--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Western capitalism contained is Western…" description: "\"“Western capitalism contained is Western capitalism destroyed. Toothless and drugged, the caged tiger is prey to lethargy, disease, premature senility...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b36/bernard-connolly-34959_economics_western-capitalism-contained-is-western_1466828.jpg" --- # Western capitalism contained is Western capitalism… ![“Western capitalism contained is Western capitalism destroyed. Toothless and drugged, the caged tiger is prey to lethargy, disease, premature senility. Worse, only the bars of his cage protect him from the new, fierce and powerful capitalist animals of Asia. If he stays inside with the door locked…” quote by Bernard Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b36/bernard-connolly-34959_economics_western-capitalism-contained-is-western_1466828.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b36/bernard-connolly-34959_economics_western-capitalism-contained-is-western_1466828.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b36/bernard-connolly-34959_economics_western-capitalism-contained-is-western_1466828.jpg) > ““Western capitalism contained is Western capitalism destroyed. Toothless and drugged, the caged tiger is prey to lethargy, disease, premature senility. Worse, only the bars of his cage protect him from the new, fierce and powerful capitalist animals of Asia. If he stays inside with the door locked he will rot. If he opens the door, the new cats will leap in and maul him to death.”” [Bernard Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-connolly/) ## 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 warns that Western capitalism, weakened and complacent, risks being overtaken by aggressive Asian capitalist forces unless it revitalizes itself. **In simple terms:** Stagnant Western capitalism may be overtaken by dynamic Asian capitalism. Key Takeaway Revitalize economies to stay competitive. Themes economics globalization competition decline renewal Mood critical urgent Type political economic When to use this quote - policy reform - business innovation - trade negotiations - academic research Key Concepts capitalist cycles East‑West dynamics economic stagnation Questions to Reflect On - How can Western economies adapt without losing values? - What strategies can mitigate the “caged tiger” risk? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex geopolitical economics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Capitalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) ## Related quotes > [The promise of Western capitalism of ever rising rates of pay has turned out to be the cheque that bounced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-paxman/the-promise-of-western-capitalism-of-ever-rising-rates-of-pay-has/) [Jeremy Paxman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-paxman/) > [“George Bernard Shaw once said: “Capitalism has destroyed our belief in any effective power but that of self interest backed by force.” When liberals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/george-bernard-shaw-once-said-capitalism-has-destroyed-our-belief-in/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) > [Capitalism has destroyed our belief in any effective power but that of self interest backed by force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/capitalism-has-destroyed-our-belief-in-any-effective-power-but-that-2/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [It became obvious that we had completely failed to impose rules on unbridled speculative capitalism. That destroyed financial systems, hollowed out state systems and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/it-became-obvious-that-we-had-completely-failed-to-impose-rules-on/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) > [Capitalism has destroyed our belief in any effective power but that of self interest backed by force. But even Capitalist cynicism will admit that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/capitalism-has-destroyed-our-belief-in-any-effective-power-but-that/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“It is often asked: Why was capitalism destroyed in spite of its incomparably beneficent record? The answer lies in the fact that the lifeline…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/it-is-often-asked-why-was-capitalism-destroyed-in-spite-of-its/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [Now for good or ill, California is the place where trends tend to be set in Western civilization - if civilization indeed it is.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/now-for-good-or-ill-california-is-the-place-where-trends-tend-to-be/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [In Western capitalism circa 2013, fear that the market economy has become dysfunctional is not limited to a few entrepreneurs in Boulder. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrystia-freeland/in-western-capitalism-circa-2013-fear-that-the-market-economy-has/) [Chrystia Freeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrystia-freeland/) > [Whatever market for manufactured goods emerged in colonial and dependent countries did not become the "eternal market" of these countries. Thrown wide open by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-a-baran/whatever-market-for-manufactured-goods-emerged-in-colonial-and/) [Paul A. Baran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-a-baran/) > [ I wouldn't like to see Cuba change in other ways. And the trouble is when Fidel \[Castro\] does go - I am sure he… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gimlette/i-wouldn-t-like-to-see-cuba-change-in-other-ways-and-the-trouble-is/) [John Gimlette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gimlette/) > [“The great achievements of western capitalism have rebounded primarily to the benefit of the ordinary person. These achievements have made available to the masses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-great-achievements-of-western-capitalism-have-rebounded-primarily/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [Western capitalism is a looting mechanism. It loots labor. It loots the environment, and with the transpacific and transatlantic 'partnerships,' it will loot the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-craig-roberts/western-capitalism-is-a-looting-mechanism-it-loots-labor-it-loots-the/) [Paul Craig Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-craig-roberts/) > [“Anything in western capitalism of imported origin,” notes Fernand Braudel, the great French historian, “undoubtedly came from Islam.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mustafa-akyol/anything-in-western-capitalism-of-imported-origin-notes-fernand/) [Mustafa Akyol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mustafa-akyol/) > [Experimentation has been the key factor in the success of Western capitalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-rosenberg/experimentation-has-been-the-key-factor-in-the-success-of-western/) Nathan Rosenberg > [Don't let's lose sight of what creates wealth. It is open markets, it is capitalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/don-t-let-s-lose-sight-of-what-creates-wealth-it-is-open-markets-it/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) ## More by Bernard Connolly > [“When Trichet, at a meeting of top international monetary officials, defended the franc fort policy against North American critics by telling them that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-connolly/when-trichet-at-a-meeting-of-top-international-monetary-officials/) [Bernard Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-connolly/) > [“Baldwin, speaking of the 1930s press barons, famously attacked as ‘power without responsibility: the prerogative of the harlot throughout the ages’. In”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-connolly/baldwin-speaking-of-the-1930s-press-barons-famously-attacked-as-power/) [Bernard Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-connolly/) > [“Schmidt agreed at the Bonn summit of world industrial leaders, in July 1978, to increase Germany’s budget deficit. The Bonn summit was a classic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-connolly/schmidt-agreed-at-the-bonn-summit-of-world-industrial-leaders-in-july/) [Bernard Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-connolly/) > [“Unemployment in France is officially put at 12.5%. Youth unemployment is double that. Many people in their twenties have never had a job and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-connolly/unemployment-in-france-is-officially-put-at-12-5-youth-unemployment/) [Bernard Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-connolly/) > [“as the Israeli philosopher Yoram Hazony put it recently, ‘For quite a few centuries, it seems as though it’s been the British nation-state15 (together…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-connolly/as-the-israeli-philosopher-yoram-hazony-put-it-recently-for-quite-a/) [Bernard Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-connolly/) > [“If anything, the unmistakable clues provided by the reports that highly intelligent and politically aware central bankers and Treasury officials became, as a collective,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-connolly/if-anything-the-unmistakable-clues-provided-by-the-reports-that/) [Bernard Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-connolly/) > [“By hamstringing the ability of French governments to act in the interests of the French people – or, to put it more realistically, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-connolly/by-hamstringing-the-ability-of-french-governments-to-act-in-the/) [Bernard Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-connolly/) > [“In understanding the collapse of the ERM, however, what is important is that to subordinate domestic (that is, national) economic considerations to national foreign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-connolly/in-understanding-the-collapse-of-the-erm-however-what-is-important-is/) [Bernard Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-connolly/) > [“Like Hitler, like Stalin, the énarque believes that power will always prevail over economics.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-connolly/like-hitler-like-stalin-the-narque-believes-that-power-will-always/) [Bernard Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-connolly/) > [“As one highly placed énarque has recently put it: ‘Of course we want monetary union. Ninety per cent of the élite want it. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-connolly/as-one-highly-placed-narque-has-recently-put-it-of-course-we-want/) [Bernard Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-connolly/) > [“While political scientists see ‘Europe’ either as a new form of political structure, having little in common with the nation-state, or as a structure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-connolly/while-political-scientists-see-europe-either-as-a-new-form-of/) [Bernard Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-connolly/) > [“political correctness – the suppression of rational thought”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-connolly/political-correctness-the-suppression-of-rational-thought/) [Bernard Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-connolly/) [Explore all 13 Bernard Connolly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-connolly/) ## More Capitalism quotes > [Don't let's lose sight of what creates wealth. It is open markets, it is capitalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/don-t-let-s-lose-sight-of-what-creates-wealth-it-is-open-markets-it/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [Crony capitalism is essentially a condition in which... public officials are giving favours to people in the private sector in payment of political favours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/crony-capitalism-is-essentially-a-condition-in-which-public-officials/) [Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [ Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a \[Soviet socialistic\] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-national-socialism-have-anything/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [Corporations have nothing to do with values, and they know it, and sometimes say it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kierans/corporations-have-nothing-to-do-with-values-and-they-know-it-and/) [Eric Kierans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-kierans/) > [Both fact and logic seem to me to support the view that savings invested in privately owned economic tools of production amount to an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-a-harper/both-fact-and-logic-seem-to-me-to-support-the-view-that-savings/) F. A. Harper > [The free market is ugly and stupid, like going to the mall; the unfree market is just as ugly and just as stupid, except…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-free-market-is-ugly-and-stupid-like-going-to-the-mall-the-unfree/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Capitalism, communism ... it's all garbage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mstislav-rostropovich/capitalism-communism-it-s-all-garbage/) [Mstislav Rostropovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mstislav-rostropovich/) > [There are no two countries with the same style of economic mechanism, with the same capitalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatoly-chubais/there-are-no-two-countries-with-the-same-style-of-economic-mechanism/) [Anatoly Chubais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatoly-chubais/) > [It is more than a little ironic that "capital accumulation" once a rather tendentious Marxian view of a supposed capitalist obsession, should have become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kuttner/it-is-more-than-a-little-ironic-that-capital-accumulation-once-a/) [Robert Kuttner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kuttner/) > [Historically, usury was defined as any interest whatever on an unproductive loan.Our whole banking system I have ever abhorred, I continue to abhor, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/historically-usury-was-defined-as-any-interest-whatever-on-an/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [Socialism is humanity's second nature. All politicians do is turn human vice into votes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilana-mercer/socialism-is-humanity-s-second-nature-all-politicians-do-is-turn/) [Ilana Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilana-mercer/) > [“Scholars have long debated whether capital markets lead to appropriate levels of saving and investment for future generations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-l-weimer/scholars-have-long-debated-whether-capital-markets-lead-to/) David L. Weimer > [“A car is one of the most interesting inventions, but driving is one of the most boring activities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-car-is-one-of-the-most-interesting-inventions-but-driving-is-one-of/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) [Browse all 3,832 Capitalism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Western capitalism contained is Western capitalism destroyed. Toothless and drugged, the caged tiger is prey to lethargy, disease, premature senility. Worse, only the bars of his cage protect him from the new, fierce and powerful capitalist animals of Asia. If he stays inside with the door locked he will rot. If he opens the door, the new cats will leap in and maul him to death.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bernard Connolly" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-connolly/western-capitalism-contained-is-western-capitalism-destroyed/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Capitalism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-connolly/western-capitalism-contained-is-western-capitalism-destroyed/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b36/bernard-connolly-34959_economics_western-capitalism-contained-is-western_1466828.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b36/bernard-connolly-34959_economics_western-capitalism-contained-is-western_1466828.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b36/bernard-connolly-34959_economics_western-capitalism-contained-is-western_1466828.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Western capitalism contained is Western capitalism destroyed. Toothless and drugged, the caged tiger is prey…” — Bernard Connolly", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Bernard Connolly", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-connolly/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Western capitalism contained is Western capitalism...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-connolly/western-capitalism-contained-is-western-capitalism-destroyed/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-connolly/western-capitalism-contained-is-western-capitalism-destroyed/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```