--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is not my intention to do away with…" description: "\"It is not my intention to do away with government. It is rather to make it work -- work with us, not over us; stand by our side, not ride on our back. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f73/ronald-reagan-119_government_it-is-not-my-intention-to-do-away-with-g_124492.jpg" --- # It is not my intention to do away with government. It is… ![“It is not my intention to do away with government. It is rather to make it work -- work with us, not over us; stand by our side, not ride on our back. Government can and must provide opportunity, not smother it; foster productivity, not stifle it.” quote by Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f73/ronald-reagan-119_government_it-is-not-my-intention-to-do-away-with-g_124492.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f73/ronald-reagan-119_government_it-is-not-my-intention-to-do-away-with-g_124492.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f73/ronald-reagan-119_government_it-is-not-my-intention-to-do-away-with-g_124492.jpg) > “It is not my intention to do away with government. It is rather to make it work -- work with us, not over us; stand by our side, not ride on our back. Government can and must provide opportunity, not smother it; foster productivity, not stifle it.” [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. Government should be a partner that empowers citizens, not a dominating force that suppresses initiative. **In simple terms:** Gov’t as a supportive ally. Key Takeaway Empowerment over control. Themes politics government individual liberty Mood optimistic civic‑engaged Type political ideological When to use this quote - policy reform debates - community development projects - entrepreneurial support programs Key Concepts social contract Practical Applications - advocate for deregulation where appropriate - create public‑private partnerships Questions to Reflect On - What balance best protects freedom while ensuring public welfare? - How can citizens hold government accountable as a partner? A Different Perspective Too little oversight can lead to inequality and abuse. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Productivity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/productivity/) ## Related quotes > [Now, so there will be no misunderstanding, it's not my intention to do away with government. It is rather to make it work -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/now-so-there-will-be-no-misunderstanding-it-s-not-my-intention-to-do/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Government can and must provide opportunity, not smother it; foster productivity; not stifle it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/government-can-and-must-provide-opportunity-not-smother-it-foster/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [I want to get away from "It's either government or the market." That's a false dichotomy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-massey/i-want-to-get-away-from-it-s-either-government-or-the-market-that-s-a/) [Douglas Massey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-massey/) > [Take away the government's monopoly, and private groups will do it better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stossel/take-away-the-government-s-monopoly-and-private-groups-will-do-it/) [John Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stossel/) > [I want the government to provide the military so we don't get invaded by somebody and destroyed. I want the government to provide the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/i-want-the-government-to-provide-the-military-so-we-don-t-get-invaded/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [“The aim of all government is to make all government superfluous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-fichte/the-aim-of-all-government-is-to-make-all-government-superfluous/) Johann Fichte > [People who thing that they are getting something for nothing, by having government provide what they would otherwise have to buy in the private…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/people-who-thing-that-they-are-getting-something-for-nothing-by/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [The more power government has to provide things, the more power it has to dictate terms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-richman/the-more-power-government-has-to-provide-things-the-more-power-it-has/) [Sheldon Richman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-richman/) > [The most basic function of government is to provide a framework of law and order, within which the people are free to choose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-most-basic-function-of-government-is-to-provide-a-framework-of/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Governments can do lots of things, but there are a lot of things they cannot do. 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Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-buchanan/) > [“Do not wait for the government to provide solutions to the people when you can be their answer”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/do-not-wait-for-the-government-to-provide-solutions-to-the-people/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [We recognise the need for government to provide a clear and stable regulatory framework so as to release the investment power of business in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-gardiner/we-recognise-the-need-for-government-to-provide-a-clear-and-stable/) [Barry Gardiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-gardiner/) > [The function of government is to provide you with service; the function of the media is to supply the Vaseline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/the-function-of-government-is-to-provide-you-with-service-the/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) ## 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 Government quotes > [We could form a government of national unity fighting corruption. 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But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [He is almost a statesman. He lies well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/he-is-almost-a-statesman-he-lies-well/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I mean those people who are interested in good government will certainly contribute in order to make certain there's some counter-balance to those whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/i-mean-those-people-who-are-interested-in-good-government-will/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [We can't have a government that will collapse in three months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-varadkar/we-can-t-have-a-government-that-will-collapse-in-three-months/) [Leo Varadkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-varadkar/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) [Browse all 21,248 Government quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is not my intention to do away with government. 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