I met many Russians over the years who were convinced my brothers and I were a cabal, pulling strings behind the scenes to shape American policy. The Soviets had no conception of how a pluralistic democracy works and believed elected officials, up to and including the president of the United States, were only figureheads acting out the roles dictated to them by the real "powers that be" - in this case, my family.
David Rockefeller - Russia - America - Democracy - Policy - Pluralism - Dictate - Power - Cabal

There have been people.. ever since I've had any kind of position in the world.. who have accused me of being ruler of the world. I have to say that I think for the large part, I would have to decide to describe them as crack pots. It makes no sense whatsoever, and isn't true, and won't be true, and to raise it as a serious issue seems to me to be irresponsible.
David Rockefeller - Power - World - Crazy - Lies - Conspiracy Theory - Irresponsible

I think that the best hope for peace and prosperity in the world is greater cooperation among nations, which in turn will be produced if both our governments and the people of our countries travel more and get to know each other better.
David Rockefeller - World - Prosperity - Hope - Peace - Government - Cooperation - Travel - Understanding

For more than a century, ideological extremists at either end of the political spectrum have seized upon well-publicized incidents such as my encounter with (Fidel) Castro to attack the Rockefeller family for the inordinate influence they claim we wield over American political and economic institutions. Some even believe we are part of a secret cabal working against the best interests of the United States, characterizing my family and me as 'internationalists' and of conspiring with others around the world to build a more integrated global political and economic structure.. one world, if you will. If that is the charge, I stand guilty, and I am proud of it.
David Rockefeller - America - Power - World - Conspiracy Theories - Cabal - Ideology - Influential - Politics - Economy - Secret - Globalization - Economy - Guilty - International

If the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) raises the hackles of the conspiracy theorists, the Bilderberg meetings must induce apocalyptic visions of omnipotent international bankers plotting with unscrupulous government officials to impose cunning schemes on an ignorant and unsuspecting world.
David Rockefeller - World - Conspiracy Theories - Government - CFR - Bilderberg Group - Bankers - Apocalypse - Ignorant - Cunning

Successful charitable fund-raising has much in common with managing a business: It requires leadership, persistence, and creativity.
David Rockefeller - Success - Charity - Leadership - Fund Raising - Philanthropy - Persistence - Creativity

I am convinced that material things can contribute a lot to making one's life pleasant, but, basically, if you do not have very good friends and relatives who matter to you, life will be really empty and sad and material things cease to be important.
David Rockefeller - Wealth - Money - Friends - Important - Family - Sad - Material - Pleasant - Life - Prosperity

Populists and isolationists ignore the tangible benefits that have resulted from our active international role during the past half-century.
David Rockefeller - America - Globalization - Populist - Isolationist - Ignorant - International

I have kept a record of most people I have met since the 1940s. Their names are stored in an electronically operated Rolodex that contains upward of one hundred thousand entries. Each card records my first contact and all subsequent meetings, and I can quickly review the nature of my past associations before seeing someone again.
David Rockefeller - Network - Rolodex - Meeting

Populists believe in conspiracies, and one of the most enduring is that a secret group of international bankers and capitalists, and their minions, control the world's economy. Because of my name and prominence as the head of the Chase for many years, I have earned the distinction of the "conspirator in chief" from these people.
David Rockefeller - Power - World - Conspiracy Theories - Economy - Banks - Populist - International - Secret - Capitalism - Control - CEO