--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Government means politics, and…" description: "\"Government means politics, and interference by government carries with it always the implication of coercion. We may accept the expanding power of bure..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a56/owen-d-young-33818_accepting_government-means-politics-and-interferen_432849.jpg" --- # Government means politics, and interference by government… ![“Government means politics, and interference by government carries with it always the implication of coercion. We may accept the expanding power of bureaucrats so long as we bask in their friendly smile. But it is a dangerous temptation. Today politics may be our friend and tomorrow we may be its…” quote by Owen D. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a56/owen-d-young-33818_accepting_government-means-politics-and-interferen_432849.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a56/owen-d-young-33818_accepting_government-means-politics-and-interferen_432849.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a56/owen-d-young-33818_accepting_government-means-politics-and-interferen_432849.jpg) > “Government means politics, and interference by government carries with it always the implication of coercion. We may accept the expanding power of bureaucrats so long as we bask in their friendly smile. But it is a dangerous temptation. Today politics may be our friend and tomorrow we may be its victims.” [Owen D. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-d-young/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Government intervention inevitably involves coercion; accepting it can be tempting but risky as power may turn hostile. **In simple terms:** Government power brings coercion and risk. Key Takeaway Beware of growing government influence. Themes politics power risk Mood cautious critical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - policy making - citizen activism - regulatory compliance - public trust Key Concepts coercion bureaucracy temptation Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance safety and liberty? - When does friendly bureaucracy become oppressive? A Different Perspective Coercion may be justified in emergencies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Coercion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coercion/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Temptation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temptation/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Tomorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tomorrow/) [Victim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victim/) ## Related quotes > [“If you understood the plan of your government, that means it is a policy or if you don't it means it is politics.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashid-jorvee/if-you-understood-the-plan-of-your-government-that-means-it-is-a/) [Rashid Jorvee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashid-jorvee/) > [Government means always coercion and compulsion and is by necessity the opposite of liberty. Government is a guarantor of liberty and is compatible with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/government-means-always-coercion-and-compulsion-and-is-by-necessity/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Government means always coercion and compulsion and is by necessity the opposite of liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/government-means-always-coercion-and-compulsion-and-is-by-necessity-2/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [I believe investigative agencies should be run in an autonomous manner, and there shouldn't be any interference from the government's side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piyush-goyal/i-believe-investigative-agencies-should-be-run-in-an-autonomous/) [Piyush Goyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piyush-goyal/) > [The most cogent reason for restricting the interference of government is the great evil of adding unnecessarily to its power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/the-most-cogent-reason-for-restricting-the-interference-of-government/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [I believe that it is an unchanging value of democracy that ends cannot justify the means in politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-geun-hye/i-believe-that-it-is-an-unchanging-value-of-democracy-that-ends/) [Park Geun-hye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-geun-hye/) > [The decisive means for politics is violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-weber/the-decisive-means-for-politics-is-violence/) [Max Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-weber/) > [I don't think any government has the means to protect us from the world reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-lapierre/i-don-t-think-any-government-has-the-means-to-protect-us-from-the/) Jean Lapierre > [Self-government means self support.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/self-government-means-self-support/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > ["Big" government? Who wants that? I just want effective government. That means America's government needs to be big in some places, small in others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/big-government-who-wants-that-i-just-want-effective-government-that/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [We have to depoliticise our youth. We have to teach our youth that the word 'government' means them, it's something to feel pride in,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/we-have-to-depoliticise-our-youth-we-have-to-teach-our-youth-that-the/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [“It is baffling that my progressive friends lament the influence of so-called big money on government while at the same time proposing to expand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-d-williamson/it-is-baffling-that-my-progressive-friends-lament-the-influence-of-so/) [Kevin D. Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-d-williamson/) > [“Big Government means small citizens: it corrodes the integrity of a people, catastrophically.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-steyn/big-government-means-small-citizens-it-corrodes-the-integrity-of-a/) [Mark Steyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-steyn/) > [We demand entire freedom of action and then expect the government in some miraculous way to save us from the consequences of our own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/we-demand-entire-freedom-of-action-and-then-expect-the-government-in/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [People are so docile right now. It is almost as if good government means when the politicians lie to us for our own good,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bovard/people-are-so-docile-right-now-it-is-almost-as-if-good-government/) [James Bovard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bovard/) ## More by Owen D. Young > [When boasting ends, there dignity begins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-d-young/when-boasting-ends-there-dignity-begins/) [Owen D. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-d-young/) > [It is not the crook in modern business that we fear, but the honest man who doesn't know what he is doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-d-young/it-is-not-the-crook-in-modern-business-that-we-fear-but-the-honest/) [Owen D. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-d-young/) > [The man who can put himself in the place of other men, who can understand the workings of their minds, need never worry about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-d-young/the-man-who-can-put-himself-in-the-place-of-other-men-who-can/) [Owen D. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-d-young/) > [It takes visions and courage to create. It takes faith and courage to prove.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-d-young/it-takes-visions-and-courage-to-create-it-takes-faith-and-courage-to/) [Owen D. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-d-young/) > [We wake up to find the whole world building competitive trade barriers, just as we found it a few years ago building competitive armaments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-d-young/we-wake-up-to-find-the-whole-world-building-competitive-trade/) [Owen D. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-d-young/) > [Markets as well as mobs respond to human emotions; markets as well as mobs can be inflamed to their own destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-d-young/markets-as-well-as-mobs-respond-to-human-emotions-markets-as-well-as/) [Owen D. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-d-young/) > [We are not to judge thrift solely by the test of saving or spending. If one spends what he should prudently save, that certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-d-young/we-are-not-to-judge-thrift-solely-by-the-test-of-saving-or-spending/) [Owen D. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-d-young/) > [Capital which overreaches for profits; labor which overreaches for wages, or a public which overreaches for bargains will all destroy such other. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-d-young/capital-which-overreaches-for-profits-labor-which-overreaches-for/) [Owen D. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-d-young/) > [I really believe that more harm is done by old men who cling to their influence than by young men who anticipate it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-d-young/i-really-believe-that-more-harm-is-done-by-old-men-who-cling-to-their/) [Owen D. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-d-young/) > [What I am concerned about in this fast-moving world in a time of crises, both in foreign and domestic affairs, is not so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-d-young/what-i-am-concerned-about-in-this-fast-moving-world-in-a-time-of/) [Owen D. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-d-young/) > [It takes vision and courage to create](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-d-young/it-takes-vision-and-courage-to-create/) [Owen D. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-d-young/) > [It takes vision and courage to create - it takes faith and courage to prove.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-d-young/it-takes-vision-and-courage-to-create-it-takes-faith-and-courage-to/) [Owen D. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-d-young/) > [The world does not owe men a living, but business, if it is to fulfill its ideal, owes men an opportunity to earn a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-d-young/the-world-does-not-owe-men-a-living-but-business-if-it-is-to-fulfill/) [Owen D. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-d-young/) [Explore all 14 Owen D. Young quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-d-young/) ## More Accepting quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [This duo inside of me causes the perfect opportunity to live and learn twice as fast as those who choose to accept simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/this-duo-inside-of-me-causes-the-perfect-opportunity-to-live-and/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Don't be bitter. Everybody suffers. If you can accept your suffering then you will understand other people better. Be grateful for pain. Love life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/don-t-be-bitter-everybody-suffers-if-you-can-accept-your-suffering/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [It takes an unusually philosophic mind to accept that all one’s suffering might be to no end, really, in the larger scheme of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-takes-an-unusually-philosophic-mind-to-accept-that-all-one-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Even with clothing naked animals, there were people who wanted to send in money. A woman in Santa Barbara, California, sent a $40,000 check.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-abel/even-with-clothing-naked-animals-there-were-people-who-wanted-to-send/) [Alan Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-abel/) > [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/) [Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [As my films are born at the moment when they are reflected into another person's mind and memories, there are no misconceptions. I totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pirjo-honkasalo/as-my-films-are-born-at-the-moment-when-they-are-reflected-into/) [Pirjo Honkasalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pirjo-honkasalo/) Browse all 6,788 Accepting quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Government means politics, and interference by government carries with it always the implication of coercion. We may accept the expanding power of bureaucrats so long as we bask in their friendly smile. But it is a dangerous temptation. Today politics may be our friend and tomorrow we may be its victims.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Owen D. Young" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-d-young/government-means-politics-and-interference-by-government-carries-with/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accepting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-d-young/government-means-politics-and-interference-by-government-carries-with/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a56/owen-d-young-33818_accepting_government-means-politics-and-interferen_432849.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a56/owen-d-young-33818_accepting_government-means-politics-and-interferen_432849.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a56/owen-d-young-33818_accepting_government-means-politics-and-interferen_432849.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Government means politics, and interference by government carries with it always the implication of…” — Owen D. Young", "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": "Owen D. Young", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-d-young/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Government means politics, and interference by...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-d-young/government-means-politics-and-interference-by-government-carries-with/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-d-young/government-means-politics-and-interference-by-government-carries-with/#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 } } ] } ```