--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A sit-down strike is just one step short…" description: "\"“A sit-down strike is just one step short of saying, “Look, instead of sitting down, we’ll run this place. We don’t need owners and managers.” That’s h..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/noam-chomsky-42_management_a-sit-down-strike-is-just-one-step-short_1558421.jpg" --- # A sit-down strike is just one step short of saying, “Look… ![“A sit-down strike is just one step short of saying, “Look, instead of sitting down, we’ll run this place. We don’t need owners and managers.” That’s huge. That could be done in Detroit and in other places that are being closed down.” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/noam-chomsky-42_management_a-sit-down-strike-is-just-one-step-short_1558421.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/noam-chomsky-42_management_a-sit-down-strike-is-just-one-step-short_1558421.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/noam-chomsky-42_management_a-sit-down-strike-is-just-one-step-short_1558421.jpg) > ““A sit-down strike is just one step short of saying, “Look, instead of sitting down, we’ll run this place. We don’t need owners and managers.” That’s huge. That could be done in Detroit and in other places that are being closed down.”” [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Workers can seize control by refusing to work under oppressive owners, turning protest into direct management. **In simple terms:** Strikes can become self‑management. Key Takeaway Explore collective ownership models. Themes labor activism direct action self‑management economics Mood inspirational radical Type political activist When to use this quote - union negotiations - factory takeovers - community enterprises Key Concepts anarchism co‑ops industrial democracy Questions to Reflect On - What obstacles prevent workers from self‑managing? - How can communities support such transitions? A Different Perspective Requires broad solidarity and resources. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Instead Sitting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instead-sitting-3811728/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [Need Owners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need-owners-5840565/) [Sit Strike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sit-strike-5840564/) [Strike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strike/) [Strike Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strike-just-2088159/) [Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/union/) ## Related quotes > [I mean the reason the sit-down strikes struck such fear in the hearts of management was that they knew that a sit-down strike was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-mean-the-reason-the-sit-down-strikes-struck-such-fear-in-the-hearts/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Lisa, if you don't like your job, you don't strike: you just go in every day and do it really half assed. That's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lisa-if-you-don-t-like-your-job-you-don-t-strike-you-just-go-in-every/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Wouldn't it be exciting if all women just went on strike? Just a woman's strike. Everything would fall apart pretty quickly then, wouldn't it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-waller-bridge/wouldn-t-it-be-exciting-if-all-women-just-went-on-strike-just-a-woman/) [Phoebe Waller-Bridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-waller-bridge/) > [When I left college, I though that I would be immediately embraced by the film world and instead found myself sitting in a squat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-wright/when-i-left-college-i-though-that-i-would-be-immediately-embraced-by/) [Joe Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-wright/) > [Strike is always a form of direct action. With the strike, too, you are not asking government to make things easier for you by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/strike-is-always-a-form-of-direct-action-with-the-strike-too-you-are/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [The euro zone must strike for a better governance structure, and there is no alternative to that. Euro zone countries must either develop an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-jiwei/the-euro-zone-must-strike-for-a-better-governance-structure-and-there/) [Lou Jiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-jiwei/) > [The only thing workers have to bargain with is their skill or their labor. Denied the right to withhold it as a last resort,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-clark/the-only-thing-workers-have-to-bargain-with-is-their-skill-or-their/) [Paul Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-clark/) > [Who dares to strike today, when having the security of a permanent job is itself becoming a privilege?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slavoj-i-ek/who-dares-to-strike-today-when-having-the-security-of-a-permanent-job/) [Slavoj Žižek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slavoj-i-ek/) > [Because the 1979 strike against U.S. Steel in Youngstown, Ohio was an occupation - and actually, that's a model that really should be pursued…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/because-the-1979-strike-against-u-s-steel-in-youngstown-ohio-was-an/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Two days after the Boston marathon bombings, there was a drone strike in Yemen attacking a peaceful village, which killed a target who could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/two-days-after-the-boston-marathon-bombings-there-was-a-drone-strike/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [If workers are more insecure, that's very 'healthy' for the society, because if workers are insecure, they won't ask for wages, they won't go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-workers-are-more-insecure-that-s-very-healthy-for-the-society/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Reagan was extreme. Beginning of his administration, one of the first things was to call in scabs - hadn't been done for a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/reagan-was-extreme-beginning-of-his-administration-one-of-the-first/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Labor # Unions are the leading force for # democratization and # progress .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/labor-unions-are-the-leading-force-for-democratization-and-progress/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [NATO was constructed on the - with the reason, whether one believes it or not, that it was going to defend Western Europe from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/nato-was-constructed-on-the-with-the-reason-whether-one-believes-it/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Policies are designed to undermine working class organization and the reason is not only the unions fight for workers' rights, but they also have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/policies-are-designed-to-undermine-working-class-organization-and-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## More by Noam Chomsky > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [It’s a shameful moment for U.S. media when it insists on being subservient to the grotesque propaganda agencies of a violent, aggressive state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-s-a-shameful-moment-for-u-s-media-when-it-insists-on-being/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [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/) > [Governments regard their own citizens as their main enemy, and they have to be - protect themselves. That's why you have state secret laws.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/governments-regard-their-own-citizens-as-their-main-enemy-and-they/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I don't join the New Atheists. So, for example, I wouldn't have the arrogance to lecture some mother who hopes to see her dying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-don-t-join-the-new-atheists-so-for-example-i-wouldn-t-have-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The first thing you ought to do is verify what I present. Just because I say it doesn't make it true. So check it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-first-thing-you-ought-to-do-is-verify-what-i-present-just-because/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [ I wrote an article about the marine landing \[in Haiti\] right away, but barely mentioned the oil, because my article would come out two… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-wrote-an-article-about-the-marine-landing-in-haiti-right-away-but/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [American society is now remarkably atomized. Political organizations have collapsed. In fact, it seems like even bowling leagues are collapsing. The left has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/american-society-is-now-remarkably-atomized-political-organizations/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Discovery is the ability to be puzzled by simple things. Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/discovery-is-the-ability-to-be-puzzled-by-simple-things-noam-chomsky/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There's an interesting book about that called The Third Reich and the Ivory Tower, written by Stephen H. Norwood. It has a long discussion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-an-interesting-book-about-that-called-the-third-reich-and-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [This is class war on an international scale, and power is in the hands of those who control the international economic system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/this-is-class-war-on-an-international-scale-and-power-is-in-the-hands/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There are big, extremely irrational parts of the society, and they have now been mobilized politically by the Republican establishment, hoping that these people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-big-extremely-irrational-parts-of-the-society-and-they-have/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There's plenty to criticize about the mass media, but they are the source of regular information about a wide range of topics. You can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-plenty-to-criticize-about-the-mass-media-but-they-are-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The 50,000 Korean mercenaries we had in Vietnam were professional killers and just massacred people outright. And the American army did plenty of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-50-000-korean-mercenaries-we-had-in-vietnam-were-professional/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Explore all 2,129 Noam Chomsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## More Management quotes > [“Only careful political manoeuvring will be able to manage the situation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davan-yahya-khalil/only-careful-political-manoeuvring-will-be-able-to-manage-the/) [Davan Yahya Khalil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davan-yahya-khalil/) > [The Derby experience had not been good for me and the way it finished left a very bad taste in my mouth so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-pearson/the-derby-experience-had-not-been-good-for-me-and-the-way-it-finished/) [Nigel Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-pearson/) > [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [My non-career. My excuse for a career? Honestly, I never think about the word 'career.' I've had managers, the minute they say it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-verlaine/my-non-career-my-excuse-for-a-career-honestly-i-never-think-about-the/) [Tom Verlaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-verlaine/) > [While the people retain their virtue and vigilance, no administration, by any extreme of wickedness or folly, can very seriously injure the government in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/while-the-people-retain-their-virtue-and-vigilance-no-administration/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-miller/) > [There are things you can do in training like learn from the manager and talk with team-mates, but it's the game that tests you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-burke/there-are-things-you-can-do-in-training-like-learn-from-the-manager/) [Oliver Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-burke/) > [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/) > [“I had come to Boyne City because I have always been drawn to nature's secrets more than to, say Hollywood's secrets or the secrets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langdon-cook/i-had-come-to-boyne-city-because-i-have-always-been-drawn-to-nature-s/) [Langdon Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langdon-cook/) > [I won't be managing the Mets. I am closing the door on managing the Mets and probably everybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-torre/i-won-t-be-managing-the-mets-i-am-closing-the-door-on-managing-the/) [Joe Torre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-torre/) > [If you want to serve in a Trump administration, you're going to serve this country, not yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-spicer/if-you-want-to-serve-in-a-trump-administration-you-re-going-to-serve/) [Sean Spicer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-spicer/) > [Football is a team sport. I'm proud of what I achieved in my career, but I also know that I wouldn't have achieved any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schmeichel/football-is-a-team-sport-i-m-proud-of-what-i-achieved-in-my-career/) [Peter Schmeichel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schmeichel/) > [If I told my wife I was going to become a manager she'd say 'sign this then. Don't worry it's only a divorce. Au…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ginola/if-i-told-my-wife-i-was-going-to-become-a-manager-she-d-say-sign-this/) [David Ginola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ginola/) > [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/) > [“Who tricked me into this whole thing and leaves me standing here? Who am I? How did I get into the world? Why was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/who-tricked-me-into-this-whole-thing-and-leaves-me-standing-here-who/) [Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/) [Browse all 8,379 Management quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A sit-down strike is just one step short of saying, “Look, instead of sitting down, we’ll run this place. We don’t need owners and managers.” That’s huge. That could be done in Detroit and in other places that are being closed down.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noam Chomsky" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/a-sit-down-strike-is-just-one-step-short-of-saying-look-instead-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Management" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/a-sit-down-strike-is-just-one-step-short-of-saying-look-instead-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/noam-chomsky-42_management_a-sit-down-strike-is-just-one-step-short_1558421.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/noam-chomsky-42_management_a-sit-down-strike-is-just-one-step-short_1558421.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/noam-chomsky-42_management_a-sit-down-strike-is-just-one-step-short_1558421.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A sit-down strike is just one step short of saying, “Look, instead of sitting down, we’ll run this place. We…” — Noam Chomsky", "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": "Noam Chomsky", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“A sit-down strike is just one...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/a-sit-down-strike-is-just-one-step-short-of-saying-look-instead-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/a-sit-down-strike-is-just-one-step-short-of-saying-look-instead-of/#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 } } ] } ```