---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The general idea of the rich helping the…"
description: "\"The general idea of the rich helping the poor, I think, is important. That your sense of justice says, why should rich kids - who barely get these dise..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/bill-gates-137_access_the-general-idea-of-the-rich-helping-the_868673.jpg"
---

#  The general idea of the rich helping the poor, I think, is…

![“The general idea of the rich helping the poor, I think, is important. That your sense of justice says, why should rich kids - who barely get these diseases and almost never die of them - why should they get the vaccines, when poor kids, who actually do die from these diseases, don't get those…” quote by Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/bill-gates-137_access_the-general-idea-of-the-rich-helping-the_868673.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/bill-gates-137_access_the-general-idea-of-the-rich-helping-the_868673.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/bill-gates-137_access_the-general-idea-of-the-rich-helping-the_868673.jpg)

> “The general idea of the rich helping the poor, I think, is important. That your sense of justice says, why should rich kids - who barely get these diseases and almost never die of them - why should they get the vaccines, when poor kids, who actually do die from these diseases, don't get those things? It's an unbelievable inequity that there isn't that access.”

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

## About This Quote

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

Wealthy societies should prioritize vaccine access for those most at risk, not for those less likely to suffer.

**In simple terms:** Rich should help the poor get vaccines, not the other way around.

Key Takeaway

Advocate equitable health distribution.

Themes

justice equity public health

Mood

urgent hopeful

Type

policy advocacy

When to use this quote

- pandemic response
- policy making
- NGO advocacy

Key Concepts

resource allocation global disparity

Questions to Reflect On

- What policies could ensure fair vaccine distribution?
- How can we balance national interests with global need?

A Different Perspective

Political and economic constraints can limit implementation.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Access](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/access/) [Dies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dies/) [Disease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disease/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [Helping Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping-poor/) [Helping The Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping-the-poor/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor/) [Poor Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-kids-257369/) [Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rich/) [Rich Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rich-helping-929213/) [Rich kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rich-kids/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Unbelievable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unbelievable/) [Vaccines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vaccines/) [Vaccines Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vaccines-poor-929212/)

## Related quotes

> [The general idea of the rich helping the poor, I think, is important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-general-idea-of-the-rich-helping-the-poor-i-think-is-important-2/)

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

> [The poor is the central focus of my economic agenda. The poor should be strengthened in such a way that they get the willingness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-poor-is-the-central-focus-of-my-economic-agenda-the-poor-should/)

[Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/)

> [Many people (who go to her as volunteers) have found peace, joy and unity in their families by helping the poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/many-people-who-go-to-her-as-volunteers-have-found-peace-joy-and/)

[Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/)

> [There's a lot of money in wars, except in the war on poverty. Can't make any bread helping the poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-bruce/there-s-a-lot-of-money-in-wars-except-in-the-war-on-poverty-can-t/)

[Lenny Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-bruce/)

> [By helping the poor, we must be able to remove their poverty. But extending help to one here and one there in the form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/periyar-e-v-ramasamy/by-helping-the-poor-we-must-be-able-to-remove-their-poverty-but/)

[Periyar E. V. Ramasamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/periyar-e-v-ramasamy/)

> [The American evangelical movement in Africa does valuable work in helping the poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/the-american-evangelical-movement-in-africa-does-valuable-work-in/)

[Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/)

> [The peasant must always be helped technically, economically, morally and culturally. The guerrilla fighter will be a sort of guiding angel who has fallen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/the-peasant-must-always-be-helped-technically-economically-morally/)

[Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/)

> [I'm for helping the poor, always have been. And I don't think they should be bereft of healthcare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orrin-hatch/i-m-for-helping-the-poor-always-have-been-and-i-don-t-think-they/)

[Orrin Hatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orrin-hatch/)

> [I have committed my life to helping the poor, and I believe that if more companies followed Wal-Mart's lead in providing opportunity and savings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-young/i-have-committed-my-life-to-helping-the-poor-and-i-believe-that-if/)

[Andrew Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-young/)

> [In the poor and outcast we see Christ’s face; by loving and helping the poor, we love and serve Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/in-the-poor-and-outcast-we-see-christ-s-face-by-loving-and-helping/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [“In the end, class will out. So much talk about helping the poor. It's all words and class interest— in the end.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/psyche-roxas-mendoza/in-the-end-class-will-out-so-much-talk-about-helping-the-poor-it-s/)

[Psyche Roxas-Mendoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/psyche-roxas-mendoza/)

> [Polak, a psychiatrist, has applied a behavioral and anthropological approach to alleviating poverty, developed by studying people in their natural surroundings. He argues that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-lockwood/polak-a-psychiatrist-has-applied-a-behavioral-and-anthropological/)

[Amy Lockwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-lockwood/)

> [The government is committed towards helping the poor and neo- middle class with the success mantra of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas. It is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-government-is-committed-towards-helping-the-poor-and-neo-middle/)

[Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/)

> [“Yes, helping the poor helps keep them stuck in poverty. As Jesus said, 'Tough love thy neighbor as thyself, get your own loaves and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/yes-helping-the-poor-helps-keep-them-stuck-in-poverty-as-jesus-said/)

[Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/)

> [“Poor kids often dressed up. It was rich kids who dressed down, carefully assembling a blue-collar costume: eighty-dollar designer jeans that had been professionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hill/poor-kids-often-dressed-up-it-was-rich-kids-who-dressed-down/)

[Joe Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hill/)

## More by Bill Gates

> [If you’re a person struggling to eat and stay healthy you might have heard about Michael Jordan or Muhammad Ali, but you’ll never have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/if-you-re-a-person-struggling-to-eat-and-stay-healthy-you-might-have/)

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

> [I really had a lot of dreams when I was a kid, and I think a great deal of that grew out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/i-really-had-a-lot-of-dreams-when-i-was-a-kid-and-i-think-a-great/)

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

> [Understanding science and pushing the boundaries of science is what makes me immensely satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/understanding-science-and-pushing-the-boundaries-of-science-is-what/)

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

> [We're focused on providing innovations in software, driving the continuous improvement for a much better experience, and there's a lot going on here that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/we-re-focused-on-providing-innovations-in-software-driving-the/)

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

> [Paper is no longer a big part of my day. I get 90% of my news online, and when I go to a meeting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/paper-is-no-longer-a-big-part-of-my-day-i-get-90-of-my-news-online/)

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

> [Software will get to be somewhat more mature, ah, but it will never be as predictable as most areas of engineering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/software-will-get-to-be-somewhat-more-mature-ah-but-it-will-never-be/)

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

> [Students deserve great teachers. And teachers deserve the support they need to become great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/students-deserve-great-teachers-and-teachers-deserve-the-support-they/)

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

> [The machines need to get faster. They need to get cheaper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-machines-need-to-get-faster-they-need-to-get-cheaper/)

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

> [Like many others, I have deep misgivings about the state of education in the United States. Too many of our students fail to graduate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/like-many-others-i-have-deep-misgivings-about-the-state-of-education/)

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

> [Over time, yes, countries will need to look at specific GMO products like they look at drugs today, where they don't approve them all.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/over-time-yes-countries-will-need-to-look-at-specific-gmo-products/)

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

> [Competition is always a fantastic thing, and the computer industry is intensely competitive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/competition-is-always-a-fantastic-thing-and-the-computer-industry-is/)

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

> [I don't think there's anything unique about human intellience. All the nuerons in the brain that make up perceptions and emotions operate in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/i-don-t-think-there-s-anything-unique-about-human-intellience-all-the/)

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

> [At every juncture, advanced tools have been the key to a new wave of applications, and each wave of applications has been key to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/at-every-juncture-advanced-tools-have-been-the-key-to-a-new-wave-of/)

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

> [Software is more important than hardware.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/software-is-more-important-than-hardware/)

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

> [Talking to mothers, always brings it home because they're so anxious to do everything they can for their kids and so tragic for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/talking-to-mothers-always-brings-it-home-because-they-re-so-anxious/)

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

[Explore all 1,165 Bill Gates quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

## More Access quotes

> [Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. Conservatism is about empowering people to catch up, to give them the tools at their disposable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/conservatism-is-not-about-leaving-people-behind-conservatism-is-about/)

[Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/)

> [You can disseminate your art, and it's all such easy access now. The upside to it is that more people are creating than ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-clarke/you-can-disseminate-your-art-and-it-s-all-such-easy-access-now-the/)

[Stanley Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-clarke/)

> [It's the same with this idea of a literate public, and also of a democracy in which people have access to and really read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hass/it-s-the-same-with-this-idea-of-a-literate-public-and-also-of-a/)

[Robert Hass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hass/)

> [My hope is that if people have the knowledge, and if they actually see where their food comes from and have access to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/my-hope-is-that-if-people-have-the-knowledge-and-if-they-actually-see/)

[Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/)

> [I don't think it's always a sign of respect for persons (inside or outside of fiction) to pretend to be able to represent, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-lerner/i-don-t-think-it-s-always-a-sign-of-respect-for-persons-inside-or/)

[Ben Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-lerner/)

> [Leslie Stein's comics give readers privileged access to a complete and wholly original world of gently skewed wonders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-woodring/leslie-stein-s-comics-give-readers-privileged-access-to-a-complete/)

[Jim Woodring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-woodring/)

> [The best way to fight poverty is to empower people through access to quality education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/the-best-way-to-fight-poverty-is-to-empower-people-through-access-to/)

[John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/)

> [Because the Internet's there, I have access to a lot of the legends, like Fela Kuti. I used to watch a lot of Fela…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/king-krule/because-the-internet-s-there-i-have-access-to-a-lot-of-the-legends/)

[King Krule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/king-krule/)

> [There needs to be some regime that is overseeing access to broadband to make sure we have openess; otherwise, there is a risk it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vint-cerf/there-needs-to-be-some-regime-that-is-overseeing-access-to-broadband/)

[Vint Cerf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vint-cerf/)

> [While it's wonderful that investors have access to all the data now available to them, it has become a full-time job to sift through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-bartiromo/while-it-s-wonderful-that-investors-have-access-to-all-the-data-now/)

[Maria Bartiromo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-bartiromo/)

> [It is truly vital for the United States to assure that it is not attacked with weapons of mass destruction; to prevent wars in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/it-is-truly-vital-for-the-united-states-to-assure-that-it-is-not/)

[Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/)

> [Now that I'm more middle class, I have access to consumer goods. I do enjoy feminine frippery, feminine doo-da, stuff like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-geok-lin-lim/now-that-i-m-more-middle-class-i-have-access-to-consumer-goods-i-do/)

[Shirley Geok-lin Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-geok-lin-lim/)

> [Schools have never been about getting access to information. That's the job of libraries. Schools and universities have nobler missions as gentle gatekeepers. Their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-nikiforuk/schools-have-never-been-about-getting-access-to-information-that-s/)

[Andrew Nikiforuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-nikiforuk/)

> [To pray is to open the door unto Jesus and admit Him into your distress. Your helplessness is the very thing which opens wide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ole-hallesby/to-pray-is-to-open-the-door-unto-jesus-and-admit-him-into-your/)

[Ole Hallesby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ole-hallesby/)

> [Broadband Internet access shouldn't depend on who you are or where you're from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajit-pai/broadband-internet-access-shouldn-t-depend-on-who-you-are-or-where/)

[Ajit Pai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajit-pai/)

[Browse all 2,178 Access quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/access/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The general idea of the rich helping the poor, I think, is important. That your sense of justice says, why should rich kids - who barely get these diseases and almost never die of them - why should they get the vaccines, when poor kids, who actually do die from these diseases, don't get those things? It's an unbelievable inequity that there isn't that access.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Bill Gates"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-general-idea-of-the-rich-helping-the-poor-i-think-is-important/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Access"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-general-idea-of-the-rich-helping-the-poor-i-think-is-important/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/bill-gates-137_access_the-general-idea-of-the-rich-helping-the_868673.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/bill-gates-137_access_the-general-idea-of-the-rich-helping-the_868673.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/bill-gates-137_access_the-general-idea-of-the-rich-helping-the_868673.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The general idea of the rich helping the poor, I think, is important. That your sense of justice says, why…” — Bill Gates",
                "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": "Bill Gates",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The general idea of the rich...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-general-idea-of-the-rich-helping-the-poor-i-think-is-important/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-general-idea-of-the-rich-helping-the-poor-i-think-is-important/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
