--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Americans keep telling me they hate…" description: "\"Americans keep telling me they hate government. I always tell them: \"Man, I've got a country for you: Go to Afghanistan; they don't have one.\" So if yo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd9/uwe-reinhardt-29878_afghanistan_americans-keep-telling-me-they-hate-gove_1958302.jpg" --- # Americans keep telling me they hate government. I always… ![“Americans keep telling me they hate government. I always tell them: "Man, I've got a country for you: Go to Afghanistan; they don't have one." So if you're of that ilk, yes, you can have your private paradise, but if you're comfortable with government, then go with government.” quote by Uwe Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd9/uwe-reinhardt-29878_afghanistan_americans-keep-telling-me-they-hate-gove_1958302.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd9/uwe-reinhardt-29878_afghanistan_americans-keep-telling-me-they-hate-gove_1958302.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd9/uwe-reinhardt-29878_afghanistan_americans-keep-telling-me-they-hate-gove_1958302.jpg) > “Americans keep telling me they hate government. I always tell them: "Man, I've got a country for you: Go to Afghanistan; they don't have one." So if you're of that ilk, yes, you can have your private paradise, but if you're comfortable with government, then go with government.” [Uwe Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uwe-reinhardt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Government is essential for collective needs; those rejecting it must accept its benefits or lack thereof. **In simple terms:** You can’t escape government if you need its services. Key Takeaway Recognize interdependence with state structures. Themes government freedom dependence Mood critical ironic Type political satire When to use this quote - taxation - public services - immigration - national security Key Concepts political philosophy public policy Questions to Reflect On - Do you value personal autonomy over collective security? - When is government overreach justified? A Different Perspective Some may view government as oppressive, limiting personal liberty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afghanistan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afghanistan/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Patriotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotism/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [Canada has sent an army of 1,000 soldiers to occupy the Muslim country of Afghanistan (and ships to the Persian Gulf),](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-galloway/canada-has-sent-an-army-of-1-000-soldiers-to-occupy-the-muslim/) [George Galloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-galloway/) > [Afghanistan is a country in need. Afghanistan needs to protect itself in the region; Afghanistan needs to secure itself within the country. Afghanistan needs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamid-karzai/afghanistan-is-a-country-in-need-afghanistan-needs-to-protect-itself/) [Hamid Karzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamid-karzai/) > [ The country \[Afghanistan\] faces enormous problems. There is a violent insurgency hampering the rule of law and developmental efforts. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/the-country-afghanistan-faces-enormous-problems-there-is-a-violent/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [Afghanistan has safe zones... so it's possible to send grown-ups back to that country. We can't empty Afghanistan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erna-solberg/afghanistan-has-safe-zones-so-it-s-possible-to-send-grown-ups-back-to/) [Erna Solberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erna-solberg/) > [I can give you 1040 good reasons why I hate the government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-can-give-you-1040-good-reasons-why-i-hate-the-government/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I hate government. I'm apolitical. Write that down. I'm not a Republican.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-willis/i-hate-government-i-m-apolitical-write-that-down-i-m-not-a-republican/) [Bruce Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-willis/) > [I don't hate the government. I don't think the Second Amendment is being infringed upon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-don-t-hate-the-government-i-don-t-think-the-second-amendment-is/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [We take men for what they are worth - and that is why we hate the government of man by man, and that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kropotkin/we-take-men-for-what-they-are-worth-and-that-is-why-we-hate-the/) [Peter Kropotkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kropotkin/) > [I hate rules. I hate government intervention. Just live and let live, man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-ford/i-hate-rules-i-hate-government-intervention-just-live-and-let-live-man/) [Rob Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-ford/) > [I hate government. I hate power. I think that man's existence, insofar as he achieves anything, is to resist power, to minimize power, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-muggeridge/i-hate-government-i-hate-power-i-think-that-man-s-existence-insofar/) [Malcolm Muggeridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-muggeridge/) > [Tea Partiers hate government more than they hate the national debt. They refuse to reduce that debt with tax increases, even with tax increases…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reich/tea-partiers-hate-government-more-than-they-hate-the-national-debt/) [Robert Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reich/) > [I hate big government, but I really hate a government that doesn't work. So when 'they say we either have to raise taxes or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-walker/i-hate-big-government-but-i-really-hate-a-government-that-doesn-t/) [Scott Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-walker/) > [The contradiction is somehow unresolved. In the case of the business propaganda, it's particularly ironic because while business wants the population to hate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-contradiction-is-somehow-unresolved-in-the-case-of-the-business/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The benefits and $174,000 per year salary that we get, we earn. It's not elaborate, it's just a bunch of poppycock that a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-johnson/the-benefits-and-174-000-per-year-salary-that-we-get-we-earn-it-s-not/) [Hank Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-johnson/) > [You have to love that government, but hate the government that might work in your interest and that you could control. That's an interesting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/you-have-to-love-that-government-but-hate-the-government-that-might/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## More by Uwe Reinhardt > [We Americans, or half of Americans, think health care is a commodity. Other countries view health care as a social service that should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uwe-reinhardt/we-americans-or-half-of-americans-think-health-care-is-a-commodity/) [Uwe Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uwe-reinhardt/) > [The American people are not ready for the idea that everyone has at least a moral right to good, timely health care. They do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uwe-reinhardt/the-american-people-are-not-ready-for-the-idea-that-everyone-has-at/) [Uwe Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uwe-reinhardt/) > [Massachusetts is the first state in America to reach full adulthood. The rest of America is still in adolescence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uwe-reinhardt/massachusetts-is-the-first-state-in-america-to-reach-full-adulthood/) [Uwe Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uwe-reinhardt/) > [Everybody should have health care, on the one hand. But on the other hand, if you ask Americans, "Are you willing to pay for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uwe-reinhardt/everybody-should-have-health-care-on-the-one-hand-but-on-the-other/) [Uwe Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uwe-reinhardt/) > [Americans believe that the private sector is always more efficient and cheaper than big government, and particularly when you go among Republicans, even after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uwe-reinhardt/americans-believe-that-the-private-sector-is-always-more-efficient/) [Uwe Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uwe-reinhardt/) > [The bad things the U.S. health care system are that our financing of health care is really a moral morass in the sense that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uwe-reinhardt/the-bad-things-the-u-s-health-care-system-are-that-our-financing-of/) [Uwe Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uwe-reinhardt/) > [If you want to look at a purely socialized health care, you would have to go to the United States, where we have it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uwe-reinhardt/if-you-want-to-look-at-a-purely-socialized-health-care-you-would-have/) [Uwe Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uwe-reinhardt/) > [We economists, in our classes, teach students that to some degree, price discrimination is actually a good thing; that it allows you to serve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uwe-reinhardt/we-economists-in-our-classes-teach-students-that-to-some-degree-price/) [Uwe Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uwe-reinhardt/) > [There are libertarian values which say private property is the overarching value, the sanctity thereof, and there are egalitarians who say health care should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uwe-reinhardt/there-are-libertarian-values-which-say-private-property-is-the/) [Uwe Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uwe-reinhardt/) > [We have a nation where the elite thinks it's OK to advocate a war and send the lower-income people to do the fighting. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uwe-reinhardt/we-have-a-nation-where-the-elite-thinks-it-s-ok-to-advocate-a-war-and/) [Uwe Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uwe-reinhardt/) > [ The \[Hobby Lobby Supreme Court\] ruling raises the question of why, uniquely in the industrialized world, Americans have for so long favored an arrangement… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uwe-reinhardt/the-hobby-lobby-supreme-court-ruling-raises-the-question-of-why/) [Uwe Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uwe-reinhardt/) > [The rich are becoming richer, and the gap between the rich and the poor is getting bigger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uwe-reinhardt/the-rich-are-becoming-richer-and-the-gap-between-the-rich-and-the/) [Uwe Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uwe-reinhardt/) > [The issue of universal coverage is not a matter of economics. Little more than 1 percent of GDP assigned to health could cover all.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uwe-reinhardt/the-issue-of-universal-coverage-is-not-a-matter-of-economics-little/) [Uwe Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uwe-reinhardt/) > [We are the only nation where paper is still the mainstay in the private insurance industry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uwe-reinhardt/we-are-the-only-nation-where-paper-is-still-the-mainstay-in-the/) [Uwe Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uwe-reinhardt/) > [The good things at the U.S. health care system are that we have a well-trained labor force, particularly physicians; I don't think any nation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uwe-reinhardt/the-good-things-at-the-u-s-health-care-system-are-that-we-have-a-well/) [Uwe Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uwe-reinhardt/) [Explore all 18 Uwe Reinhardt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uwe-reinhardt/) ## More Afghanistan quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [From the bitter cold winter at Valley Forge, to the mountains of Afghanistan and the deserts of Iraq, our soldiers have courageously answered when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon-ortiz/from-the-bitter-cold-winter-at-valley-forge-to-the-mountains-of/) [Solomon Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon-ortiz/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [They're criminals, they brutalized Afghanistan, they killed our people, they destroyed our land.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamid-karzai/they-re-criminals-they-brutalized-afghanistan-they-killed-our-people/) [Hamid Karzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamid-karzai/) > [In 2001, we were told that the war in Afghanistan was a feminist mission. The marines were liberating Afghan women from the Taliban. Can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/in-2001-we-were-told-that-the-war-in-afghanistan-was-a-feminist/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [The terrorist attacks of September 11th and the courageous actions of our armed forces in Afghanistan and Iraq remind us that friends of tyranny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-levin/the-terrorist-attacks-of-september-11th-and-the-courageous-actions-of/) [Carl Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-levin/) > [According to a recent Harvard study, $6 trillion, when you include the ongoing healthcare expenses for our wounded soldiers, which is the least they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/according-to-a-recent-harvard-study-6-trillion-when-you-include-the/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [You don't bargain with terrorists. You don't appease terrorists. And anybody who believes that this is about something we've done has to ask themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chertoff/you-don-t-bargain-with-terrorists-you-don-t-appease-terrorists-and/) [Michael Chertoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chertoff/) > [“I stood with my mom in the cemetery. She felt terrible pain. My grandmother is with God. My mom has to continue living. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-elliot/i-stood-with-my-mom-in-the-cemetery-she-felt-terrible-pain-my/) [Tucker Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-elliot/) > [The most successful cultural diplomacy strategy integrates people-to-people or arts/culture/media-to-people interactions into the basic business of diplomacy. The programs in Afghanistan, Egypt, and Iran…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-p-schneider/the-most-successful-cultural-diplomacy-strategy-integrates-people-to/) [Cynthia P. Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-p-schneider/) > [Because Iran understands Afghanistan far better than Americans do, making Iran a partner in a long-term effort to transform Afghan agriculture makes sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/because-iran-understands-afghanistan-far-better-than-americans-do/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [Thousands of Americans have given their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq upholding their oaths and defending this nation. Chelsea Manning broke her oath and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/thousands-of-americans-have-given-their-lives-in-afghanistan-and-iraq/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [I have been to Afghanistan many times, even before the Taliban collapsed. I was fascinated by the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kabir-khan/i-have-been-to-afghanistan-many-times-even-before-the-taliban/) [Kabir Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kabir-khan/) > [There has been sort of, if you will, a moral interventionism on the part of the United States trying to reshape countries in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/there-has-been-sort-of-if-you-will-a-moral-interventionism-on-the/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [The legal system in Afghanistan is very immature and porous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-graham/the-legal-system-in-afghanistan-is-very-immature-and-porous/) [Lindsey Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-graham/) [Browse all 1,159 Afghanistan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afghanistan/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Americans keep telling me they hate government. 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