--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have depended on government for so…" description: "\"We have depended on government for so much for so long that we as people have become less vigilant of our liberties. As long as the government provides..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/838/ron-paul-686_communism_we-have-depended-on-government-for-so-mu_2710023.png" --- # We have depended on government for so much for so long… ![“We have depended on government for so much for so long that we as people have become less vigilant of our liberties. As long as the government provides largesse for the majority, the special interest lobbyists will succeed in continuing the redistribution of welfare programs that occupies most of…” quote by Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/838/ron-paul-686_communism_we-have-depended-on-government-for-so-mu_2710023.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/838/ron-paul-686_communism_we-have-depended-on-government-for-so-mu_2710023.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/838/ron-paul-686_communism_we-have-depended-on-government-for-so-mu_2710023.png) > “We have depended on government for so much for so long that we as people have become less vigilant of our liberties. As long as the government provides largesse for the majority, the special interest lobbyists will succeed in continuing the redistribution of welfare programs that occupies most of Congress's legislative time.” [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Government dependence erodes vigilance; welfare redistribution fuels special‑interest dominance. **In simple terms:** Dependence weakens liberty. Key Takeaway Promote self‑reliance and limited government. Themes politics freedom economics Mood critical optimistic Type political philosophical When to use this quote - community organizing - education reform - tax policy - grassroots activism Key Concepts Libertarian philosophy public policy Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens stay vigilant? - What alternatives to welfare exist? A Different Perspective Complex issues may require some government support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communism/) [Congress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Largesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/largesse/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Lobbyists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lobbyists/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Special interests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/special-interests/) [Welfare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/welfare/) [Welfare programs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/welfare-programs/) ## Related quotes > [I'm running for president because I've had enough of the oil barons, the status-quo apologists, the special-interest lobbyists running amok.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-gephardt/i-m-running-for-president-because-i-ve-had-enough-of-the-oil-barons/) [Dick Gephardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-gephardt/) > [Republicans who controlled the government in the 1920s insisted that national prosperity depended on government protection of the rich, who they believed would plow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-cox-richardson/republicans-who-controlled-the-government-in-the-1920s-insisted-that/) [Heather Cox Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-cox-richardson/) > [The theory of government I was taught says that government provides benefits, primarily security, to the entire population. In return we pay taxes. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stossel/the-theory-of-government-i-was-taught-says-that-government-provides/) [John Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stossel/) > [There's huge opportunities to continue to improve efficiency in the way the government operates and improve the way government provides services to its citizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-daines/there-s-huge-opportunities-to-continue-to-improve-efficiency-in-the/) [Steve Daines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-daines/) > [Globalization doesn't have to be a bad thing as long as government provides us all with the tools to cope in a changing world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-larson/globalization-doesn-t-have-to-be-a-bad-thing-as-long-as-government/) [John B. 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If the government provides the funds required (think stimulus) by taxing the citizens or by borrowing from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/government-spending-cannot-create-additional-jobs-if-the-government-2/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [ \[T\]he sprawl of government into every conceivable realm of life has caused the withering of traditional institutions. Fathers become unnecessary if the government provides… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mona-charen/t-he-sprawl-of-government-into-every-conceivable-realm-of-life-has/) [Mona Charen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mona-charen/) > [Government spending cannot create additional jobs. If the government provides the funds required by taxing the citizens or by borrowing from the public, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/government-spending-cannot-create-additional-jobs-if-the-government/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [“You’ve worked for the government too long to imagine they have the resources or competence to cover shit up. Never attribute to conspiracy that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stephen-fuchs/you-ve-worked-for-the-government-too-long-to-imagine-they-have-the/) [Michael Stephen Fuchs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stephen-fuchs/) ## More by Ron Paul > [Washington bureaucrats have classified the very air we exhale as a pollutant and have gone unchallenged in this incredible assertion. 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They can't create anything, they never have. All they can do is steal from one group and give it to another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/governments-have-nothing-they-can-t-create-anything-they-never-have/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [Why is it is claimed that if people won't or can't take care of their own needs, that people in government can do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/why-is-it-is-claimed-that-if-people-won-t-or-can-t-take-care-of-their/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [It is dissent from government policies which defines the true Patriot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/it-is-dissent-from-government-policies-which-defines-the-true-patriot/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [The moral and constitutional obligations of our representatives in Washington are to protect our liberty, not coddle the world, precipitating no-win wars, while bringing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/the-moral-and-constitutional-obligations-of-our-representatives-in/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [I will veto any spending bill that contains funding for Planned Parenthood, facilities that perform abortion and all government family planning schemes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/i-will-veto-any-spending-bill-that-contains-funding-for-planned/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [Prices are going up. Unemployment is continue to go up. And we have not had the necessary correction for the financial bubble created by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/prices-are-going-up-unemployment-is-continue-to-go-up-and-we-have-not/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [Scientifically, there's no debate over whether the fetus is alive and human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/scientifically-there-s-no-debate-over-whether-the-fetus-is-alive-and/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) [Explore all 411 Ron Paul quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) ## More Communism quotes > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [I didn't understand Southland Tales script at all! Is there a single word to describe it? Cacophony? It's celebrity meets pornography meets politics -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-grant/i-didn-t-understand-southland-tales-script-at-all-is-there-a-single/) [Beth Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-grant/) > [It is popular to call it a crisis of the Western world. It is in fact a crisis of the whole world. 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The jokes about death for the sake of the motherland…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/motherland-is-our-property-and-we-have-right-to-handle-our-properties/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [“Socialists and Progressives confuse compassion and compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-e-samaan/socialists-and-progressives-confuse-compassion-and-compulsion/) [A.E. 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