--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Half the population hold that the…" description: "\"Half the population hold that the government is run by a few big interests looking out for themselves, as polls regularly show.\" — Noam Chomsky" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08f/noam-chomsky-42_bigs_half-the-population-hold-that-the-govern_652441.jpg" --- # Half the population hold that the government is run by a… ![“Half the population hold that the government is run by a few big interests looking out for themselves, as polls regularly show.” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08f/noam-chomsky-42_bigs_half-the-population-hold-that-the-govern_652441.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08f/noam-chomsky-42_bigs_half-the-population-hold-that-the-govern_652441.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08f/noam-chomsky-42_bigs_half-the-population-hold-that-the-govern_652441.jpg) > “Half the population hold that the government is run by a few big interests looking out for themselves, as polls regularly show.” [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. Many people believe a small elite controls government, reflecting widespread distrust. **In simple terms:** People think a few big interests dominate politics. Key Takeaway Question power structures critically. Themes politics trust elitism Mood skeptical analytical Type political critical When to use this quote - Election cycles - policy debates - media analysis Key Concepts Power concentration public opinion Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports or refutes this belief? - How does this perception affect civic engagement? A Different Perspective Oversimplifies complex governance systems. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) [Capitalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Run](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-run-647854/) [Half](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/half/) [Half Population](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/half-population-1271638/) [Hold Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hold-government-347422/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Looking Polls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looking-polls-5215209/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Polls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polls/) [Polls Regularly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polls-regularly-5215208/) [Population](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/population/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows/) ## Related quotes > [Be aware and hold the government accountable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohit-chauhan/be-aware-and-hold-the-government-accountable/) [Mohit Chauhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohit-chauhan/) > [Members are elected to hold the government to account and we've got to allow them to do so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-hoyle/members-are-elected-to-hold-the-government-to-account-and-we-ve-got/) [Lindsay Hoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-hoyle/) > [It makes sense in that environment that you would hold on in the U.S. government to the people who know their way around this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/it-makes-sense-in-that-environment-that-you-would-hold-on-in-the-u-s/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [We as the American people have to hold ourselves accountable because we didn't hold our government accountable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-markopolos/we-as-the-american-people-have-to-hold-ourselves-accountable-because/) [Harry Markopolos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-markopolos/) > [Oppositions are not there to get legislation through. Oppositions are there to hold the government to account](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/oppositions-are-not-there-to-get-legislation-through-oppositions-are/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [As an MP, it is my job to hold the government to account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-lewis/as-an-mp-it-is-my-job-to-hold-the-government-to-account/) [Clive Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-lewis/) > [Behind our age-old customs, the House has always adapted and innovated to meet the needs of the times to ensure that we can continue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-hoyle/behind-our-age-old-customs-the-house-has-always-adapted-and-innovated/) [Lindsay Hoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-hoyle/) > [My government currently runs things only because the people 'allow' them to run things. It is my responsibility that I do everything I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-r-audette/my-government-currently-runs-things-only-because-the-people-allow/) [Derek R. Audette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-r-audette/) > [The greater the hold of government upon the life of the individual citizen, the greater the risk of war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hospers/the-greater-the-hold-of-government-upon-the-life-of-the-individual/) [John Hospers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hospers/) > [We can and must support our MPs in doing the job they will be elected to do: to hold the government to account in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-miller/we-can-and-must-support-our-mps-in-doing-the-job-they-will-be-elected/) [Gina Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-miller/) > [I prefer the Greens to remain an opposition party that's able to hold the government to account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-may/i-prefer-the-greens-to-remain-an-opposition-party-that-s-able-to-hold/) [Elizabeth May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-may/) > [The job of the press is to defend their institution, hold the government accountable and freely report and gather information.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercedes-schlapp/the-job-of-the-press-is-to-defend-their-institution-hold-the/) [Mercedes Schlapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercedes-schlapp/) > [These are issues we've been grappling with since the Constitution was written: how you hold your government to account for its words and deeds.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/these-are-issues-we-ve-been-grappling-with-since-the-constitution-was/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [I'm enormously interested in freedom and retaining the right to have whatever economy we want and to shape it as we want and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/i-m-enormously-interested-in-freedom-and-retaining-the-right-to-have/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [In a democracy, opposition politicians have a duty to hold the Government to account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-green/in-a-democracy-opposition-politicians-have-a-duty-to-hold-the/) [Damian Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-green/) ## 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 Bigs quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [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/) > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/) [Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/) > [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/) [Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/) > [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/) [Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/) > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [I got in trouble my whole life for having a big mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-tyler/i-got-in-trouble-my-whole-life-for-having-a-big-mouth/) [Steven Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-tyler/) [Browse all 15,539 Bigs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Half the population hold that the government is run by a few big interests looking out for themselves, as polls regularly show.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noam Chomsky" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/half-the-population-hold-that-the-government-is-run-by-a-few-big/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bigs" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/half-the-population-hold-that-the-government-is-run-by-a-few-big/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08f/noam-chomsky-42_bigs_half-the-population-hold-that-the-govern_652441.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08f/noam-chomsky-42_bigs_half-the-population-hold-that-the-govern_652441.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08f/noam-chomsky-42_bigs_half-the-population-hold-that-the-govern_652441.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Half the population hold that the government is run by a few big interests looking out for themselves, as…” — 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": "Half the population hold that the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/half-the-population-hold-that-the-government-is-run-by-a-few-big/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/half-the-population-hold-that-the-government-is-run-by-a-few-big/#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 } } ] } ```