--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For [Karl] Marx what counts is man. He is…" description: "\"For [Karl] Marx what counts is man. He is the root of everything;while for capitalism, the aim are things, profit, and man is only a means to gain them..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ff/erich-fromm-367_against-religion_for-karl-marx-what-counts-is-man-he-is-t_1148460.jpg" --- # For \[Karl\] Marx what counts is man. He is the root of… ![“For [Karl] Marx what counts is man. He is the root of everything;while for capitalism, the aim are things, profit, and man is only a means to gain them. As an authentically religious individual, Marx could not be other than against "religion".” quote by Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ff/erich-fromm-367_against-religion_for-karl-marx-what-counts-is-man-he-is-t_1148460.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ff/erich-fromm-367_against-religion_for-karl-marx-what-counts-is-man-he-is-t_1148460.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ff/erich-fromm-367_against-religion_for-karl-marx-what-counts-is-man-he-is-t_1148460.jpg) > “For \[Karl\] Marx what counts is man. He is the root of everything;while for capitalism, the aim are things, profit, and man is only a means to gain them. As an authentically religious individual, Marx could not be other than against "religion".” [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Marx prioritizes human beings as the foundation of society, whereas capitalism treats people as tools for profit and material gain. **In simple terms:** Marx sees people as central; capitalism sees them as means. Key Takeaway Focus on human dignity over profit. Themes humanism economics philosophy Mood reflective critical Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - policy making - business ethics - education - community development Key Concepts Marxism capitalism alienation Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance profit with human well‑being? - What policies protect people from being reduced to profit? A Different Perspective Capitalism can also promote human welfare through responsible practices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Against religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/against-religion/) [Aim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim/) [Capitalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism/) [Capitalism Aim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism-aim-3234970/) [Gains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gains/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Individual Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual-marx-3234969/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/karl-marx/) [Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marx/) [Marx Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marx-religion-226094/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Profit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profit/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Roots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roots/) ## Related quotes > [“ Karl Marx: "Religion is the opiate of the masses." Carrie Fisher: "I did masses of opiates religiously.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-fisher/karl-marx-religion-is-the-opiate-of-the-masses-carrie-fisher-i-did/) [Carrie Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-fisher/) > [ I think \[Karl\] Marx, Pope John XXIII or Rosa Luxemburg \[had achieved the mode of existence\].But it would be useless to look at a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/i-think-karl-marx-pope-john-xxiii-or-rosa-luxemburg-had-achieved-the/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [ This Marxian sentence, repeated to the point of boredom, is misinterpreted. In reality \[Karl\] Marx was a "religious" man. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/this-marxian-sentence-repeated-to-the-point-of-boredom-is/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [I'm one of those people that think Thomas Edison and the light bulb changed the world more than Karl Marx ever did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/i-m-one-of-those-people-that-think-thomas-edison-and-the-light-bulb/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [“Meanwhile, the government of the United States was behaving almost exactly as Karl Marx described a capitalist state: pretending neutrality to maintain order, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/meanwhile-the-government-of-the-united-states-was-behaving-almost/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“In each case the individuals made history-although,to adapt the thought of Karl Marx,not under circumstances of their choosing”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-kershaw/in-each-case-the-individuals-made-history-although-to-adapt-the/) [Ian Kershaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-kershaw/) > [“The letters of Karl Marx make frequent reference to the violent quarrels between himself and his parents; the letters from Karl’s parents complain of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-cleon-skousen/the-letters-of-karl-marx-make-frequent-reference-to-the-violent/) [W. Cleon Skousen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-cleon-skousen/) > [Karl Marx was the foremost hater and most incessant whiner in the history of Western Civilization. He was a spoiled, overeducated brat who never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-north/karl-marx-was-the-foremost-hater-and-most-incessant-whiner-in-the/) [Gary North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-north/) > [If being rightwing is thinking that Karl Marx's doctrine was a catastrophe for humanity, then I'm rightwing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niall-ferguson/if-being-rightwing-is-thinking-that-karl-marx-s-doctrine-was-a/) [Niall Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niall-ferguson/) > [Karl Marx, a visionary, figured out that you can control a slave much better by convincing him he is an employee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/karl-marx-a-visionary-figured-out-that-you-can-control-a-slave-much/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [Could there be a better answer to the stupidity of Karl Marx than millions of workers individually sharing in the ownership of the means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/could-there-be-a-better-answer-to-the-stupidity-of-karl-marx-than/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [I can't understand Karl Marx, so how can I be a Communist?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-chaplin/i-can-t-understand-karl-marx-so-how-can-i-be-a-communist/) [Charlie Chaplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-chaplin/) > [Do you know who Karl Marx is? He is this strange little man, long dead, who lived his narrow little life, and somehow managed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/do-you-know-who-karl-marx-is-he-is-this-strange-little-man-long-dead/) [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) > [“The class struggle had a just motive, and Socialism at the beginning was in the right. What has happened is that instead of pursuing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-antonio-rivera/the-class-struggle-had-a-just-motive-and-socialism-at-the-beginning/) [José Antonio Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-antonio-rivera/) > [“The writer must earn money in order to be able to live and to write, but he must by no means live and write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goins/the-writer-must-earn-money-in-order-to-be-able-to-live-and-to-write/) [Jeff Goins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goins/) ## More by Erich Fromm > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Only when man succeeds in developing his reason and love further than he has done so far, only when he can build a world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/only-when-man-succeeds-in-developing-his-reason-and-love-further-than/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Freedom does not mean license.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/freedom-does-not-mean-license/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“It is hardly necessary to stress the fact that the ability to love as an act of giving depends on the character development of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/it-is-hardly-necessary-to-stress-the-fact-that-the-ability-to-love-as/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [The pace of science forces the pace of technique. Theoretical physics forces atomic energy on us; the successful production of the fission bomb forces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-pace-of-science-forces-the-pace-of-technique-theoretical-physics/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Exploitation and manipulation produce boredom and triviality; they cripple man, and all factors that make man into a psychic cripple turn him also into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/exploitation-and-manipulation-produce-boredom-and-triviality-they/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Well-being is possible to the degree to which one has overcome one's narcissism; to the degree to which one is open, responsive, sensitive, awake,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/well-being-is-possible-to-the-degree-to-which-one-has-overcome-one-s/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“The wealth of data to be found in social and political life. The belief that people do not want to make sacrifices is notoriously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-wealth-of-data-to-be-found-in-social-and-political-life-the/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [By equality, one once understood equality in the very same sense in which the Bible speaks of equality: that we are all equal, inasmuch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/by-equality-one-once-understood-equality-in-the-very-same-sense-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“Human beings had two basic orientations: HAVING and BEING HAVING: seeks to acquire, posses things even people BEING: focuses on the experience; exchanging, engaging,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/human-beings-had-two-basic-orientations-having-and-being-having-seeks/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“Most people are not even aware of their need to conform. They live under the illusion that they follow their own ideas and inclinations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/most-people-are-not-even-aware-of-their-need-to-conform-they-live/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Just as modern mass production requires the standardization of commodities, so the social process requires standardization of man, and this standardization is called equality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/just-as-modern-mass-production-requires-the-standardization-of/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [To respect a person is not possible without knowing him; care and responsibility would be blind if they were not guided by knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/to-respect-a-person-is-not-possible-without-knowing-him-care-and/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Love is an active power in man; a power which breaks through the walls which separate man from his fellow men, which unite him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/love-is-an-active-power-in-man-a-power-which-breaks-through-the-walls/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“Perhaps most trivial talk is a need to talk about oneself; hence, the never-ending subject of health and sickness, children, travel, successes, what one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/perhaps-most-trivial-talk-is-a-need-to-talk-about-oneself-hence-the/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) [Explore all 558 Erich Fromm quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) ## More Against religion quotes > [We were convinced that the people need and require this faith. We have therefore undertaken the fight against the atheistic movement, and that not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/we-were-convinced-that-the-people-need-and-require-this-faith-we-have/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [What I have against religion is that they start you when you are so defenseless. I mean, I was three when they started pumping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/what-i-have-against-religion-is-that-they-start-you-when-you-are-so/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I am an intransigent atheist, though not a militant one. This means that I am not fighting against religion - I am fighting for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/i-am-an-intransigent-atheist-though-not-a-militant-one-this-means/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [y feelings as a Christian points me to my Lord and Savior as a fighter. It points me to the man who once in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/y-feelings-as-a-christian-points-me-to-my-lord-and-savior-as-a/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [Ridicule is the only weapon which can be used against unintelligible propositions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/ridicule-is-the-only-weapon-which-can-be-used-against-unintelligible/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [I am for religion, against religions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/i-am-for-religion-against-religions/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [The day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the Supreme Being as his father, in the womb of a virgin, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-day-will-come-when-the-mystical-generation-of-jesus-by-the/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [ The rebellious mood of the country during those \[60th\] years allowed me to plug right back into my old hatreds. I could scream and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/the-rebellious-mood-of-the-country-during-those-60th-years-allowed-me/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Religious controversies are always productive of more acrimony and irreconcilable hatreds than those which spring from any other cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/religious-controversies-are-always-productive-of-more-acrimony-and/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [If you are asking me if my more global purpose is a battle against religion, it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/if-you-are-asking-me-if-my-more-global-purpose-is-a-battle-against/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [I don't believe in heaven and hell. I don't know if I believe in God. 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Well, you know what I do when I'm not sure about something? I go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-j-fleming/richard-dawkins-says-he-can-t-be-sure-god-doesn-t-exist-well-you-know/) [Frank J. Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-j-fleming/) > [This determined bias against religion, especially Christianity, is clearly evident when viewed against the religious heritage of American culture as revealed in the Church…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mathew-staver/this-determined-bias-against-religion-especially-christianity-is/) [Mathew Staver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mathew-staver/) [Browse all 43 Against religion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/against-religion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For [Karl] Marx what counts is man. He is the root of everything;while for capitalism, the aim are things, profit, and man is only a means to gain them. 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