The portentous development of our present economic system…
““The portentous development of our present economic system, leading to a mighty accumulation of social wealth in the hands of privileged minorities and to a continuous impoverishment of the great masses of the people, prepared the way for the present political and social reaction, and befriended it in every way. It sacrificed the general interests of human society to the private interests of individuals, and thus systematically undermined the relationship between man and man. People forgot that industry is not an end in itself, but should be only a means to insure to man his material subsistence and to make accessible to him the blessings of a higher intellectual culture. Where industry is everything and man is nothing begins the realm of a ruthless economic despotism whose workings are no less disastrous than those of any political despotism. The two mutually augment one another, and they are fed from the same source.””
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 warns that when wealth concentrates among a few and industry becomes an end, society loses its humane purpose, leading to economic tyranny that mirrors political oppression.
In simple terms: Wealth concentration and overvaluing industry destroy human values.
Key Takeaway
Prioritize human welfare over profit.
Themes
economic inequality
industrialism
humanism
political reaction
social justice
Mood
critical
concerned
reflective
Type
philosophical
political
social
When to use this quote
- policy making
- labor organizing
- education reform
- community building
Key Concepts
anarchism
critical theory
social economics
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies balance industrial growth with human dignity?
- What policies prevent wealth from concentrating in a few hands?
A Different Perspective
Economic focus on profit can still ignore human needs.