--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Political organizations are formed to…" description: "\"“Political organizations are formed to keep the powerful in power. Their first rule is “don’t rock the boat.” If someone makes trouble and you can get ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8a/shirley-chisholm-5073_political_political-organizations-are-formed-to-ke_451995.png" --- # Political organizations are formed to keep the powerful in… ![“Political organizations are formed to keep the powerful in power. Their first rule is “don’t rock the boat.” If someone makes trouble and you can get him, do it. If you can’t get him, bring him in. Give him some of the action, let him have a taste of power. Power is all anyone wants, and if he has…” quote by Shirley Chisholm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8a/shirley-chisholm-5073_political_political-organizations-are-formed-to-ke_451995.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8a/shirley-chisholm-5073_political_political-organizations-are-formed-to-ke_451995.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8a/shirley-chisholm-5073_political_political-organizations-are-formed-to-ke_451995.png) > ““Political organizations are formed to keep the powerful in power. Their first rule is “don’t rock the boat.” If someone makes trouble and you can get him, do it. If you can’t get him, bring him in. Give him some of the action, let him have a taste of power. Power is all anyone wants, and if he has a promise of it as a reward for being good, he’ll be good. Anyone who does not play by those rules is incomprehensible to most politicians.”” [Shirley Chisholm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-chisholm/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Power structures preserve elite dominance; dissent is suppressed through co-optation or elimination. **In simple terms:** Power keeps the powerful in power and dissent is controlled. Key Takeaway Recognize and resist manipulative power tactics. Themes politics power control conformity Mood critical defiant Type analytical political When to use this quote - activism - journalism - community organizing - policy advocacy Key Concepts elite theory social control co‑optation Questions to Reflect On - How do you see power dynamics in your community? - What strategies can protect dissenting voices? A Different Perspective Power can be challenged through collective action and transparency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [An intention is a quality of consciousness that you bring to an action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-zukav/an-intention-is-a-quality-of-consciousness-that-you-bring-to-an-action/) [Gary Zukav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-zukav/) > [“Democracy is the rule of the best con artist. Let those who have true power rule over those who do not." -Dibian”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-l-cote/democracy-is-the-rule-of-the-best-con-artist-let-those-who-have-true/) Edward L. Cote > [Political organizations are formed to keep the powerful in power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-chisholm/political-organizations-are-formed-to-keep-the-powerful-in-power-2/) [Shirley Chisholm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-chisholm/) > [Anyone who seeks power wants absolute power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-shea/anyone-who-seeks-power-wants-absolute-power/) [Robert Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-shea/) > [He that has once concluded it lawful to resist power, when it wants merit, will soon find a want of merit, to justify his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/he-that-has-once-concluded-it-lawful-to-resist-power-when-it-wants/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [It ain't the technique, it ain't the speed, it ain't the power. It's who wants it the most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-penn/it-ain-t-the-technique-it-ain-t-the-speed-it-ain-t-the-power-it-s-who/) [B. J. Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-penn/) > [You can be despirate for power but remember only God almighty gives power to whom he wants and at his own time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meshach-tula/you-can-be-despirate-for-power-but-remember-only-god-almighty-gives/) [Meshach Tula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meshach-tula/) > [Success is the development of the power with which to get whatever one wants in life without interfering with the rights of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/success-is-the-development-of-the-power-with-which-to-get-whatever/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I think that military, corporate, and non-political organizations are pretty much similar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/i-think-that-military-corporate-and-non-political-organizations-are/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [People will find some ways of identifying themselves, becoming associated with others, taking part in something. They're going to do it some way or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/people-will-find-some-ways-of-identifying-themselves-becoming/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There are three major political organizations in this country: the Republican Party, the Democratic Party and the Koch Brothers Party. With billions to spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/there-are-three-major-political-organizations-in-this-country-the/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [I am possibly thinking about doing an Internet show in the future that will highlight political organizations that I seek out to let people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/i-am-possibly-thinking-about-doing-an-internet-show-in-the-future/) [Kathleen Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hanna/) > [All political organizations tend to function like a machine, to eliminate the unpredictable factor of affect - emotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/all-political-organizations-tend-to-function-like-a-machine-to/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [Political organizations have slowly substituted themselves for the Churches as the places for believing practices. Politics has once again become religious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-certeau/political-organizations-have-slowly-substituted-themselves-for-the-2/) [Michel De Certeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-certeau/) > [No officer should be required or permitted to take part in the management of political organizations, caucuses, conventions, or election campaigns. Their right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/no-officer-should-be-required-or-permitted-to-take-part-in-the/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) ## More by Shirley Chisholm > [It is obvious that discrimination exists. Women do not have the opportunities that men do. And women that do not conform to the system,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-chisholm/it-is-obvious-that-discrimination-exists-women-do-not-have-the/) [Shirley Chisholm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-chisholm/) > [Legal discrimination between the sexes is, in almost every instance, founded on outmoded views of society and the pre-scientific beliefs about psychology and physiology.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-chisholm/legal-discrimination-between-the-sexes-is-in-almost-every-instance/) [Shirley Chisholm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-chisholm/) > [Tremendous amounts of talent are lost to our society just because that talent wears a skirt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-chisholm/tremendous-amounts-of-talent-are-lost-to-our-society-just-because/) [Shirley Chisholm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-chisholm/) > [It is not heroin or cocaine that makes one an addict, it is the need to escape from a harsh reality. There are more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-chisholm/it-is-not-heroin-or-cocaine-that-makes-one-an-addict-it-is-the-need/) [Shirley Chisholm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-chisholm/) > [I love America not for what she is, but for what she can become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-chisholm/i-love-america-not-for-what-she-is-but-for-what-she-can-become/) [Shirley Chisholm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-chisholm/) > [I am and always will be a catalyst for change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-chisholm/i-am-and-always-will-be-a-catalyst-for-change/) [Shirley Chisholm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-chisholm/) > [The liberals in the House strongly resemble liberals I have known through the last two decades in the civil rights conflict. When it comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-chisholm/the-liberals-in-the-house-strongly-resemble-liberals-i-have-known/) [Shirley Chisholm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-chisholm/) > [I am not antiwhite, because I understand that white people, like black ones, are victims of a racist society. They are products of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-chisholm/i-am-not-antiwhite-because-i-understand-that-white-people-like-black/) [Shirley Chisholm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-chisholm/) > [The emotional, sexual, and psychological stereotyping of females begins when the doctor says: It's a girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-chisholm/the-emotional-sexual-and-psychological-stereotyping-of-females-begins/) [Shirley Chisholm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-chisholm/) > [I had met far more discrimination because I am a woman than because I am black.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-chisholm/i-had-met-far-more-discrimination-because-i-am-a-woman-than-because-i/) [Shirley Chisholm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-chisholm/) > [Some fine men are in Congress, too few, trying to do a responsible job. But they are surrounded and almost neutralized by a greater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-chisholm/some-fine-men-are-in-congress-too-few-trying-to-do-a-responsible-job/) [Shirley Chisholm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-chisholm/) > [“Following along the path of her role models, Shirley knew that if she waited for permission, she’d never receive her turn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-chisholm/following-along-the-path-of-her-role-models-shirley-knew-that-if-she/) [Shirley Chisholm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-chisholm/) > [I ran because somebody had to do it first. 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What I am interested in is what they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-chisholm/i-have-never-cared-too-much-what-people-say-what-i-am-interested-in/) [Shirley Chisholm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-chisholm/) [Explore all 103 Shirley Chisholm quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-chisholm/) ## More Political quotes > [Crony capitalism is essentially a condition in which... public officials are giving favours to people in the private sector in payment of political favours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/crony-capitalism-is-essentially-a-condition-in-which-public-officials/) [Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. 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However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [The language we share is at the core of our identity as citizens, and our ticket to full participation in American political life. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-i-hayakawa/the-language-we-share-is-at-the-core-of-our-identity-as-citizens-and/) [S. I. Hayakawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-i-hayakawa/) [Browse all 14,261 Political quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Political organizations are formed to keep the powerful in power. Their first rule is “don’t rock the boat.” If someone makes trouble and you can get him, do it. If you can’t get him, bring him in. Give him some of the action, let him have a taste of power. 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