--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Political corruption is eating our…" description: "\"Political corruption is eating our democracy out from the inside. Most Americans know that. But democratic and economic health can't be easily disentan..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/317/zephyr-teachout-3069_corruption_political-corruption-is-eating-our-democ_803391.jpg" --- # Political corruption is eating our democracy out from the… ![“Political corruption is eating our democracy out from the inside. Most Americans know that. But democratic and economic health can't be easily disentangled.” quote by Zephyr Teachout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/317/zephyr-teachout-3069_corruption_political-corruption-is-eating-our-democ_803391.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/317/zephyr-teachout-3069_corruption_political-corruption-is-eating-our-democ_803391.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/317/zephyr-teachout-3069_corruption_political-corruption-is-eating-our-democ_803391.jpg) > “Political corruption is eating our democracy out from the inside. Most Americans know that. But democratic and economic health can't be easily disentangled.” [Zephyr Teachout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zephyr-teachout/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Corruption erodes democracy from within, and economic and democratic health are intertwined, making it hard to separate the two. **In simple terms:** Corruption harms democracy and economy together. Key Takeaway Address corruption to protect both democracy and economy. Themes politics ethics economics Mood concerned determined Type motivational critical When to use this quote - campaign finance reform - anti‑corruption legislation - civic education - media watchdogs - academic research Key Concepts systemic decay public trust policy failure Questions to Reflect On - What steps can reduce corruption in your community? - How does economic health affect democratic stability? A Different Perspective Complex reforms may face powerful vested interests. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Corruption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corruption/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democracy Inside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-inside-6146431/) [Democratic Economic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democratic-economic-1128831/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Know Democratic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-democratic-3477001/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political corruption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-corruption/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [Hispanics' support for the Democratic economic agenda, both in California and nationally, stems in part from their receipt of government assistance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mac-donald/hispanics-support-for-the-democratic-economic-agenda-both-in/) [Heather Mac Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mac-donald/) > [“True understanding involves sincere honesty and holistic, deep listening without the political corruption of evil power players. ~ Angelica Hopes, an excerpt from my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelica-hopes/true-understanding-involves-sincere-honesty-and-holistic-deep/) [Angelica Hopes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelica-hopes/) > [Political corruption is endemic all over this country, in some places worse than others, right? On crime, you have all the major American cities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-landrieu/political-corruption-is-endemic-all-over-this-country-in-some-places/) [Mitch Landrieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-landrieu/) > [We have to have a shared prosperity. We have to make that our job number one. People want a better economic playing field for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/we-have-to-have-a-shared-prosperity-we-have-to-make-that-our-job/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [The real question is not what one person's going to do, what are we all going to do? How are we all going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/the-real-question-is-not-what-one-person-s-going-to-do-what-are-we/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [You know, Democratic and Republican administrations alike have supported individuals and regimes that have slaughtered millions across the globe. And they need to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-mcgruder/you-know-democratic-and-republican-administrations-alike-have/) [Aaron McGruder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-mcgruder/) > [What we want the folks in Ethiopia to know is that we are behind them in the democratic process. We know it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kingston/what-we-want-the-folks-in-ethiopia-to-know-is-that-we-are-behind-them/) [Jack Kingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kingston/) > [ \[Hillart Clinton\] holds the illusion that we can make fossil fuel safe, and that they are safe, and she established an office for fracking.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/hillart-clinton-holds-the-illusion-that-we-can-make-fossil-fuel-safe/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [Brazil has a lot of issues that are similar to a lot of countries in Latin America, but the dominant issue Brazil is dealing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morena-baccarin/brazil-has-a-lot-of-issues-that-are-similar-to-a-lot-of-countries-in/) [Morena Baccarin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morena-baccarin/) > [It's interesting that these themes of crime and political corruption are always relevant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/it-s-interesting-that-these-themes-of-crime-and-political-corruption/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [Political corruption is to Rhode Islanders as smog is to people who live in Los Angeles: nobody complains of its absence, but when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gourevitch/political-corruption-is-to-rhode-islanders-as-smog-is-to-people-who/) [Philip Gourevitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gourevitch/) > [The American people deserve integrity in our institutions, not political corruption.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-paulina-luna/the-american-people-deserve-integrity-in-our-institutions-not/) [Anna Paulina Luna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-paulina-luna/) > [“Then there was Buddha meddling in, telling all of the Hindu, Hebrew, Christian and Islamic gods and demons that they were nothing more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-james-pritchard/then-there-was-buddha-meddling-in-telling-all-of-the-hindu-hebrew/) [Andrew James Pritchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-james-pritchard/) > [“What did “good government” really mean? Langlie and his brotherhood promised an end to political corruption. (There’s no evidence that Langlie ever even took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sharlet/what-did-good-government-really-mean-langlie-and-his-brotherhood/) [Jeff Sharlet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sharlet/) > [“A less well known impact of immigrant populations is the increase that destination states gain in Congress where apportionment of seats in the House…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-s-greenberg/a-less-well-known-impact-of-immigrant-populations-is-the-increase/) [Edward S. Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-s-greenberg/) ## More by Zephyr Teachout > [I don't think we should reduce the corporate tax rate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zephyr-teachout/i-don-t-think-we-should-reduce-the-corporate-tax-rate/) [Zephyr Teachout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zephyr-teachout/) > [Amazon's outsized power is looking less and less like smart business and more and more like oppressive politics - one company bullying us all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zephyr-teachout/amazon-s-outsized-power-is-looking-less-and-less-like-smart-business/) [Zephyr Teachout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zephyr-teachout/) > [I think part of the reason the Tea Party has resonated is that people feel disempowered. The Tea Party says, "You are out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zephyr-teachout/i-think-part-of-the-reason-the-tea-party-has-resonated-is-that-people/) [Zephyr Teachout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zephyr-teachout/) > [Anti-corruption is a core constitutional value. It always has been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zephyr-teachout/anti-corruption-is-a-core-constitutional-value-it-always-has-been/) [Zephyr Teachout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zephyr-teachout/) > [Integrity is hard work. I do think the internet makes it harder because of the temptations of performance. You can perform and have integrity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zephyr-teachout/integrity-is-hard-work-i-do-think-the-internet-makes-it-harder/) [Zephyr Teachout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zephyr-teachout/) > [I think a lot of the reason people are attracted to the Keystone pipeline is because at least we're doing something. There's a fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zephyr-teachout/i-think-a-lot-of-the-reason-people-are-attracted-to-the-keystone/) [Zephyr Teachout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zephyr-teachout/) > [If you think art is a competitive forum, then you're going to stop doing it if you're not good. But if it's not competitive,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zephyr-teachout/if-you-think-art-is-a-competitive-forum-then-you-re-going-to-stop/) [Zephyr Teachout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zephyr-teachout/) > [ A combination of working in politics as well as teaching and being \[an actor\] certainly helped. I became so much more comfortable in front… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zephyr-teachout/a-combination-of-working-in-politics-as-well-as-teaching-and-being-an/) [Zephyr Teachout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zephyr-teachout/) > [If those people in power never made any mistakes, we'd be done for as a democracy. But people keep making mistakes. History is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zephyr-teachout/if-those-people-in-power-never-made-any-mistakes-we-d-be-done-for-as/) [Zephyr Teachout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zephyr-teachout/) > [Normally, politicians lie because they want to persuade us of the truth of what they are saying. A candidate for Congress will claim that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zephyr-teachout/normally-politicians-lie-because-they-want-to-persuade-us-of-the/) [Zephyr Teachout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zephyr-teachout/) > [The Internet is an important organizing tool. But the goal of a campaign isn't to use the Internet for organizing; the goal is always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zephyr-teachout/the-internet-is-an-important-organizing-tool-but-the-goal-of-a/) [Zephyr Teachout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zephyr-teachout/) > [At a policy level, we can support protecting and serving as opposed to militarization or disproportionate response. Step one is making sure we don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zephyr-teachout/at-a-policy-level-we-can-support-protecting-and-serving-as-opposed-to/) [Zephyr Teachout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zephyr-teachout/) > [So the job of building structures, building a constitutional structure, is not just to punish those who behave badly but actually to protect people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zephyr-teachout/so-the-job-of-building-structures-building-a-constitutional-structure/) [Zephyr Teachout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zephyr-teachout/) > [To be fair, money and politics never work in a directly straight line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zephyr-teachout/to-be-fair-money-and-politics-never-work-in-a-directly-straight-line/) [Zephyr Teachout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zephyr-teachout/) > [I joke about it being a millstone, but it never hurts to have a name that sticks out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zephyr-teachout/i-joke-about-it-being-a-millstone-but-it-never-hurts-to-have-a-name/) [Zephyr Teachout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zephyr-teachout/) [Explore all 140 Zephyr Teachout quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zephyr-teachout/) ## More Corruption quotes > [We could form a government of national unity fighting corruption. The ordinary Afghan is sick and tired of it, because it's she or he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashraf-ghani/we-could-form-a-government-of-national-unity-fighting-corruption-the/) [Ashraf Ghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashraf-ghani/) > [Right now we're concerned about budget. Right now we're concerned about the prospect of interest rate rise. We're concerned about government corruption, government handing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amity-shlaes/right-now-we-re-concerned-about-budget-right-now-we-re-concerned/) [Amity Shlaes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amity-shlaes/) > [In the lead up to the Iraq war and its later conduct, I saw at a minimum, true dereliction, negligence and irresponsibility, at worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-zinni/in-the-lead-up-to-the-iraq-war-and-its-later-conduct-i-saw-at-a/) [Anthony Zinni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-zinni/) > [“Don't let cycles of violent crimes, uncontrollable, rising cases of bloody impunity, evil puppets in a crippled judiciary, marionettes in a corrupted legislative system…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelica-hopes/don-t-let-cycles-of-violent-crimes-uncontrollable-rising-cases-of/) [Angelica Hopes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelica-hopes/) > [What greater weakness can there be than not to know what is the source of one's being, of one's life, of one's senses, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/what-greater-weakness-can-there-be-than-not-to-know-what-is-the/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [My aim was to make money for the bank. You lose track of the amounts involved when you are engaged in this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-kerviel/my-aim-was-to-make-money-for-the-bank-you-lose-track-of-the-amounts/) [Jerome Kerviel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-kerviel/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [As you fight corruption, it fights back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yemi-osinbajo/as-you-fight-corruption-it-fights-back/) [Yemi Osinbajo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yemi-osinbajo/) > [Selfishness is one of the principal fruits of the corruption of human nature; and it is obvious that selfishness disposes us to over-rate our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wilberforce/selfishness-is-one-of-the-principal-fruits-of-the-corruption-of-human/) [William Wilberforce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wilberforce/) > [ Corruption could lead to the collapse of the Party \[Communist Party of China\] and the downfall of the state \[People's Republic of China\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xi-jinping/corruption-could-lead-to-the-collapse-of-the-party-communist-party-of/) [Xi Jinping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xi-jinping/) > [“Oh where is the noble face of modesty, or the strength of virtue, now that blasphemy is in power and men have put justice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/oh-where-is-the-noble-face-of-modesty-or-the-strength-of-virtue-now/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The victory of Hamas is not only based on the corruption of the Palestinian Authority. Hamas has a vision and a program, and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ismail-haniyeh/the-victory-of-hamas-is-not-only-based-on-the-corruption-of-the/) [Ismail Haniyeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ismail-haniyeh/) > [It looked incredibly credible!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-horlick/it-looked-incredibly-credible/) [Nicola Horlick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-horlick/) > [All power corrupts but some must govern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/all-power-corrupts-but-some-must-govern/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) [Browse all 2,253 Corruption quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corruption/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Political corruption is eating our democracy out from the inside. Most Americans know that. But democratic and economic health can't be easily disentangled.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Zephyr Teachout" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zephyr-teachout/political-corruption-is-eating-our-democracy-out-from-the-inside-most/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Corruption" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zephyr-teachout/political-corruption-is-eating-our-democracy-out-from-the-inside-most/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/317/zephyr-teachout-3069_corruption_political-corruption-is-eating-our-democ_803391.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/317/zephyr-teachout-3069_corruption_political-corruption-is-eating-our-democ_803391.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/317/zephyr-teachout-3069_corruption_political-corruption-is-eating-our-democ_803391.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Political corruption is eating our democracy out from the inside. Most Americans know that. But democratic…” — Zephyr Teachout", "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": "Zephyr Teachout", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zephyr-teachout/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Political corruption is eating our democracy...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zephyr-teachout/political-corruption-is-eating-our-democracy-out-from-the-inside-most/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zephyr-teachout/political-corruption-is-eating-our-democracy-out-from-the-inside-most/#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 } } ] } ```