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Buying and selling securities on the Stock Exchange do not…

“Buying and selling securities on the Stock Exchange do not start new industries. Big business never starts anything new. It merely absorbs, consolidates and profits at the expense of others.” quote by Franklin D. Roosevelt
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“Buying and selling securities on the Stock Exchange do not start new industries. Big business never starts anything new. It merely absorbs, consolidates and profits at the expense of others.”

Franklin D. Roosevelt

About This Quote

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

The quote argues that stock‑market activity merely reshuffles existing assets, while large corporations dominate by absorbing and profiting from others rather than creating new sectors.

In simple terms: Big firms profit by consolidating, not innovating.

Key Takeaway

Focus on genuine innovation, not just market trading.

Themes

economics power innovation competition

Mood

critical skeptical

Type

cautionary analytical

When to use this quote

  • investment banking
  • corporate mergers
  • startup funding
  • industry analysis

Key Concepts

Monopoly capital accumulation creative destruction

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can new ventures break through entrenched corporate dominance?
  • What policies encourage genuine industry creation?
A Different Perspective

Large firms can still drive innovation through R&D investments.

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