--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The House of Representatives, which was…" description: "\"The House of Representatives, which was closer to the population, had much less power. The executive was more or less an administrator, not an emperor ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a10/noam-chomsky-42_administrators_the-house-of-representatives-which-was-c_737577.jpg" --- # The House of Representatives, which was closer to the… ![“The House of Representatives, which was closer to the population, had much less power. The executive was more or less an administrator, not an emperor like today.” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a10/noam-chomsky-42_administrators_the-house-of-representatives-which-was-c_737577.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a10/noam-chomsky-42_administrators_the-house-of-representatives-which-was-c_737577.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a10/noam-chomsky-42_administrators_the-house-of-representatives-which-was-c_737577.jpg) > “The House of Representatives, which was closer to the population, had much less power. The executive was more or less an administrator, not an emperor like today.” [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. The lower house, being closer to citizens, historically held limited authority while the executive acted as a bureaucratic manager rather than a dominant ruler. **In simple terms:** The people's house had little power; the executive was a manager. Key Takeaway Recognize the shift in power dynamics over time. Themes politics history government power democracy Mood analytical critical reflective Type historical political analytical When to use this quote - civic education - policy analysis - comparative politics - constitutional reform Key Concepts representative democracy institutional design executive authority Questions to Reflect On - How does this historical balance affect today's governance? - What mechanisms can restore legislative power? A Different Perspective Modern executives often wield far greater influence than the original design intended. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Administrator Emperor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/administrator-emperor-5764922/) [Administrators](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/administrators/) [Closer Population](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/closer-population-5764921/) [Emperor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emperor/) [Executives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/executives/) [House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house/) [House of representatives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house-of-representatives/) [Population](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/population/) [Population Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/population-power-2801711/) [Representatives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/representatives/) [Representatives Closer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/representatives-closer-5764920/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) ## Related quotes > [This Constitutional Republic called America is an historic aberration. Any honest student of history will note that the prevailing socio-economic system is feudalism, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-nemerov/this-constitutional-republic-called-america-is-an-historic-aberration/) [Howard Nemerov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-nemerov/) > [“This capacity for living easily and familiarly at an extraordinary level of abstraction is the source of modern man's power. With it he has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barrett/this-capacity-for-living-easily-and-familiarly-at-an-extraordinary/) [William Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barrett/) > [ \[The Republican Party\] for example, they do run the House of Representatives, they're a majority there, and it's the House that is essentially sending… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-republican-party-for-example-they-do-run-the-house-of/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [If you take a look at places like Harvard, it's striking. In the early ,50s, I think there were a handful of Jewish professors,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-take-a-look-at-places-like-harvard-it-s-striking-in-the-early/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [As a tactic, violence is absurd. No one can compete with the Government in violence, and the resort to violence, which will surely fail,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/as-a-tactic-violence-is-absurd-no-one-can-compete-with-the-government/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Suppose two-thirds of the members of the national House of Representatives were dumped into the Washington garbage incinerator tomorrow, what would we lose to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/suppose-two-thirds-of-the-members-of-the-national-house-of/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [The rich, the well-born, and the able, acquire an influence among the people that will soon be too much for simple honesty and plain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/the-rich-the-well-born-and-the-able-acquire-an-influence-among-the/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [While on the subject of burning books, I want to congratulate librarians, not famous for their physical strength, who, all over this country, have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/while-on-the-subject-of-burning-books-i-want-to-congratulate/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [We don't want Washington Democrats running the House of Representatives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/we-don-t-want-washington-democrats-running-the-house-of/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [An impeachable offense is whatever a majority of the House of Representatives considers it to be at a given moment in history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-r-ford/an-impeachable-offense-is-whatever-a-majority-of-the-house-of/) [Gerald R. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-r-ford/) > [ Creating senates, the French critics said, implied that there was another social order besides the people represented in the houses of representatives. \[John\] Adams… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/creating-senates-the-french-critics-said-implied-that-there-was/) [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) > [I don't think anyone is closer to the voters in Washington than members of the House of Representatives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-woodruff/i-don-t-think-anyone-is-closer-to-the-voters-in-washington-than/) [Judy Woodruff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-woodruff/) > [With all of the talk about polling and demographics, I think too many people have lost touch with the human and moral crisis of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlene-holt-baker/with-all-of-the-talk-about-polling-and-demographics-i-think-too-many/) [Arlene Holt Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlene-holt-baker/) > [If I can get enough signatures, to present an apology to slavery, I will present it to the President. The House of Representatives has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-douglas/if-i-can-get-enough-signatures-to-present-an-apology-to-slavery-i/) [Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/) > [How do you, on the one hand, not object to Hillary Clinton being elected, and then, on the other hand, tell people, "Elect me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/how-do-you-on-the-one-hand-not-object-to-hillary-clinton-being/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) ## 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 Administrators quotes > [ Leo Crowley, Harry \[Truman\]'s Foreign Economic Administrator, tells Congressmen the theory...: 'If you create good governments in foreign countries, automatically you will have better… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/leo-crowley-harry-truman-s-foreign-economic-administrator-tells/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Administrators are there because of the fans and the cricketers to run this game, so credibility of a game, or a board, or even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahul-dravid/administrators-are-there-because-of-the-fans-and-the-cricketers-to/) [Rahul Dravid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahul-dravid/) > [The truth is that schools don't really teach anything except how to obey orders. This is a great mystery to me because thousands of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor-gatto/the-truth-is-that-schools-don-t-really-teach-anything-except-how-to/) [John Taylor Gatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor-gatto/) > [School leadership has been identified as another critical element of student success, and subsequently enough resources and training should be provided to our school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaheen-mistri/school-leadership-has-been-identified-as-another-critical-element-of/) [Shaheen Mistri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaheen-mistri/) > [Nobody wants me as a Cabinet Minister and they are perfectly right. I am an agitator, not an administrator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-astor/nobody-wants-me-as-a-cabinet-minister-and-they-are-perfectly-right-i/) [Nancy Astor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-astor/) > [For God to be kept out of the classroom or out of America's public debate by nervous school administrators or overcautious politicians serves no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/for-god-to-be-kept-out-of-the-classroom-or-out-of-america-s-public/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [Idiots emit bogons, causing machinery to malfunction in their presence. System administrators absorb bogons, letting machinery work again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/idiots-emit-bogons-causing-machinery-to-malfunction-in-their-presence/) [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) > [ Education had been a great gift for him \[Ziauddin\]. He believed that lack of education was the root of all the Pakistan's problems. Ignorance… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/education-had-been-a-great-gift-for-him-ziauddin-he-believed-that/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [Big Linux deployments have reached the point where it's become a real problem for administrators that they don't have nice tools to manage their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-friedman/big-linux-deployments-have-reached-the-point-where-it-s-become-a-real/) [Nat Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-friedman/) > [New security loopholes are constantly popping up because of wireless networking. The cat-and-mouse game between hackers and system administrators is still in full swing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/new-security-loopholes-are-constantly-popping-up-because-of-wireless/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [There has been a constant struggle on the part of the military element to keep the end- fighting, or readiness to fight-superior to mere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-thayer-mahan/there-has-been-a-constant-struggle-on-the-part-of-the-military/) [Alfred Thayer Mahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-thayer-mahan/) > [The summer gig turned into my day job. I was an arts administrator who helped make indie flicks. At the filmmakers' encouragement, I tried…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-walton/the-summer-gig-turned-into-my-day-job-i-was-an-arts-administrator-who/) [Karen Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-walton/) > [The definitive resolution of the UFO enigma will not come about unless and until the problem is subjected to open and extensive scientific study…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-a-sturrock/the-definitive-resolution-of-the-ufo-enigma-will-not-come-about/) [Peter A. Sturrock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-a-sturrock/) > [Ultimately, any type of discipline is flawed because it keeps the person who is being disciplined inept. As long as the experience is happening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecile-reynaud/ultimately-any-type-of-discipline-is-flawed-because-it-keeps-the/) [Cecile Reynaud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecile-reynaud/) > [It is always the sign of the second-rate man when the decision merely meets the present situation. It is the left-over in a decision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-parker-follett/it-is-always-the-sign-of-the-second-rate-man-when-the-decision-merely/) [Mary Parker Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-parker-follett/) [Browse all 146 Administrators quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/administrators/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The House of Representatives, which was closer to the population, had much less power. The executive was more or less an administrator, not an emperor like today.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noam Chomsky" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-house-of-representatives-which-was-closer-to-the-population-had/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Administrators" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-house-of-representatives-which-was-closer-to-the-population-had/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a10/noam-chomsky-42_administrators_the-house-of-representatives-which-was-c_737577.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a10/noam-chomsky-42_administrators_the-house-of-representatives-which-was-c_737577.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a10/noam-chomsky-42_administrators_the-house-of-representatives-which-was-c_737577.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The House of Representatives, which was closer to the population, had much less power. The executive was…” — 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": "The House of Representatives, which was...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-house-of-representatives-which-was-closer-to-the-population-had/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-house-of-representatives-which-was-closer-to-the-population-had/#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 } } ] } ```