--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Democracy, in the United States rhetoric…" description: "\"Democracy, in the United States rhetoric refers to a system of governance in which elite elements based in the business community control the state by ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/299/noam-chomsky-42_business_democracy-in-the-united-states-rhetoric_1203656.jpg" --- # Democracy, in the United States rhetoric refers to a… ![“Democracy, in the United States rhetoric refers to a system of governance in which elite elements based in the business community control the state by virtue of their dominance of the private society, while the population observes quietly. So understood, democracy is a system of elite decision and…” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/299/noam-chomsky-42_business_democracy-in-the-united-states-rhetoric_1203656.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/299/noam-chomsky-42_business_democracy-in-the-united-states-rhetoric_1203656.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/299/noam-chomsky-42_business_democracy-in-the-united-states-rhetoric_1203656.jpg) > “Democracy, in the United States rhetoric refers to a system of governance in which elite elements based in the business community control the state by virtue of their dominance of the private society, while the population observes quietly. So understood, democracy is a system of elite decision and public ratification, as in the United States itself. Correspondingly, popular involvement in the formation of public policy is considered a serious threat. It is not a step towards democracy; rather it constitutes a 'crisis of democracy' that must be overcome.” [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. U.S. democracy is portrayed as popular rule but is actually dominated by elite business interests, limiting genuine public participation. **In simple terms:** Elite control masks true democracy. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge elite dominance. Themes politics democracy elite power media Mood critical analytical Type political educational When to use this quote - voting decisions - community organizing - policy advocacy - media literacy workshops Key Concepts political economy public sphere civic engagement Questions to Reflect On - How does elite influence affect your community? - What actions can strengthen democratic participation? A Different Perspective Complex analysis may be dense for casual readers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Business community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business-community/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crisis/) [Crisis Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crisis-democracy-1859975/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democracy Constitutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-constitutes-1541450/) [Dominance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dominance/) [Elements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elements/) [Elites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elites/) [Formation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/formation/) [Governance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/governance/) [Involvement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/involvement/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Overcoming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overcoming/) [Policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/policy/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Population](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/population/) [Public policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-policy/) [Rhetoric](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rhetoric/) [Rhetoric Refers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rhetoric-refers-3619931/) [Serious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serious/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Steps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steps/) [Threat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/threat/) [Understood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understood/) [Understood Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understood-democracy-3190499/) [United](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) ## Related quotes > [I think the media in America have been absolutely fantastic about the rise of Trump, they've kept a firm eye on the ball: this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/i-think-the-media-in-america-have-been-absolutely-fantastic-about-the/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [During the 1960s, large groups of people who are normally passive and apathetic began to try to enter the political arena to press their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/during-the-1960s-large-groups-of-people-who-are-normally-passive-and/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [One of the most interesting reactions to come out of 1968 was in the first publication of the Trilateral Commission, which believed there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/one-of-the-most-interesting-reactions-to-come-out-of-1968-was-in-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The founders understood that democracy would inevitably evolve into a system of legalized plunder unless the plundered were given numerous escape routes and constitutional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-dilorenzo/the-founders-understood-that-democracy-would-inevitably-evolve-into-a/) [Thomas DiLorenzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-dilorenzo/) > [The Founders understood that democracy was important, but if you didn't filter it through a republican system you'd be just as likely to end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-goldberg/the-founders-understood-that-democracy-was-important-but-if-you-didn/) [Jonah Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-goldberg/) > [I think that our own crisis of democracy is in its own way affecting our ability to leverage in the same way that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/i-think-that-our-own-crisis-of-democracy-is-in-its-own-way-affecting/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [The crisis of democracy in the West is not the result of falling in love with another system. In Europe and America people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-krastev/the-crisis-of-democracy-in-the-west-is-not-the-result-of-falling-in/) [Ivan Krastev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-krastev/) > [Democracy has always been in crisis: democracy is all about practicing the art of bearable dissatisfaction. In democratic societies, people often complain about their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-krastev/democracy-has-always-been-in-crisis-democracy-is-all-about-practicing/) [Ivan Krastev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-krastev/) > [I do think that we are facing a crisis in our democracy. As true patriots, each and every one of us has to speak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greenwald/i-do-think-that-we-are-facing-a-crisis-in-our-democracy-as-true/) [Robert Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greenwald/) > [“Take Canada again: why does Canada have the health-care program it does? Up until the mid-1960s, Canada and the United States had the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/take-canada-again-why-does-canada-have-the-health-care-program-it/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [ If \[climate change \] became a serious proposal in the United States, there would be a huge propaganda onslaught by the business community, the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-climate-change-became-a-serious-proposal-in-the-united-states/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There's a tremendous gap between public opinion and public policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-a-tremendous-gap-between-public-opinion-and-public-policy/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I think a decent society should protect rights to private property within limits, but not concentrations of private power that infringe on the freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-think-a-decent-society-should-protect-rights-to-private-property/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [This change to a higher phase of alert is a signal to governments, to ministries of health and other ministries, to the pharmaceutical industry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-chan/this-change-to-a-higher-phase-of-alert-is-a-signal-to-governments-to/) [Margaret Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-chan/) > [The question really is how do we get Embassy Officers into the minds of the American business community. That is a much more difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-eagleburger/the-question-really-is-how-do-we-get-embassy-officers-into-the-minds/) [Lawrence Eagleburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-eagleburger/) ## 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 Business quotes > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. A company that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/companies-with-cultures-that-celebrate-diverse-opinions-and-encourage/) [Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/) > [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/) [Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/) [Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/) > [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/) [Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [It's not just that families can't buy a home or start a business without some savings tucked away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/it-s-not-just-that-families-can-t-buy-a-home-or-start-a-business/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [I'm not into business at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-mercury/i-m-not-into-business-at-all/) [Freddie Mercury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-mercury/) > [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/) [Browse all 39,016 Business quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Democracy, in the United States rhetoric refers to a system of governance in which elite elements based in the business community control the state by virtue of their dominance of the private society, while the population observes quietly. So understood, democracy is a system of elite decision and public ratification, as in the United States itself. Correspondingly, popular involvement in the formation of public policy is considered a serious threat. It is not a step towards democracy; rather it constitutes a 'crisis of democracy' that must be overcome.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noam Chomsky" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/democracy-in-the-united-states-rhetoric-refers-to-a-system-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Business" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/democracy-in-the-united-states-rhetoric-refers-to-a-system-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/299/noam-chomsky-42_business_democracy-in-the-united-states-rhetoric_1203656.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/299/noam-chomsky-42_business_democracy-in-the-united-states-rhetoric_1203656.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/299/noam-chomsky-42_business_democracy-in-the-united-states-rhetoric_1203656.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Democracy, in the United States rhetoric refers to a system of governance in which elite elements based in…” — 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": "Democracy, in the United States rhetoric...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/democracy-in-the-united-states-rhetoric-refers-to-a-system-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/democracy-in-the-united-states-rhetoric-refers-to-a-system-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 } } ] } ```