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The great crimes of the twentieth century were committed…

“The great crimes of the twentieth century were committed not by money-grubbing capitalists but by dedicated idealists. Lenin, Stalin, and Hitler were contemptuous of money. The passage from the nineteenth to the twentieth century has been a passage from considerations of money to considerations of…” quote by Eric Hoffer
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“The great crimes of the twentieth century were committed not by money-grubbing capitalists but by dedicated idealists. Lenin, Stalin, and Hitler were contemptuous of money. The passage from the nineteenth to the twentieth century has been a passage from considerations of money to considerations of power.”

Eric Hoffer

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Idealists, not profit-driven capitalists, drove major 20th‑century atrocities, shifting focus from money to power.

In simple terms: Power, not money, motivated major historical crimes.

Key Takeaway

Beware the allure of power over profit.

Themes

politics ideology history ethics

Mood

cautionary thought‑provoking

Type

historical philosophical

When to use this quote

  • Political movements
  • revolutionary leadership
  • social upheaval
  • policy making

Key Concepts

Power dynamics idealism moral corruption

Questions to Reflect On

  • What motivates individuals to pursue power?
  • Can idealism be reconciled with ethical action?
A Different Perspective

Idealism can blind to ethical costs.

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