The meaning I derive from that statement is that terms like &quot;government&quot; and &quot;the state&quot; refer to things that do not exist in the collection of mass, energy, and quantum whatevers that we call &quot;the universe&quot;... they are simply concepts in the minds of people, and are not capable of interacting with &quot;the universe&quot; except through the people in whose minds they exist.<p>Thus it is never &quot;the government&quot; oppressing people... it is people oppressing people.  Similarly it is never &quot;the government&quot; helping people... it is only people helping people.<p>The moral and&#x2F;or ethical implications of this concept are significant, as it &quot;pierces the veil&quot; of the idea that the actors are somehow absolved from their actions because they are in the name of &quot;the government&quot;.