The bonds of dependence, far from loosening, have…
““The bonds of dependence, far from loosening, have tightened again. But alongside force there is no longer authority, alongside obedience, no longer recognition, alongside rank, no longer superiority. The master is no longer such because he is master, but because he is one who has more money, because he is one who, even though he does not see at all beyond the small horizon of ordinary human life, dominates the material conditions of life; by means of which it is even possible for him to subdue or to oppress those whose breadth of thought is immeasurably more powerful than his own: the possibility of the most despicable fraud and the most awful slavery. The power of and the tie of dependence, depersonalised and mechanised, have become capital and machine. Thus, it is no paradox: only today can we speak seriously of true slavery.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Economic power replaces traditional authority, turning dependence into a form of modern slavery through capital and machines.
In simple terms: Money and machines now dominate, creating new oppression.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and resist economic domination.
Themes
power
economics
slavery
modernity
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- workplace hierarchies
- financial systems
- technological control
- political policy
Key Concepts
capitalism
mechanization
authority
dependency
Questions to Reflect On
- How does capital shape personal autonomy?
- Can technology be used to empower rather than oppress?
A Different Perspective
Economic freedom can be limited by systemic structures.