No, plenty for all is not a dream – though it was a dream…
““No, plenty for all is not a dream – though it was a dream indeed in those days when man, for all his pains, could hardly win a few bushels of wheat from an acre of land, and had to fashion by hand all the implements he used in agriculture and industry. Now it is no longer a dream, because man has invented a motor which, with a little iron and a few sacks of coal, gives him the mastery of a creature strong and docile as a horse, and capable of setting the most complicated machinery in motion. But, if plenty for all is to become a reality, this immense capital – cities, houses, pastures, arable lands, factories, highways, education – must cease to be regarded as private property, for the monopolist to dispose of at his pleasure. This rich endowment, painfully won, builded, fashioned, or invented by our ancestors, must become common property, so that the collective interests of men may gain from it the greatest good for all.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The passage argues that true abundance requires collective ownership of resources, turning private wealth into common good.
In simple terms: Common ownership yields universal prosperity.
Key Takeaway
Promote shared ownership of resources.
Themes
economics
socialism
property
collectivism
Mood
hopeful
determined
inspirational
Type
political
economic
visionary
When to use this quote
- urban planning
- agricultural reform
- industrial policy
- education systems
- community projects
Key Concepts
commonwealth
resource allocation
social equity
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies shift from private to communal ownership peacefully?
- What mechanisms ensure fair distribution in a common‑property system?
A Different Perspective
Transition may face resistance from entrenched interests.