--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Governments have been ceding power to big…" description: "\"Governments have been ceding power to big multinational corporations in the market. We see the manifest in a variety of ways. Where governments are giv..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dde/noreena-hertz-8858_ability_governments-have-been-ceding-power-to-bi_2999233.jpg" --- # Governments have been ceding power to big multinational… ![“Governments have been ceding power to big multinational corporations in the market. We see the manifest in a variety of ways. Where governments are giving up power to big international institutions like the World Trade Organization or NAFTA, which are disabling governments' ability to protect the…” quote by Noreena Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dde/noreena-hertz-8858_ability_governments-have-been-ceding-power-to-bi_2999233.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dde/noreena-hertz-8858_ability_governments-have-been-ceding-power-to-bi_2999233.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dde/noreena-hertz-8858_ability_governments-have-been-ceding-power-to-bi_2999233.jpg) > “Governments have been ceding power to big multinational corporations in the market. We see the manifest in a variety of ways. Where governments are giving up power to big international institutions like the World Trade Organization or NAFTA, which are disabling governments' ability to protect the rights of their own people.” [Noreena Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noreena-hertz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques how governments increasingly cede authority to multinational corporations and trade bodies, limiting their capacity to protect citizens. **In simple terms:** Governments losing power to big corporations harms citizen rights. Key Takeaway Guard national sovereignty and public interest. Themes globalization power sovereignty trade corporate influence Mood concerned analytical Type political economic When to use this quote - policy making - public advocacy - business regulation Key Concepts political science economics law Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens influence policy? - What checks can balance corporate power? A Different Perspective Corporate power can outweigh democratic accountability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Corporations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corporations/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Giving up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving-up/) [Governments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/governments/) [Institutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/institutions/) [Investing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investing/) [Market](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/market/) [Multinational corporations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/multinational-corporations/) [NAFTA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nafta/) [Organization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organization/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Trade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trade/) [Variety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/variety/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World trade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-trade/) [World trade organization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-trade-organization/) ## Related quotes > [While we have been presented several opportunities to be acquired by multinational corporations, we are most excited that our collaboration with Bain Capital fulfills…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelieu-dennis/while-we-have-been-presented-several-opportunities-to-be-acquired-by/) [Richelieu Dennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelieu-dennis/) > [nation state as a fundamental unit of man's organized life has ceased to be the principal creative force: International banks and multinational corporations are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/nation-state-as-a-fundamental-unit-of-man-s-organized-life-has-ceased/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [“We give more economic aid to multinational corporations to increase their profits than we do to all the countries in the world combined.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hogan/we-give-more-economic-aid-to-multinational-corporations-to-increase/) [Michael Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hogan/) > [Large multinational corporations, often acting through their industry lobbies, exert a powerful influence on the formulation of domestic rules and on their application -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-pogge/large-multinational-corporations-often-acting-through-their-industry/) [Thomas Pogge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-pogge/) > [ It is the professed goal \[of U.S. multinational corporations\] to control as large a share of the world market as they do of the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-magdoff/it-is-the-professed-goal-of-u-s-multinational-corporations-to-control/) Harry Magdoff > [It's only in relatively recent years that Hollywood became the playground of multinational corporations which regard movies and TV shows as a minor irritant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bart/it-s-only-in-relatively-recent-years-that-hollywood-became-the/) [Peter Bart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bart/) > [Multinational corporations do control. They control the politicians. They control the media. They control the pattern of consumption, entertainment, thinking. They're destroying the planet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-brown/multinational-corporations-do-control-they-control-the-politicians/) [Jerry Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-brown/) > [“A system is corrupt when it is strictly profit-driven, not driven to serve the best interests of its people, but those of multinational corporations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/a-system-is-corrupt-when-it-is-strictly-profit-driven-not-driven-to-2/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [What if one out of every three multinational corporation CEO's were raped every year? Don't you think that would raise a kind of ruckus?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inga-muscio/what-if-one-out-of-every-three-multinational-corporation-ceo-s-were/) [Inga Muscio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inga-muscio/) > [Multi-billion-dollar multinational corporations view the exploitation of the world's sick and dying as a sacred duty to their shareholders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/multi-billion-dollar-multinational-corporations-view-the-exploitation/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [People who have never run even a modest little business assert with great certainty and indignation that heads of multinational corporations are paid much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/people-who-have-never-run-even-a-modest-little-business-assert-with/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [The largest 100 corporations hold 25 percent of the worldwide productive assets, which in turn control 75 percent of international trade and 98 percent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/the-largest-100-corporations-hold-25-percent-of-the-worldwide/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [The multinational corporations now developing budgets often bigger than medium-sized countries — these live in a global space which is largely unregulated, not subject…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-ashdown/the-multinational-corporations-now-developing-budgets-often-bigger/) [Paddy Ashdown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-ashdown/) > [The multinational corporation and international production reflect a world in which capital and technology have become increasingly mobile, while labor has remained relatively immobile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gilpin/the-multinational-corporation-and-international-production-reflect-a/) [Robert Gilpin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gilpin/) > [It is naturally only a coincidence that all too often, American foreign-policy objectives dovetail nicely with the economic objectives of multinational corporations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charley-reese/it-is-naturally-only-a-coincidence-that-all-too-often-american/) [Charley Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charley-reese/) ## More by Noreena Hertz > [When Apple introduced its game-changing iPhone in 2007, Nokia was caught sleeping on the job. Although it had actually developed an iPhone-style device -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/when-apple-introduced-its-game-changing-iphone-in-2007-nokia-was/) [Noreena Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noreena-hertz/) > [I've become increasingly fascinated with social media to improve on traditional ways of preparing for and predicting the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/i-ve-become-increasingly-fascinated-with-social-media-to-improve-on/) [Noreena Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noreena-hertz/) > [I grew up in a highly political home. My mother was the co-chair of the 300 Group, an organisation whose aim was to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/i-grew-up-in-a-highly-political-home-my-mother-was-the-co-chair-of/) [Noreena Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noreena-hertz/) > [What about those who help growth indirectly, those who stay at home and look after others - mothers, carers of elderly parents or sick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/what-about-those-who-help-growth-indirectly-those-who-stay-at-home/) [Noreena Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noreena-hertz/) > [We are living in a time in which movies such as 'Super Size Me' and 'An Inconvenient Truth' have made box-office history, and books…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/we-are-living-in-a-time-in-which-movies-such-as-super-size-me-and-an/) [Noreena Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noreena-hertz/) > [We live increasingly in a world of haves and have-nots, of gated communities next to ghettos, of extreme poverty and unbelievable riches. Some enjoy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/we-live-increasingly-in-a-world-of-haves-and-have-nots-of-gated/) [Noreena Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noreena-hertz/) > [With consumers having ever more choice, corporations must invest more and more in courting public opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/with-consumers-having-ever-more-choice-corporations-must-invest-more/) [Noreena Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noreena-hertz/) > [I was really interested to see whether we could make predictions or forecasts by listening in on what people were saying on social media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/i-was-really-interested-to-see-whether-we-could-make-predictions-or/) [Noreena Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noreena-hertz/) > [Things do go wrong. Not everyone benefits from the capitalist dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/things-do-go-wrong-not-everyone-benefits-from-the-capitalist-dream/) [Noreena Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noreena-hertz/) > [It's actually very surprising how little we think about the quality of our decision-making and how we could improve it. How absent decision-making classes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/it-s-actually-very-surprising-how-little-we-think-about-the-quality/) [Noreena Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noreena-hertz/) > [Get into the habit of imagining an alternate scenario. By posing such 'imagine if' questions... we can distance ourselves from the frames, cues, anchors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/get-into-the-habit-of-imagining-an-alternate-scenario-by-posing-such/) [Noreena Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noreena-hertz/) > [I really believe in a globalist agenda, but globalization isn't just allowing companies to trade freely all over the world. It's about what types…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/i-really-believe-in-a-globalist-agenda-but-globalization-isn-t-just/) [Noreena Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noreena-hertz/) > [Surely in a world of email, video conferencing and virtual assistants, isn't being expected to show up at the office extremely anachronistic? Yet to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/surely-in-a-world-of-email-video-conferencing-and-virtual-assistants/) [Noreena Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noreena-hertz/) > [My parents decided - because they were not going to teach us anything Jewish at home - to send both me and my sister…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/my-parents-decided-because-they-were-not-going-to-teach-us-anything/) [Noreena Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noreena-hertz/) > [People are looking for certainty. The more complex the world becomes, the more people look for people to give them certainty and tell them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/people-are-looking-for-certainty-the-more-complex-the-world-becomes/) [Noreena Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noreena-hertz/) [Explore all 77 Noreena Hertz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noreena-hertz/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Governments have been ceding power to big multinational corporations in the market. We see the manifest in a variety of ways. Where governments are giving up power to big international institutions like the World Trade Organization or NAFTA, which are disabling governments' ability to protect the rights of their own people.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noreena Hertz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/governments-have-been-ceding-power-to-big-multinational-corporations/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/governments-have-been-ceding-power-to-big-multinational-corporations/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dde/noreena-hertz-8858_ability_governments-have-been-ceding-power-to-bi_2999233.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dde/noreena-hertz-8858_ability_governments-have-been-ceding-power-to-bi_2999233.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dde/noreena-hertz-8858_ability_governments-have-been-ceding-power-to-bi_2999233.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Governments have been ceding power to big multinational corporations in the market. We see the manifest in a…” — Noreena Hertz", "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": "Noreena Hertz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noreena-hertz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Governments have been ceding power to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/governments-have-been-ceding-power-to-big-multinational-corporations/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/governments-have-been-ceding-power-to-big-multinational-corporations/#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 } } ] } ```