--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is no such thing in a civilized…" description: "\"“There is no such thing in a civilized society as self-support. In a state of society so barbarous as not even to know family cooperation, each individ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd8/edward-bellamy-21275_civilized-society_there-is-no-such-thing-in-a-civilized-so_933527.jpg" --- # There is no such thing in a civilized society as… ![“There is no such thing in a civilized society as self-support. In a state of society so barbarous as not even to know family cooperation, each individual may possibly support himself, though even then for a part of his life only; but from the moment that men begin to live together, and constitute…” quote by Edward Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd8/edward-bellamy-21275_civilized-society_there-is-no-such-thing-in-a-civilized-so_933527.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd8/edward-bellamy-21275_civilized-society_there-is-no-such-thing-in-a-civilized-so_933527.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd8/edward-bellamy-21275_civilized-society_there-is-no-such-thing-in-a-civilized-so_933527.jpg) > ““There is no such thing in a civilized society as self-support. In a state of society so barbarous as not even to know family cooperation, each individual may possibly support himself, though even then for a part of his life only; but from the moment that men begin to live together, and constitute even the rudest of society, self-support becomes impossible. As men grow more civilized, and the subdivision of occupations and services is carried out, a complex mutual dependence becomes the universal rule. Every man, however solitary may seem his occupation, is a member of a vast industrial partnership, as large as the nation, as large as humanity. The necessity of mutual dependence should imply the duty and guarantee of mutual support...”” [Edward Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bellamy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. In civilized societies, individuals cannot fully support themselves; they rely on a complex network of mutual dependence and support. **In simple terms:** People need each other to thrive. Key Takeaway Recognize and uphold mutual support. Themes interdependence society cooperation Mood reflective concerned Type philosophical social When to use this quote - workplace - community projects - public policy - family life Key Concepts Industrialization social contract Questions to Reflect On - How do you contribute to your community? - What systems reinforce self‑reliance over cooperation? A Different Perspective Mutual support can be undermined by inequality and exploitation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civilized society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilized-society/) [Every man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-man/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Humanity Necessity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity-necessity-1317939/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Mutual Dependence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mutual-dependence-1035931/) [Mutual support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mutual-support/) [Self support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-support/) [Society Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society-self-1322373/) ## Related quotes > [If I knew something that would serve my country but would harm mankind, I would never reveal it; for I am a citizen of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-i-knew-something-that-would-serve-my-country-but-would-harm/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Men and women are made for each other, but their mutual dependence differs in degrees; man is dependent on woman through his desires; woman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/men-and-women-are-made-for-each-other-but-their-mutual-dependence/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [“It is an old remark, that all arts and sciences have a mutual dependence upon each other... Thus men, very different in genius and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/it-is-an-old-remark-that-all-arts-and-sciences-have-a-mutual/) [Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/) > [It is in this mutual dependence of the functions and the aid which they reciprocally lend one another that are founded the laws which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-cuvier/it-is-in-this-mutual-dependence-of-the-functions-and-the-aid-which/) [Georges Cuvier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-cuvier/) > [All these troubles revolve around the irritable mutual dependence of life and art - with their need and contempt for one another. Of necessity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-guston/all-these-troubles-revolve-around-the-irritable-mutual-dependence-of/) [Philip Guston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-guston/) > [Things derive their being and nature by mutual dependence and are nothing in themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/things-derive-their-being-and-nature-by-mutual-dependence-and-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nature compels us to recognize the fact of mutual dependence, each life necessarily helping the other lives who are linked to it. In the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/nature-compels-us-to-recognize-the-fact-of-mutual-dependence-each/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [It is the fine souls who serve us, and not what is called fine society. 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In some inexplicable way, the Adivasi of the deep forest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madhu-ramnath/a-society-s-self-reliance-is-usually-in-inverse-proportion-to-its/) [Madhu Ramnath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madhu-ramnath/) > [It's not what you get out of life that counts. Break your mirrors! In our society that is so self-absorbed, begin to look less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-schwarzenegger/it-s-not-what-you-get-out-of-life-that-counts-break-your-mirrors-in/) [Arnold Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-schwarzenegger/) > [Shatter the glass. In our society that is so self-absorbed, begin to look less at yourself and more at each other. Learn more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sargent-shriver/shatter-the-glass-in-our-society-that-is-so-self-absorbed-begin-to/) [Sargent Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargent-shriver/) > [Me: I'm fat. Society: Attention seeker! Me: I'm skinny. Society: Self obsessed!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-m-fat-society-attention-seeker-me-i-m-skinny-society-self/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We have become a society that can't self-correct, that can't address its obvious problems, that can't pull out of its nosedive. And so to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-frank/we-have-become-a-society-that-can-t-self-correct-that-can-t-address/) [Thomas Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-frank/) ## More by Edward Bellamy > [Hold the period of youth sacred to education, and the period of maturity, when the physical forces begin to flag, equally sacred to ease…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bellamy/hold-the-period-of-youth-sacred-to-education-and-the-period-of/) [Edward Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bellamy/) > [Human history, like all great movements, was cyclical, and returned to the point of beginning. The idea of indefinite progress in a right line…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bellamy/human-history-like-all-great-movements-was-cyclical-and-returned-to/) [Edward Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bellamy/) > [When you come to analyze the love of money which was the general impulse to effort in your day, you find that the dread…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bellamy/when-you-come-to-analyze-the-love-of-money-which-was-the-general/) [Edward Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bellamy/) > [No republic can long exist unless a substantial equality in the wealth of citizens prevails.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bellamy/no-republic-can-long-exist-unless-a-substantial-equality-in-the/) [Edward Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bellamy/) > [The primal principle of democracy is the worth and dignity of the individual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bellamy/the-primal-principle-of-democracy-is-the-worth-and-dignity-of-the/) [Edward Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bellamy/) > [Why, when the world gets to understand about it I expect that two men or two women, or a man and a woman, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bellamy/why-when-the-world-gets-to-understand-about-it-i-expect-that-two-men/) [Edward Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bellamy/) > [Equal wealth and equal opportunities of culture have simply made us all members of one class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bellamy/equal-wealth-and-equal-opportunities-of-culture-have-simply-made-us/) [Edward Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bellamy/) > [The most dangerous lovers women have are men of Cordis's feminine temperament. 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Riddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-riddle/) > [The practice of executing such offenders is a relic of the past and is inconsistent with evolving standards of decency in a civilized society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paul-stevens/the-practice-of-executing-such-offenders-is-a-relic-of-the-past-and/) [John Paul Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paul-stevens/) > [Democratic socialism means, that in a democratic, civilized society, the wealthiest people and the largest corporations must pay their fair share of taxes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/democratic-socialism-means-that-in-a-democratic-civilized-society-the/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [I am for a system of universal health care where every American has health care as a fundamental right because I think that's where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-delaney/i-am-for-a-system-of-universal-health-care-where-every-american-has/) [John Delaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-delaney/) > [Kindness and compassion towards all living things is a mark of a civilized society. Conversely, cruelty, whether it is directed against human beings or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/kindness-and-compassion-towards-all-living-things-is-a-mark-of-a/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [“Good sex is the basis of any truly civilized society.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-a-waters/good-sex-is-the-basis-of-any-truly-civilized-society/) [Gil A. Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-a-waters/) > [“Before our white brothers came to civilize us we had no jails. Therefore we had no criminals. You can't have criminals without a jail.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lame-deer/before-our-white-brothers-came-to-civilize-us-we-had-no-jails/) [John Lame Deer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lame-deer/) > [“Civilized" society is a hopeful belief and protest that science, money and goods make man count for more than any other animal. In this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/civilized-society-is-a-hopeful-belief-and-protest-that-science-money/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) > [I feel we all have the obligation, myself. 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