--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Wealthy individuals bought themselves a…" description: "\"Wealthy individuals bought themselves a radical right party, believing - correctly - that it would cut their taxes and remove regulations, but failed t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/075/paul-krugman-2255_believe_wealthy-individuals-bought-themselves-a_1901305.png" --- # Wealthy individuals bought themselves a radical right… ![“Wealthy individuals bought themselves a radical right party, believing - correctly - that it would cut their taxes and remove regulations, but failed to realize that eventually the craziness would take on a life of its own, and that the monster they created would turn on its creators as well as…” quote by Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/075/paul-krugman-2255_believe_wealthy-individuals-bought-themselves-a_1901305.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/075/paul-krugman-2255_believe_wealthy-individuals-bought-themselves-a_1901305.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/075/paul-krugman-2255_believe_wealthy-individuals-bought-themselves-a_1901305.png) > “Wealthy individuals bought themselves a radical right party, believing - correctly - that it would cut their taxes and remove regulations, but failed to realize that eventually the craziness would take on a life of its own, and that the monster they created would turn on its creators as well as the little people.” [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Powerful elites may fund extremist movements expecting benefits, but such movements can become uncontrollable and harmful to their sponsors. **In simple terms:** Rich back extremist groups that later turn against them. Key Takeaway Beware of empowering forces you cannot control. Themes politics power unintended consequences Mood cautious critical analytical Type political warning When to use this quote - campaign funding - policy making - social movements - risk assessment Key Concepts populism elite influence radicalization Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards can prevent radical groups from harming their backers? - How do you balance short term gains with long term risks? A Different Perspective Extremist groups can also gain popular support, limiting elite control. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Craziness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/craziness/) [Creator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creator/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Monsters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monsters/) [Party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/party/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Radical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/radical/) [Regulation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regulation/) [Taxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taxes/) ## Related quotes > [“An interlocking set of new enemies was emerging: globalization, foreigners, multiculturalism, environmental regulation, high taxes, and the incompetent politicians who could not cope with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-o-paxton/an-interlocking-set-of-new-enemies-was-emerging-globalization/) [Robert O. Paxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-o-paxton/) > [“If the radical right had its way we’d all be church-going polyester heterosexuals driving around in white Cadillacs eating meatloaf and wax beans while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-nichols/if-the-radical-right-had-its-way-we-d-all-be-church-going-polyester/) [John Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-nichols/) > [With a successful center-right party such as ours, it is hard for the radical right to find room to operate. This is why they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-orban/with-a-successful-center-right-party-such-as-ours-it-is-hard-for-the/) [Viktor Orban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-orban/) > [The oldest philosophy in the world is conservatism, and I go clear back to the first Greeks. ... When you say 'radical right' today,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-goldwater/the-oldest-philosophy-in-the-world-is-conservatism-and-i-go-clear/) [Barry Goldwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-goldwater/) > [It is this power structure which the Radical Right in the United States has been attacking for years in the belief that they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-quigley/it-is-this-power-structure-which-the-radical-right-in-the-united/) [Carroll Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carroll-quigley/) > [The radical right is so homophobic that they're blaming global warming on the AIDS quilt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-miller/the-radical-right-is-so-homophobic-that-they-re-blaming-global/) [Dennis Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-miller/) > [Obama's ascendancy unhinged the radical right, offering a unified target to competing camps of racial, nativist and religious animus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/obama-s-ascendancy-unhinged-the-radical-right-offering-a-unified/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [There are party leaders, big corporation, Wall Street. There are very wealthy individuals who kind of represent where the Democratic Party, the official Democratic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reich/there-are-party-leaders-big-corporation-wall-street-there-are-very/) [Robert Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reich/) > [Art collecting has traditionally been the domain of wealthy individuals in search of rewards beyond the purely financial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/art-collecting-has-traditionally-been-the-domain-of-wealthy/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) > [“amortized? Put differently, the vast majority of individuals, including wealthy individuals and families, find it hard to think outside the box and consider the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-anderson/amortized-put-differently-the-vast-majority-of-individuals-including/) Thomas J. Anderson > [“Excessive consumption was not seen as a desirable sign of membership of an elite, but as a warning: it was wealth for the benefit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-jones/excessive-consumption-was-not-seen-as-a-desirable-sign-of-membership/) [Peter Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-jones/) > [Politically, as a result of Citizens United, billionaires are now able to spend as much money as they want on campaigns, which means that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/politically-as-a-result-of-citizens-united-billionaires-are-now-able/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [Wealthy individuals have always had the capacity to influence politics, of course, but only after two key campaign finance cases - Wisconsin Right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zephyr-teachout/wealthy-individuals-have-always-had-the-capacity-to-influence/) [Zephyr Teachout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zephyr-teachout/) > [Private equity has been the purview of super wealthy individuals and institutions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lee-chin/private-equity-has-been-the-purview-of-super-wealthy-individuals-and/) [Michael Lee-Chin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lee-chin/) > [It is all too easy for the liberal media to stir up the irrational hatreds of millions of people, who see themselves as less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ringer/it-is-all-too-easy-for-the-liberal-media-to-stir-up-the-irrational/) [Robert Ringer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ringer/) ## More by Paul Krugman > [People who are complaining about the Fed are people who've been predicting runaway inflation for five and six years, and it hasn't happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/people-who-are-complaining-about-the-fed-are-people-who-ve-been/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [Surely I'm not the only person to ask the obvious question: How different, really, is Mr. Madoff's tale from the story of the investment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/surely-i-m-not-the-only-person-to-ask-the-obvious-question-how/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [“The rich are different from you and me: they have more influence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/the-rich-are-different-from-you-and-me-they-have-more-influence/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [“The Internet’s impact on the economy has been no greater than the fax machine’s….ten years from now, the phrase “information economy” will sound silly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/the-internet-s-impact-on-the-economy-has-been-no-greater-than-the-fax/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [Not all private equity people are evil. Only some.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/not-all-private-equity-people-are-evil-only-some/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [You really have to go searching desperately to find any contemporary examples of good, old-fashioned runaway inflation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/you-really-have-to-go-searching-desperately-to-find-any-contemporary/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [However, the fact that an economist offers a theoretical analysis does not and should not automatically command respect. What is needed is some assurance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/however-the-fact-that-an-economist-offers-a-theoretical-analysis-does/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [Politics determines who has the power, not who has the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/politics-determines-who-has-the-power-not-who-has-the-truth/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [The key reason executives are paid so much now is that they appoint the members of the corporate board that determines their compensation and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/the-key-reason-executives-are-paid-so-much-now-is-that-they-appoint/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [I've always believed in expansionary monetary policy and if necessary fiscal policy when the economy is depressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/i-ve-always-believed-in-expansionary-monetary-policy-and-if-necessary/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [...academic credentials are neither a necessary nor a sufficient condition for having your ideas taken seriously. If a famous professor repeatedly says stupid things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/academic-credentials-are-neither-a-necessary-nor-a-sufficient/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [It’s not about the budget; it’s about the power...So will the attack on unions succeed? I don’t know. But anyone who cares about retaining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/it-s-not-about-the-budget-it-s-about-the-power-so-will-the-attack-on/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [When stock prices are rising, it's called ''momentum investing''; when they are falling, it's called ''panic.''](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/when-stock-prices-are-rising-it-s-called-momentum-investing-when-they/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [I don't want a job in the administration; I think I'm more effective carping from the sidelines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/i-don-t-want-a-job-in-the-administration-i-think-i-m-more-effective/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [Under the gold standard America had no major financial panics other than in 1873, 1884, 1890, 1893, 1907, 1930, 1931, 1932, and 1933.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/under-the-gold-standard-america-had-no-major-financial-panics-other/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) [Explore all 175 Paul Krugman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Wealthy individuals bought themselves a radical right party, believing - correctly - that it would cut their taxes and remove regulations, but failed to realize that eventually the craziness would take on a life of its own, and that the monster they created would turn on its creators as well as the little people.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul Krugman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/wealthy-individuals-bought-themselves-a-radical-right-party-believing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/wealthy-individuals-bought-themselves-a-radical-right-party-believing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/075/paul-krugman-2255_believe_wealthy-individuals-bought-themselves-a_1901305.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/075/paul-krugman-2255_believe_wealthy-individuals-bought-themselves-a_1901305.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/075/paul-krugman-2255_believe_wealthy-individuals-bought-themselves-a_1901305.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Wealthy individuals bought themselves a radical right party, believing - correctly - that it would cut their…” — Paul Krugman", "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": "Paul Krugman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Wealthy individuals bought themselves a radical...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/wealthy-individuals-bought-themselves-a-radical-right-party-believing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/wealthy-individuals-bought-themselves-a-radical-right-party-believing/#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 } } ] } ```