---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's a principle that anything our…"
description: "\"It's a principle that anything our leaders do is for noble reasons. It may be mistaken, it may be ugly, but basically noble. And if you bring in normal..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49c/noam-chomsky-42_conservative_it-s-a-principle-that-anything-our-leade_804601.jpg"
---

#  It's a principle that anything our leaders do is for noble…

![“It's a principle that anything our leaders do is for noble reasons. It may be mistaken, it may be ugly, but basically noble. And if you bring in normal moderate, conservative, strategic, economic objectives you threatening that principle.” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49c/noam-chomsky-42_conservative_it-s-a-principle-that-anything-our-leade_804601.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49c/noam-chomsky-42_conservative_it-s-a-principle-that-anything-our-leade_804601.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49c/noam-chomsky-42_conservative_it-s-a-principle-that-anything-our-leade_804601.jpg)

> “It's a principle that anything our leaders do is for noble reasons. It may be mistaken, it may be ugly, but basically noble. And if you bring in normal moderate, conservative, strategic, economic objectives you threatening that principle.”

[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.

Leaders claim noble motives, yet their actions often serve hidden strategic interests, challenging the notion of pure altruism.

**In simple terms:** Leaders may hide true motives.

Key Takeaway

Question authority motives.

Themes

power politics morality

Mood

skeptical critical

Type

political philosophical

When to use this quote

- government decisions
- corporate strategy
- media analysis
- activism
- public discourse

Key Concepts

critical theory propaganda ideology

Questions to Reflect On

- What hidden agendas might leaders have?
- How can we discern genuine intent?

A Different Perspective

Noble claims can be used to justify harmful policies.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Conservative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservative/) [Conservative Strategic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservative-strategic-6152132/) [Economic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leaders Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leaders-noble-6152131/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Mistaken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistaken/) [Moderates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moderates/) [Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noble/) [Noble Reasons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noble-reasons-3906164/) [Normal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/normal/) [Objectives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/objectives/) [Principle Leaders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principle-leaders-4696613/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Strategic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strategic/) [Threatening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/threatening/) [Threatening Principle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/threatening-principle-6152133/) [Ugly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ugly/)

## Related quotes

> [Stop being conned by the old mantra that says, 'Leaders are cool, managers are dweebs.' Instead, follow the Peters Principle: Leaders are cool. Managers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/stop-being-conned-by-the-old-mantra-that-says-leaders-are-cool/)

[Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/)

> [I wish to spend my life's twilight being just who I am. I could claim noble reasons as coming out in order to move…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogden-stiers/i-wish-to-spend-my-life-s-twilight-being-just-who-i-am-i-could-claim/)

[David Ogden Stiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogden-stiers/)

> [We can always find noble reasons for what we want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-heaton-vorse/we-can-always-find-noble-reasons-for-what-we-want-to-do/)

[Mary Heaton Vorse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-heaton-vorse/)

> [In the primary debates for the 2016 election, every single Republican candidate was a climate change denier, with one exception, John Kasich - the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/in-the-primary-debates-for-the-2016-election-every-single-republican/)

[Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

> [In general, the attitude towards Nazi Germany was not that hostile, especially if you look at the U.S. State Department reports. In 1937 the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/in-general-the-attitude-towards-nazi-germany-was-not-that-hostile/)

[Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

> [Today's Democrats are pretty much what used to be called moderate Republicans a generation ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/today-s-democrats-are-pretty-much-what-used-to-be-called-moderate/)

[Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

> [You know how on the evening news they always tell you that the stock market is up in active trading, or off in moderate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/you-know-how-on-the-evening-news-they-always-tell-you-that-the-stock/)

[Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/)

> [In science the successors stand upon the shoulders of their predecessors; where one man of supreme genius has invented a method, a thousand lesser…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/in-science-the-successors-stand-upon-the-shoulders-of-their/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [Muslim moderates, wherever they are, must be given every tool necessary to win a war of ideas with their co-religionists. Otherwise, we will have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/muslim-moderates-wherever-they-are-must-be-given-every-tool-necessary/)

[Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/)

> [And it is certain that those who do not yield to their equals, who keep terms with their superiors, and are moderate towards their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/and-it-is-certain-that-those-who-do-not-yield-to-their-equals-who/)

[Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/)

> [The most significant halachic authority of the last 100 years, whose positions helped fashion a balanced and moderate Judaism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovadia-yosef/the-most-significant-halachic-authority-of-the-last-100-years-whose/)

[Ovadia Yosef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovadia-yosef/)

> [It is a great mistake to think that the extremist is a better man than the moderate. Usually the difference is not that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/it-is-a-great-mistake-to-think-that-the-extremist-is-a-better-man/)

[Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/)

> [Moderate Republicans are reverse Houdinis. They tie themselves up in knots and then tell you they can’t do anything because they’re tied up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/moderate-republicans-are-reverse-houdinis-they-tie-themselves-up-in/)

[Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/)

> [Jeb Bush was supposed to be the establishment candidate, but he didn't catch on. And the extraordinary thing about this Republican primary is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-liasson/jeb-bush-was-supposed-to-be-the-establishment-candidate-but-he-didn-t/)

[Mara Liasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-liasson/)

> [Nature will eventually do what nature has always done. It will respond in a self-stabilizing manner over the long term with moderate variability over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-sununu/nature-will-eventually-do-what-nature-has-always-done-it-will-respond/)

[John H. Sununu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-sununu/)

## 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 Conservative quotes

> [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/)

[Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/)

> [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/)

[Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/)

> [Progressive Conservative candidates from Quebec want to exert real power in Ottawa, not simply be content with playing a secondary role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-campbell/progressive-conservative-candidates-from-quebec-want-to-exert-real/)

[Kim Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-campbell/)

> [Play small ball. Get back to basics. I would say that you need to be a conservative, but you need to maintain your independent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-tantaros/play-small-ball-get-back-to-basics-i-would-say-that-you-need-to-be-a/)

[Andrea Tantaros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-tantaros/)

> [I am a conservative type of person, so sometimes when I'm chilling with myself, people always come ask me, 'What's wrong with you? What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-wonder/i-am-a-conservative-type-of-person-so-sometimes-when-i-m-chilling/)

[Wayne Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-wonder/)

> [In the Tea Party era, it is the restless conservative Republican who has become passion's plaything, the toy of impetuous romance, an erotomania only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/in-the-tea-party-era-it-is-the-restless-conservative-republican-who/)

[James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/)

> [I'm a principle liberty, rule-of-law Conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-o-toole/i-m-a-principle-liberty-rule-of-law-conservative/)

[Erin O'Toole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-o-toole/)

> [I would say I'm a fiscal conservative and a social liberal, if that contradiction can make sense, because in Bolivia, we have a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/i-would-say-i-m-a-fiscal-conservative-and-a-social-liberal-if-that/)

[Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/)

> [My dad's quite a conservative person, and he brought me up to be very questioning of the commercial world. He looked down on pop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-and-the-diamonds/my-dad-s-quite-a-conservative-person-and-he-brought-me-up-to-be-very/)

[Marina and the Diamonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-and-the-diamonds/)

> [To all conservative women out there: If you are so sure the embryo needed for stem cell research are precious human life that can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/to-all-conservative-women-out-there-if-you-are-so-sure-the-embryo/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [There are a lot of conservative people, a lot of moderate people, Republicans, Democrats, in Hollywood. It is just that the conservative people by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/there-are-a-lot-of-conservative-people-a-lot-of-moderate-people/)

[Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/)

> [“Those who consider themselves ‘Conservative’ frequently identify with family values, so they should consider carefully the fact that in 1960, only 18% of women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-befumo/those-who-consider-themselves-conservative-frequently-identify-with/)

[Joseph Befumo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-befumo/)

> [A faithfully kept program of savings and conservative investments can give you more money and a better life than that of your neighbors who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-bryant-quinn/a-faithfully-kept-program-of-savings-and-conservative-investments-can/)

[Jane Bryant Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-bryant-quinn/)

> [Conservative political opinion in America cleaves to the tradition of the judge as passive interpreter, believing that his absolute loyalty to authoritative law is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/conservative-political-opinion-in-america-cleaves-to-the-tradition-of/)

[Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/)

> [Conservative feminism is such an artificial term that doesn't mean much to me. For me conservatism means accepting reality. I acknowledge that there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristina-schroder/conservative-feminism-is-such-an-artificial-term-that-doesn-t-mean/)

[Kristina Schroder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristina-schroder/)

[Browse all 2,995 Conservative quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservative/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "It's a principle that anything our leaders do is for noble reasons. It may be mistaken, it may be ugly, but basically noble. And if you bring in normal moderate, conservative, strategic, economic objectives you threatening that principle.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Noam Chomsky"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-s-a-principle-that-anything-our-leaders-do-is-for-noble-reasons-it/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Conservative"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-s-a-principle-that-anything-our-leaders-do-is-for-noble-reasons-it/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49c/noam-chomsky-42_conservative_it-s-a-principle-that-anything-our-leade_804601.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49c/noam-chomsky-42_conservative_it-s-a-principle-that-anything-our-leade_804601.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49c/noam-chomsky-42_conservative_it-s-a-principle-that-anything-our-leade_804601.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It's a principle that anything our leaders do is for noble reasons. It may be mistaken, it may be ugly, but…” — 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": "It's a principle that anything our...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-s-a-principle-that-anything-our-leaders-do-is-for-noble-reasons-it/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-s-a-principle-that-anything-our-leaders-do-is-for-noble-reasons-it/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```