Many historians, many sociologists and psychologists have…
““Many historians, many sociologists and psychologists have written at lenght, and with deep concern, about the price that Western man has had to pay and will go on paying for technological progress. They point out, for example, that democracy can be hardly expected to flourish in societies where political and economic power is being progressively concentrated and centralized.But the progress of technology has led and is still leading to just such a concentration and centralisation of power. As the machinery of mass production is made more efficient it tends to become more complex and more expensive - and so less available to the eterpriser of limited means. Moreover, mass production cannot work without mass distribution; but mass distribution raises problems which only the largest producers can satisfactorily solve. In a world of mass production and mass distribution the Little Man, with his inadequate stock of working capital, is at a grave disadvantage. In competition with Big Man, he loses his money and finally his very existence as an independent producer; the Big Man has grobbled him up. As the Little Men disappear, more and more economic power comes to be wielded by fewer and fewer people. Under a dictatorship the Big Business, made possible by advancing technology and the consequent ruin of Little Business, is controlled by the State - that is to say, by small group of party leaders and soldiers, policemen and civil servants who carry out their orders.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Technological advancement centralizes economic and political power, marginalizing small producers and threatening democratic vitality.
In simple terms: Tech concentrates power, hurting small businesses and democracy.
Guard small enterprises and diversify power sources.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- small business policy
- antitrust regulation
- community cooperatives
- digital platform governance
- public awareness campaigns
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies balance innovation with equitable power distribution?
- What safeguards protect the “Little Man” in a tech‑driven economy?
Technological benefits can be uneven, and regulation may lag behind innovation.