Action Quote by Noam Chomsky
![“Stock ownership in the US is very highly concentrated. [Shareholder actions are] something, but it's like the old Communist Party in the USSR, it would be nice to see more protest inside the Communist Party but it's not democracy. It's not going to happen. [Shareholder actions] are a good step…” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6bb/noam-chomsky-42_action_stock-ownership-in-the-us-is-very-highly_1143772.jpg)
“Stock ownership in the US is very highly concentrated. [Shareholder actions are] something, but it's like the old Communist Party in the USSR, it would be nice to see more protest inside the Communist Party but it's not democracy. It's not going to happen. [Shareholder actions] are a good step, but they're mostly symbolic.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview on corporate governance, 2015
Wealth and voting power are concentrated among a tiny elite, limiting genuine democratic influence in corporate decisions.
In simple terms: Power is held by few, making real change hard.
Key Takeaway
Recognize limits of shareholder activism.
Themes
inenequality
democracy
corporate power
political economy
Mood
cynical
skeptical
Type
political
analytical
When to use this quote
- Shareholder proposals
- policy reform
- grassroots organizing
Key Concepts
Economic concentration
political theory
shareholder activism
Questions to Reflect On
- How can ordinary citizens affect corporate policy?
- What alternatives to shareholder activism exist?
A Different Perspective
Corporate structures resist deep change; protest may be symbolic.
![“I wrote an article about the marine landing [in Haiti] right away, but barely mentioned the oil, because my article would come out two months later and I assumed by then, "of course, everybody knows." Nobody knew. There was a news report in the Wall Street Journal, in the petroleum journals, and…” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/dc5/noam-chomsky-42_articles_i-wrote-an-article-about-the-marine-land_13341.jpg)
