-for-the-expansion-of/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [Absolute freedom need not be lost as the price we must pay for the advent of civilization; men are born free, and need never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/absolute-freedom-need-not-be-lost-as-the-price-we-must-pay-for-the/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [Absolute freedom need not be lost as the price we must pay for the advent of civilization. Man may achieve liberty and abundance, freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/absolute-freedom-need-not-be-lost-as-the-price-we-must-pay-for-the-2/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [The underconsumptionist of 1819 believed that consumption would be stimulated by tariffs, while the underconsumptionist of a later day urged monetary expansion as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/the-underconsumptionist-of-1819-believed-that-consumption-would-be/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) [Explore all 227 Murray Rothbard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) ## More Democratic government quotes > [The American influence is not so aggressive anymore. The American big business influence in Latin America is not as strong, so people can vote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/costa-gavras/the-american-influence-is-not-so-aggressive-anymore-the-american-big/) [Costa-Gavras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/costa-gavras/) > [Secrecy and a free, democratic government don't mix.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/secrecy-and-a-free-democratic-government-don-t-mix/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [“A politician in our democratic government is a broker for the use of government force to the highest bidders.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erne-lewis/a-politician-in-our-democratic-government-is-a-broker-for-the-use-of/) [Erne Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erne-lewis/) > [The tow pillars of democratic government are the primacy of the law and the budget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-tow-pillars-of-democratic-government-are-the-primacy-of-the-law/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Democratic governments are not suited to the publication of the thunderous revelations I am in the habit of making. The unpublished parts will appear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salvador-dali/democratic-governments-are-not-suited-to-the-publication-of-the/) [Salvador Dali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salvador-dali/) > [I would like to say, historically, from the very beginning, our people have time and again expressed the need for people to live in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-peltier/i-would-like-to-say-historically-from-the-very-beginning-our-people/) [Leonard Peltier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-peltier/) > [Sabotage did not involve loss of life, and it offered the best hope for future race relations. Bitterness would be kept to a minimum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/sabotage-did-not-involve-loss-of-life-and-it-offered-the-best-hope/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Ours is a fully democratic government, which in our language we call a people's government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mustafa-kemal-ataturk/ours-is-a-fully-democratic-government-which-in-our-language-we-call-a/) [Mustafa Kemal Ataturk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mustafa-kemal-ataturk/) > [Democratic government is difficult. It is much more difficult than populists claim. It's not like running a business or a police force. It demands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-esler/democratic-government-is-difficult-it-is-much-more-difficult-than/) [Gavin Esler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-esler/) > [Unemployment is a reproach to a democratic government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-robinson/unemployment-is-a-reproach-to-a-democratic-government/) [Joan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-robinson/) > [One of the challenges of a democratic government is making sure that even in the midst of emergencies and passions, we make sure that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/one-of-the-challenges-of-a-democratic-government-is-making-sure-that/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The United States has given frequent and enthusiastic support to the overthrow of democracy in favor of "investor friendly" regimes. The World Bank, IMF,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-s-herman/the-united-states-has-given-frequent-and-enthusiastic-support-to-the/) [Edward S. Herman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-s-herman/) > [“The last cause which frequently renders a democratic government dearer than any other is, that a democracy does not always succeed in moderating its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-last-cause-which-frequently-renders-a-democratic-government/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ Decades, if not centuries are normally required for people to acquire the necessary disciplines and habits. In Britain, the road \[to democratic government\] took… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeane-kirkpatrick/decades-if-not-centuries-are-normally-required-for-people-to-acquire/) [Jeane Kirkpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeane-kirkpatrick/) > [A democratic government in South Africa is not a threat to white people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/a-democratic-government-in-south-africa-is-not-a-threat-to-white/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) [Browse all 69 Democratic government quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democratic-government/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In order to continue in office, any government (not simply a 'democratic' government) must have the support of the majority of its subjects. This support, it must be noted, need not be active enthusiasm; it may well be passive resignation as if to an inevitable law of nature.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Murray Rothbard" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/in-order-to-continue-in-office-any-government-not-simply-a-democratic/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Democratic government" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/in-order-to-continue-in-office-any-government-not-simply-a-democratic/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f4/murray-rothbard-1563_democratic-governmen_in-order-to-continue-in-office-any-gover_2849603.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f4/murray-rothbard-1563_democratic-governmen_in-order-to-continue-in-office-any-gover_2849603.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f4/murray-rothbard-1563_democratic-governmen_in-order-to-continue-in-office-any-gover_2849603.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In order to continue in office, any government (not simply a 'democratic' government) must have the support…” — Murray Rothbard", "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": "Murray Rothbard", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In order to continue in office,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/in-order-to-continue-in-office-any-government-not-simply-a-democratic/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/in-order-to-continue-in-office-any-government-not-simply-a-democratic/#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 } } ] } ```