--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Power is concentrated. The general policy…" description: "\"Power is concentrated. The general policy is exactly the way that Adam Smith described it: it's designed for the benefit of its principal architects, t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cff/noam-chomsky-42_adam_power-is-concentrated-the-general-policy_1286902.jpg" --- # Power is concentrated. The general policy is exactly the… ![“Power is concentrated. The general policy is exactly the way that Adam Smith described it: it's designed for the benefit of its principal architects, the powerful. It serves "the vile maxim of the masters: all for ourselves and nothing for anyone else". Those are the basic rules of the world.” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cff/noam-chomsky-42_adam_power-is-concentrated-the-general-policy_1286902.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cff/noam-chomsky-42_adam_power-is-concentrated-the-general-policy_1286902.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cff/noam-chomsky-42_adam_power-is-concentrated-the-general-policy_1286902.jpg) > “Power is concentrated. The general policy is exactly the way that Adam Smith described it: it's designed for the benefit of its principal architects, the powerful. It serves "the vile maxim of the masters: all for ourselves and nothing for anyone else". Those are the basic rules of the world.” [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. Power concentrates among elites, shaping policies to serve their interests rather than the public good. **In simple terms:** Power is held by a few who make rules for themselves. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge elite dominance. Themes politics power inequality Mood critical analytical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - activism - policy analysis - education - media literacy Key Concepts political economy elite theory Questions to Reflect On - How does concentrated power affect everyday life? - What can individuals do to counteract elite control? A Different Perspective Power structures are complex and can be resisted in many ways. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Architect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/architect/) [Maxims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maxims/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Those are possibilities for technology, which don't tend to be used, because of the way power is concentrated. There are all kinds of possibilities,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/those-are-possibilities-for-technology-which-don-t-tend-to-be-used/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [A certain grasp of military affairs is vital for those in charge of general policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/a-certain-grasp-of-military-affairs-is-vital-for-those-in-charge-of/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [I don't actually, as a general policy, block any sort of cookies. I keep them all turned on, and that's because I'm willing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mason/i-don-t-actually-as-a-general-policy-block-any-sort-of-cookies-i-keep/) [Hilary Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mason/) > [“In proportion as the mass of citizens who possess political rights increases, and the number of elected ruler’s increases, the actual power is concentrated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-lafargue/in-proportion-as-the-mass-of-citizens-who-possess-political-rights/) [Paul Lafargue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-lafargue/) > [Power should not be concentrated in the hands of so few, and powerlessness in the hands of so many.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-kuhn/power-should-not-be-concentrated-in-the-hands-of-so-few-and/) [Maggie Kuhn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-kuhn/) > [There has been so much power concentrated. There is no leash on that power anymore and Americans face the situation that this power is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bovard/there-has-been-so-much-power-concentrated-there-is-no-leash-on-that/) [James Bovard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bovard/) > [Every White House I have covered since Reagan, when I got here, power has been more concentrated in the White House than the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/every-white-house-i-have-covered-since-reagan-when-i-got-here-power/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [Let's take Adam Smith, the patron-saint of capitalism, what did he think? He thought the main human instinct was sympathy. In fact, take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/let-s-take-adam-smith-the-patron-saint-of-capitalism-what-did-he/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Adam Smith is an egalitarian, he believed in equality of outcome, not opportunity. He is an enlightenment figure, pre-capitalist. He says, suppose in England,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/adam-smith-is-an-egalitarian-he-believed-in-equality-of-outcome-not/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“Well, our economic system "works," it just works in the interests of the masters, and I'd like to see one that works in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/well-our-economic-system-works-it-just-works-in-the-interests-of-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [We're supposed to worship Adam Smith but you're not supposed to read him. That's too dangerous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/we-re-supposed-to-worship-adam-smith-but-you-re-not-supposed-to-read/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [A basic principal of modern state capitalism is that costs and risks are socialized to the extent possible, while profit is privatized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/a-basic-principal-of-modern-state-capitalism-is-that-costs-and-risks/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Trump's principal policies make clear what's going to happen. This gives an opportunity. Right now it's going to take hard work, but it's possible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/trump-s-principal-policies-make-clear-what-s-going-to-happen-this/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [It is familiar to mainstream academic scholarship. One very prominent political scientist, in his standard text American Politics 20 years ago, observes that "The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-is-familiar-to-mainstream-academic-scholarship-one-very-prominent/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“A man must always live by his work, and his wages must at least be sufficient to maintain him. They must even upon most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-watson/a-man-must-always-live-by-his-work-and-his-wages-must-at-least-be/) [Bruce Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-watson/) ## 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 Adam quotes > [Women rule the world. It's not really worth fighting because they know what they're doing. Ask Napoleon. Ask Adam. Ask Richard Burton or Richie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-bon-jovi/women-rule-the-world-it-s-not-really-worth-fighting-because-they-know/) [Jon Bon Jovi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-bon-jovi/) > [The writings of latter-day prophets clearly teach that the sorrows and sufferings endured by Adam and Eve upon their leaving the Garden of Eden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-k-judd/the-writings-of-latter-day-prophets-clearly-teach-that-the-sorrows/) Daniel K Judd > [“Mary: Some call this "Eve's curse," but I think that is stupid because the real curse of Eve was having to put up with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/mary-some-call-this-eve-s-curse-but-i-think-that-is-stupid-because/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Adam Clayton Powell's entire political career has to be looked at in the entire context of the American history and the history of, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/adam-clayton-powell-s-entire-political-career-has-to-be-looked-at-in/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [“Adam could imagine what he looked like: a debauched nerd.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-cullinan/adam-could-imagine-what-he-looked-like-a-debauched-nerd/) [Heidi Cullinan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-cullinan/) > [Adam Berenson knows how to compose, organize an ensemble, do musical research, play solo and trio piano, write for musical journals, and enlist others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bley/adam-berenson-knows-how-to-compose-organize-an-ensemble-do-musical/) [Paul Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bley/) > [“Finally, someone had seen him. And what had he done? Let her get away. Undermined by his disgusting human anatomy. It had just been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/finally-someone-had-seen-him-and-what-had-he-done-let-her-get-away/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“I’d think there are degrees of greatness,” Adam said. “I don’t think so,” said Samuel. “That would be like saying there is a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-d-think-there-are-degrees-of-greatness-adam-said-i-don-t-think-so/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [An ineffably holy God, who has the utmost abhorrence of sin, was never invented by any of Adam's descendents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/an-ineffably-holy-god-who-has-the-utmost-abhorrence-of-sin-was-never/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [“think Adam is looking to break Kenji’s neck at this point.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/think-adam-is-looking-to-break-kenji-s-neck-at-this-point/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“Adam's lips are set in a grime line. I can't tell if he's about to cry or about to punch the guard. For his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/adam-s-lips-are-set-in-a-grime-line-i-can-t-tell-if-he-s-about-to-cry/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [And as regards Adam and Eve we must maintain that before the fall they were virgins in Paradise: but after they sinned, and were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-jerome/and-as-regards-adam-and-eve-we-must-maintain-that-before-the-fall/) [St. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-jerome/) > [Adam became so proud that he wished to become God and died for his pride; the Son of God humbled Himself unto death, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-of-kronstadt/adam-became-so-proud-that-he-wished-to-become-god-and-died-for-his/) [John of Kronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-of-kronstadt/) > [Oh, Adam was a gardener, and God who made him sees That half a proper gardener's work is done upon his knees, So when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/oh-adam-was-a-gardener-and-god-who-made-him-sees-that-half-a-proper/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Barışı elde etmek için çabalayan her adam olağanüstü bir adamdır!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/bar-elde-etmek-i-in-abalayan-her-adam-ola-an-st-bir-adamd-r/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) Browse all 1,360 Adam quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Power is concentrated. 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