---
title: "States are violent institutions. The government of any country, inclu… — Noam Chomsky Quote #130 | QuotesBy.net"
description: "States are violent institutions. The government of any country, including ours, represents some sort of domestic power structure, and it's usually vi… — a quote by Noam Chomsky."
image: "https://quotesby.net/wp-content/themes/quotesby-editorial/assets/og-default.png"
---

> # States are violent institutions. The government of any country, including ours, represents some sort of domestic power structure, and it's usually violent. States are violent to the extent that they're powerful, that's roughly accurate.

[Noam Chomsky](https://quotesby.net/Noam-Chomsky)\#130

[Politics](https://quotesby.net/Noam-Chomsky/politics/)[Power](https://quotesby.net/Noam-Chomsky/power/)[Violence](https://quotesby.net/Noam-Chomsky/violence/)[State power](https://quotesby.net/Noam-Chomsky/state-power/)

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## About this quote

What does it mean?The quote argues that state power inherently relies on violence, and the degree of violence correlates with the degree of power.In plain termsGovernments use force to maintain control, and the more powerful they are, the more violent they tend to be.What can you take from it?Recognize that state authority often rests on coercive power rather than pure consent.

### Where it applies

- political analysis
- government critique
- civics education

### Putting it to work

- analyze state actions
- question authority
- study political theory

### Questions to consider

- How do you define state violence?
- Is violence necessary for order?

### Another view

Not all state actions are violent, and some states prioritize diplomacy over force.

## More from Noam Chomsky

1. > ...roughly speaking, states are violent to the extent that they have the power to act in the interests of those with domestic power...

[Permalink to quote \#129](https://quotesby.net/Noam-Chomsky/129/ "Permalink to quote 129")
2. > Independent nationalism is unacceptable to the West, no matter where it is, and it has to be driven back into subordination. In the case of Grenada, you can do…

[Permalink to quote \#131](https://quotesby.net/Noam-Chomsky/131/ "Permalink to quote 131")
3. > My feeling then, and now, is that IF there is to be an army, then the burden of service should be shared, not assigned to the disadvantaged by one or another m…

[Permalink to quote \#128](https://quotesby.net/Noam-Chomsky/128/ "Permalink to quote 128")

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