--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Government is never more dangerous than…" description: "\"Government is never more dangerous than when our desire to have it help us blinds us to its great power to harm us.\" — Ronald Reagan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/ronald-reagan-119_dangerous_government-is-never-more-dangerous-than_1575234.jpg" --- # Government is never more dangerous than when our desire to… ![“Government is never more dangerous than when our desire to have it help us blinds us to its great power to harm us.” quote by Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/ronald-reagan-119_dangerous_government-is-never-more-dangerous-than_1575234.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/ronald-reagan-119_dangerous_government-is-never-more-dangerous-than_1575234.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/ronald-reagan-119_dangerous_government-is-never-more-dangerous-than_1575234.jpg) > “Government is never more dangerous than when our desire to have it help us blinds us to its great power to harm us.” [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Excessive reliance on government can obscure its potential for harm, warning against blind trust **In simple terms:** Blind trust in government hides its power to harm Key Takeaway Question authority and stay vigilant Themes politics power trust Mood cautious reflective Type political philosophical When to use this quote - policy debate - voting decisions - public discourse Key Concepts Libertarianism civic responsibility Questions to Reflect On - What checks can prevent governmental abuse? - How do we ensure beneficial government action? A Different Perspective Government can also provide essential services and protections ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dangerous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dangerous/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Dangerous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-dangerous-2029222/) [Great power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-power/) [Harm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harm/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Power Harm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-harm-673906/) ## Related quotes > [The longer we dwell on our misfortunes, the greater is their power to harm us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/the-longer-we-dwell-on-our-misfortunes-the-greater-is-their-power-to/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [An efficient government is dangerous in the hands of the wrong man. Sadly, the right sort of man never seems interested in the job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/an-efficient-government-is-dangerous-in-the-hands-of-the-wrong-man/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [The consensual seduction of the mainstream media by and with the government is one of the most dangerous toxins at work in America today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/the-consensual-seduction-of-the-mainstream-media-by-and-with-the/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [Potentially, a government is the most dangerous threat to man's rights; it holds a legal monopoly on the use of physical force against legally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/potentially-a-government-is-the-most-dangerous-threat-to-man-s-rights-2/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [The Roman Catholics must know as well as we do that 'Popery' when encouraged by government has always been dangerous to the liberties of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-george-gordon/the-roman-catholics-must-know-as-well-as-we-do-that-popery-when/) [Lord George Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-george-gordon/) > [Potentially, a government is the most dangerous threat to man's rights: it holds a legal monopoly on the use of physical force against legally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/potentially-a-government-is-the-most-dangerous-threat-to-man-s-rights/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [A government is the most dangerous threat to man's rights: it holds a legal monopoly on the use of physical force against legally disarmed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/a-government-is-the-most-dangerous-threat-to-man-s-rights-it-holds-a/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [A government is the most dangerous threat to man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/a-government-is-the-most-dangerous-threat-to-man/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [To the media, I have become a symbolic figure, critical of China. According to the government, I am a dangerous threat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/to-the-media-i-have-become-a-symbolic-figure-critical-of-china/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [As thou directest the power, harm or advantage will follow, and the torrent that swept the valley may be led to turn a mill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-farquhar-tupper/as-thou-directest-the-power-harm-or-advantage-will-follow-and-the/) [Martin Farquhar Tupper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-farquhar-tupper/) > [Thou hast not half that power to do me harm As I have to be hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/thou-hast-not-half-that-power-to-do-me-harm-as-i-have-to-be-hurt/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [The power to do good is also the power to do harm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-power-to-do-good-is-also-the-power-to-do-harm/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [Politicians have immense power to do harm to the economy. But they have very little power to do good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/politicians-have-immense-power-to-do-harm-to-the-economy-but-they/) [Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/) > [“A man with power protects and serves those lesser than he. It is only the weak who use their power to do harm.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhys-ford/a-man-with-power-protects-and-serves-those-lesser-than-he-it-is-only/) [Rhys Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhys-ford/) > [That which makes the man no worse than he was makes his life no worse: it has no power to harm, without or within.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/that-which-makes-the-man-no-worse-than-he-was-makes-his-life-no-worse/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) ## More by Ronald Reagan > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [You know, by the time you reach my age, you've made plenty of mistakes if you've lived your life properly. So you learn. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/you-know-by-the-time-you-reach-my-age-you-ve-made-plenty-of-mistakes/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Yes, across Europe, this wall will fall. For it cannot withstand faith; it cannot withstand truth. The wall cannot withstand freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/yes-across-europe-this-wall-will-fall-for-it-cannot-withstand-faith/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Simple fairness dictates that government must not raise taxes on families struggling to pay their bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/simple-fairness-dictates-that-government-must-not-raise-taxes-on/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The time has come to turn to God and reassert our trust in Him for the healing of America - our country is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-time-has-come-to-turn-to-god-and-reassert-our-trust-in-him-for/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Professional politicians like to talk about the value of experience in government. Nuts! The only experience you gain in politics is how to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/professional-politicians-like-to-talk-about-the-value-of-experience/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The WPA was one of the most productive elements of FDR's alphabet soup of agencies because it put people to work building roads, bridges,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-wpa-was-one-of-the-most-productive-elements-of-fdr-s-alphabet/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Where there's liberty, art succeeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/where-there-s-liberty-art-succeeds/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Since I came to the White House, I got two hearing aids, a colon operation, skin cancer, a prostate operation, and I was shot.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/since-i-came-to-the-white-house-i-got-two-hearing-aids-a-colon/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [A moment I've been dreading. George brought his ne're-do-well son around this morning and asked me to find the kid a job. Not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/a-moment-i-ve-been-dreading-george-brought-his-ne-re-do-well-son/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [On Father's Day, we pay tribute to all in our society who have taken on the responsibilitie s and joys of fatherhood. Whether our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/on-father-s-day-we-pay-tribute-to-all-in-our-society-who-have-taken/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you don't care who gets the credit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/there-is-no-limit-to-the-amount-of-good-you-can-do-if-you-don-t-care/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [It's not that liberals aren't smart, it's just that so much of what they know isn't so](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/it-s-not-that-liberals-aren-t-smart-it-s-just-that-so-much-of-what/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Love your country, not for her power or wealth, but for her selflessness and her idealism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/love-your-country-not-for-her-power-or-wealth-but-for-her/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) [Explore all 1,244 Ronald Reagan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) ## More Dangerous quotes > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Every one knows that the exercise of military power is forever dangerous to civil rights; and we have had recent instances of violences that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/every-one-knows-that-the-exercise-of-military-power-is-forever/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [We're not very dangerous animals; we don't have a horn like a rhino or quills like a porcupine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fisher/we-re-not-very-dangerous-animals-we-don-t-have-a-horn-like-a-rhino-or/) [Helen Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fisher/) > [“It is dangerous to lock oneself away and lose track of what is happening outside.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/it-is-dangerous-to-lock-oneself-away-and-lose-track-of-what-is/) [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) > [Its extremely dangerous to compare anyone else to Shakespeare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/its-extremely-dangerous-to-compare-anyone-else-to-shakespeare/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [In my youth-team days, I was always a left-winger who would stay close to the byline and put crosses in the box, so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arjen-robben/in-my-youth-team-days-i-was-always-a-left-winger-who-would-stay-close/) [Arjen Robben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arjen-robben/) > [The temptations of God were always more dangerous for mankind than those of Satan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-temptations-of-god-were-always-more-dangerous-for-mankind-than/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [When you start talking about elections being rigged, you're pushing people beyond democratic governance. And it's a very, very dangerous thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/when-you-start-talking-about-elections-being-rigged-you-re-pushing/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [The Patriot Act is certainly a concern; all of those things are dangerous. I think more important than me preaching is that we as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/the-patriot-act-is-certainly-a-concern-all-of-those-things-are/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [Die gefährlichste Weltanschauung ist die Weltanschauung derer, die die Welt nie angeschaut haben. (The most dangerous worldview is the worldview of those who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-von-humboldt/die-gef-hrlichste-weltanschauung-ist-die-weltanschauung-derer-die-die/) [Alexander von Humboldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-von-humboldt/) > [The most dangerous creature here would have to be me. So maybe I'm just scared of my own shadow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/the-most-dangerous-creature-here-would-have-to-be-me-so-maybe-i-m/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [The more people that learn about you, even if you're an underdog, then you can come under fire a lot and the more attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-way/the-more-people-that-learn-about-you-even-if-you-re-an-underdog-then/) [Gerard Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-way/) > [Anyone who maintains absolute standards of good and evil is dangerous. As dangerous as a maniac with a loaded revolver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/anyone-who-maintains-absolute-standards-of-good-and-evil-is-dangerous/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [The proliferation of right-to-carry laws throughout the states has drawn plaintive complaints from the criminal element. They feel that it makes their profession too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/the-proliferation-of-right-to-carry-laws-throughout-the-states-has/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) [Browse all 6,450 Dangerous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dangerous/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Government is never more dangerous than when our desire to have it help us blinds us to its great power to harm us.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ronald Reagan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/government-is-never-more-dangerous-than-when-our-desire-to-have-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dangerous" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/government-is-never-more-dangerous-than-when-our-desire-to-have-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/ronald-reagan-119_dangerous_government-is-never-more-dangerous-than_1575234.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/ronald-reagan-119_dangerous_government-is-never-more-dangerous-than_1575234.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/ronald-reagan-119_dangerous_government-is-never-more-dangerous-than_1575234.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Government is never more dangerous than when our desire to have it help us blinds us to its great power to…” — Ronald Reagan", "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": "Ronald Reagan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Government is never more dangerous than...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/government-is-never-more-dangerous-than-when-our-desire-to-have-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/government-is-never-more-dangerous-than-when-our-desire-to-have-it/#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 } } ] } ```