Russell Means Quotes

… the unjust institutions which work so much misery and suffering to the masses have their root in governments, and owe their whole existence to the power derived from government.

There is all of this protesting against corporate power, but in reality, corporations have to persuade you - they could have a ton of money, but actually only government can use force.

'Indian policy' has now been brought down upon the American people, and the American people are the new Indians of the 21st Century.

People live with the illusion that we have a democratic system, but it's only the outward form of one. In reality we live in a plutocracy, a government of the rich.

Corporations gorged with profit ... menace the stability of society.

The American People got fucked. Then tell 'em the American Family got fucked.

Free markets were supposed to lead to free societies. Instead, today’s supercharged global economy is eroding the power of the people in democracies around the globe. Welcome to a world where the bottom line trumps the common good and government takes a back seat to big business.

It's really difficult for mainstream - let's say, cable outlets - to talk about things like income inequality, wealth inequality when the advertisers that are funding their shows are the same corporations that want to ensure that the same system continues.

While free markets tend to democratize a society, unfettered capitalism leads invariably to corporate control of government.

Lobbyists in Washington are making six figure salaries selling our government out to the corporate interests and we just sit and smile as if nothing is happening while the poor folks are getting poorer and their pharmaceutical bills rise.

As long as a man sees in our present society only a few inevitable abuses and recognizes no sin and evil deep-seated in the very constitution of the present order, he is still in a state of moral blindness… Christians should see through the fictions of capitalism.

All modern revolutions have ended in a reinforcement of the power of the State

Austerity is a disaster for everyone but the rich…. It’s crap, but it’s dangerous crap..

A surprising number of government committees will make important decisions on fundamental matters with less attention than each individual would give to buying a suit.

To one American family out of four, the idea of capitalism as a benign system of comfort, dignity, and personal advance is only a myth, or worse, a bitter mockery.

Thousands of interests that have known no Federal regulation and control will be welded to the Government hereafter, and can only grow and develop under the hands of Congress and the President.

The chaos of poverty feeds on itself.

Sadly, the system in this country is rigged in favor of wealthy elites who have purchased tremendous influence in our government.

People are starting to notice the great divide. The Tea party sees the aloofness in a political elite that thinks it knows best and orders the rest of America to fall in line. The Occupy movement sees it in an economic elite that lives in mansions and flies on private jets.

You can't wish away poverty overnight.

The trouble with blaming powerless people is that although it's not nearly as scary as blaming the powerful, it does miss the point. Poor people do not shut down factories... Poor people didn't decide to use 'contract employees' because they cost less and don't get any benefits.

People have been savaged by a predatory economic and political system, and some are turning to Trump. Unfortunately, Trump is just more of the same.

I do have a problem with developments that hyper-exploit politically vulnerable communities for profit. That it continues is a shame upon us all, because we are all responsible for the future that we create.

I could never understand why our lives felt like a struggle while those living off government largesse enjoyed trinkets that I only dreamed about.

My family is just like most other families - we rise and fall on good and bad government policy. Politics affects us all.