--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People get the government their behavior…" description: "\"People get the government their behavior deserves. People deserve better than that.\" — Richard Stallman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/173/richard-stallman-4048_behavior_people-get-the-government-their-behavior_902216.png" --- # People get the government their behavior deserves. People… ![“People get the government their behavior deserves. People deserve better than that.” quote by Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/173/richard-stallman-4048_behavior_people-get-the-government-their-behavior_902216.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/173/richard-stallman-4048_behavior_people-get-the-government-their-behavior_902216.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/173/richard-stallman-4048_behavior_people-get-the-government-their-behavior_902216.png) > “People get the government their behavior deserves. People deserve better than that.” [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Government actions reflect the behavior of its citizens; better behavior can lead to improved governance. **In simple terms:** People shape government. Key Takeaway Improve personal conduct to influence government. Themes civic responsibility government ethics Mood motivational critical Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - voting - community activism - education Key Concepts social contract public policy Questions to Reflect On - How does your behavior affect public policy? - What actions can improve governance? A Different Perspective Change is slow and may face resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) [Deserve better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deserve-better/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [“I almost can't believe you won first place, because the painting deserves it so much, and people who deserve to win hardly ever do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-standiford/i-almost-can-t-believe-you-won-first-place-because-the-painting/) [Natalie Standiford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-standiford/) > [The biggest change in the government's behavior has been because of TV and its ability to show to the world what has happened in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-cube/the-biggest-change-in-the-government-s-behavior-has-been-because-of/) [Ice Cube](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-cube/) > [The Constitution was not written to restrain the citizen's behavior, it was writtne to restrain the government's behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/the-constitution-was-not-written-to-restrain-the-citizen-s-behavior/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [Respect is for the people who deserves it, not the people who demand it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhi-shuen/respect-is-for-the-people-who-deserves-it-not-the-people-who-demand-it/) Zhi Shuen > [I think Hillary Clinton deserves to have people vouch for her other than members of the Democratic National Committee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/i-think-hillary-clinton-deserves-to-have-people-vouch-for-her-other/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [Freedom means everything to me. 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We are the people and we deserve better not because we're worth it but because no worth can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-mancuso/we-are-the-world-we-are-the-people-and-we-deserve-better-not-because/) [Nick Mancuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-mancuso/) > [The Israeli people deserve better than a life in between rounds of violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tzipi-livni/the-israeli-people-deserve-better-than-a-life-in-between-rounds-of/) [Tzipi Livni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tzipi-livni/) > [Republicans are 'bad people who deserve a two-by-four upside their heads.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahm-emanuel/republicans-are-bad-people-who-deserve-a-two-by-four-upside-their/) [Rahm Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahm-emanuel/) > [The Somali people deserve the kind of life we have here in the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caputo/the-somali-people-deserve-the-kind-of-life-we-have-here-in-the-united/) [Michael Caputo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caputo/) > [“Happy people decided to love people who do not deserve love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alin-sav/happy-people-decided-to-love-people-who-do-not-deserve-love/) [Alin Sav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alin-sav/) > [People deserve respect in one way or another. Even when they are bitches, hand em over a little respect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/savannah-j/people-deserve-respect-in-one-way-or-another-even-when-they-are/) [Savannah J](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/savannah-j/) > [The American people deserve accountability over wasteful spending, and we accomplish that by prioritizing taxpayer dollars in a responsive and responsible manner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-britt/the-american-people-deserve-accountability-over-wasteful-spending-and/) [Katie Britt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-britt/) > [Well, I think every now and again, some people deserve to get their butts chewed. Every now and again some people deserve a pat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/well-i-think-every-now-and-again-some-people-deserve-to-get-their/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Richard Stallman > [All governments should be pressured to correct their abuses of human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/all-governments-should-be-pressured-to-correct-their-abuses-of-human/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [I consider that the Golden Rule requires that if I like a program I must share it with other people who like it. Software…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/i-consider-that-the-golden-rule-requires-that-if-i-like-a-program-i/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [Think 'free speech,' not 'free beer.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/think-free-speech-not-free-beer/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [If you can find a host for me that has a friendly parrot, I will be very very glad… DON'T buy a parrot figuring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/if-you-can-find-a-host-for-me-that-has-a-friendly-parrot-i-will-be/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [Sharing is good, and with digital technology, sharing is easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/sharing-is-good-and-with-digital-technology-sharing-is-easy/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [In the US, you even lose legal rights if you store your data in a company's machines instead of your own. The police need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/in-the-us-you-even-lose-legal-rights-if-you-store-your-data-in-a/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [EMACS could not have been reached by a process of careful design, because such processes arrive only at goals which are visible at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/emacs-could-not-have-been-reached-by-a-process-of-careful-design/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [A hacker is someone who enjoys playful cleverness—not necessarily with computers. The programmers in the old MIT free software community of the 60s and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/a-hacker-is-someone-who-enjoys-playful-cleverness-not-necessarily/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [When I launched the development of the GNU system, I explicitly said the purpose of developing this system is so we can use our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/when-i-launched-the-development-of-the-gnu-system-i-explicitly-said/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [Writing non-free software is not an ethically legitimate activity, so if people who do this run into trouble, that's good! All businesses based on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/writing-non-free-software-is-not-an-ethically-legitimate-activity-so/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [In essence, Chrome OS is the GNU/Linux operating system. However, it is delivered without the usual applications, and rigged up to impede and discourage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/in-essence-chrome-os-is-the-gnu-linux-operating-system-however-it-is/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [If in my lifetime the problem of non-free software is solved, I could perhaps relax and write software again. But I might instead try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/if-in-my-lifetime-the-problem-of-non-free-software-is-solved-i-could/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [Now that corporations dominate society and write the laws, each advance or change in technology is an opening for them to further restrict or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/now-that-corporations-dominate-society-and-write-the-laws-each/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [The idea of free software is that users of computing deserve freedom. They deserve in particular to have control over their computing. And proprietary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/the-idea-of-free-software-is-that-users-of-computing-deserve-freedom/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [Android is a major step towards an ethical, user-controlled, free-software portable phone, but there is a long way to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/android-is-a-major-step-towards-an-ethical-user-controlled-free/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) [Explore all 117 Richard Stallman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) ## More Behavior quotes > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I now know that deep within the human concept is something dark, selfish, and completely willing to do whatever is necessary to support the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-west/i-now-know-that-deep-within-the-human-concept-is-something-dark/) [Melissa West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-west/) > [“We are endowed with genes which code out our reaction to beavers and otters, maybe our reaction to each other as well. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/we-are-endowed-with-genes-which-code-out-our-reaction-to-beavers-and/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) > [To behave creatively in art means behavior with skill; and skill comes from discipline, not derangement. The artist who knows the rules -and proportion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burne-hogarth/to-behave-creatively-in-art-means-behavior-with-skill-and-skill-comes/) Burne Hogarth > [You don't put milk in chamomile tea - that's disgusting behavior! That's not right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-fraser/you-don-t-put-milk-in-chamomile-tea-that-s-disgusting-behavior-that-s/) [Laura Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-fraser/) > [The laws of thermodynamics, as empirically determined, express the approximate and probable behavior of systems of a great number of particles, or, more precisely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-willard-gibbs/the-laws-of-thermodynamics-as-empirically-determined-express-the/) J. Willard Gibbs > [I started with the belief that every person who came to the laboratory was free to accept or to reject the dictates of authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/i-started-with-the-belief-that-every-person-who-came-to-the/) [Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/) > [The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-tipping-point-is-that-magic-moment-when-an-idea-trend-or-social/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [I think we've told a lot of lies about human behavior through film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-arquette/i-think-we-ve-told-a-lot-of-lies-about-human-behavior-through-film/) [Patricia Arquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-arquette/) > [The strongest rebellion may be expressed in quiet, undramatic behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-spock/the-strongest-rebellion-may-be-expressed-in-quiet-undramatic-behavior/) [Benjamin Spock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-spock/) > [The behavior of any bureaucratic organization can best be understood by assuming that it is controlled by a secret cabal of its enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-conquest/the-behavior-of-any-bureaucratic-organization-can-best-be-understood/) [Robert Conquest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-conquest/) > [If you want good behavior, don't pay on a commission basis. Our judges aren't paid so much a case. We keep them pretty well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/if-you-want-good-behavior-don-t-pay-on-a-commission-basis-our-judges/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) [Browse all 4,218 Behavior quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People get the government their behavior deserves. 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