---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No business which depends for existence…"
description: "\"No business which depends for existence on paying less than living wages to its workers has any right to continue in this country\" — Franklin D Roosevelt"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05b/franklin-d-roosevelt-2-23592_business_no-business-which-depends-for-existence_1566349.png"
---

#  No business which depends for existence on paying less…

![“No business which depends for existence on paying less than living wages to its workers has any right to continue in this country” quote by Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05b/franklin-d-roosevelt-2-23592_business_no-business-which-depends-for-existence_1566349.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05b/franklin-d-roosevelt-2-23592_business_no-business-which-depends-for-existence_1566349.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05b/franklin-d-roosevelt-2-23592_business_no-business-which-depends-for-existence_1566349.png)

> “No business which depends for existence on paying less than living wages to its workers has any right to continue in this country”

[Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/)

## About This Quote

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

Businesses that underpay workers lack moral legitimacy to operate.

**In simple terms:** Unfair wages undermine a company's right to exist.

Key Takeaway

Support fair wages for all employees.

Themes

labor rights economic justice fair wages

Mood

urgent determined

Type

political advocacy

When to use this quote

- union negotiations
- consumer activism
- legislative lobbying

Key Concepts

living wage corporate responsibility policy reform

Questions to Reflect On

- What policies ensure living wages?
- How can consumers influence corporate pay practices?

A Different Perspective

Economic pressures may force low wages despite ethics.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Existence Paying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence-paying-1319409/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Living Wages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-wages-1319406/) [Paying Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paying-living-1319407/) [Wages Workers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wages-workers-618113/) [Workers Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/workers-right-469426/)

## Related quotes

> [No business which depends for existence on paying \*less than living wages\* to its workers has any right to continue in this country... By…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/no-business-which-depends-for-existence-on-paying-less-than-living/)

[Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/)

> [In my Inaugural I laid down the simple proposition that nobody is going to starve in this country. It seems to me to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/in-my-inaugural-i-laid-down-the-simple-proposition-that-nobody-is/)

[Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/)

> [We've always been in favor of improved wages for workers. When you have a strong middle class, they want to buy more stuff at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-sinegal/we-ve-always-been-in-favor-of-improved-wages-for-workers-when-you/)

[James Sinegal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-sinegal/)

> [Like how on earth can you make 180 grand as a senator with luxe health care and sit there and be like Nero, thumbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fetterman/like-how-on-earth-can-you-make-180-grand-as-a-senator-with-luxe/)

[John Fetterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fetterman/)

> [Are very expensive for everything Increasing PETROL prices, except the wages of workers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/are-very-expensive-for-everything-increasing-petrol-prices-except-the/)

[Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/)

> [To really tackle poverty, politicians, activists, academics will all have to think outside their boxes, will have to start developing much more integrated approaches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sasha-abramsky/to-really-tackle-poverty-politicians-activists-academics-will-all/)

[Sasha Abramsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sasha-abramsky/)

> [New Orleans is a city whose basic industry is the service industry. That's why it makes its money. That's - it brings people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-glover/new-orleans-is-a-city-whose-basic-industry-is-the-service-industry/)

[Danny Glover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-glover/)

> [I think we need equal wages which are living wages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/i-think-we-need-equal-wages-which-are-living-wages/)

[Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/)

> [There should be no unemployment. There is large percentage of labor now which cannot make a living because wages are not high enough. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/there-should-be-no-unemployment-there-is-large-percentage-of-labor/)

[Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/)

> [Workers should have a right to sit across from management to collectively bargain about their work conditions, their wages, and the future direction of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-turner/workers-should-have-a-right-to-sit-across-from-management-to/)

[Nina Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-turner/)

> [We need to guarantee equal rights and civil rights and say that, here in America, workers have the right to organize - women have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-need-to-guarantee-equal-rights-and-civil-rights-and-say-that-here/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I've heard from too many business leaders that they are having to look outside of Virginia to find workers with the right skills sets.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-northam/i-ve-heard-from-too-many-business-leaders-that-they-are-having-to/)

[Ralph Northam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-northam/)

> [“One of the biggest lies that is currently being told in the USA workplace is on the legally required OSHA poster: All workers have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/one-of-the-biggest-lies-that-is-currently-being-told-in-the-usa/)

[Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/)

> [Now workers should have the right to join unions. But unions should not be forced upon workers. And unions should not have the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/now-workers-should-have-the-right-to-join-unions-but-unions-should/)

[Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/)

> [At the time there was a hospital strike in New York and the Catholic hospitals were part of a general consortium, and the head…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-hentoff/at-the-time-there-was-a-hospital-strike-in-new-york-and-the-catholic/)

[Nat Hentoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-hentoff/)

## More by Franklin D Roosevelt

> [The school is that last expenditure upon which Americans should be willing to economize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/the-school-is-that-last-expenditure-upon-which-americans-should-be/)

[Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/)

> [We look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms. The first is freedom of speech and expressioneverywhere in the world. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/we-look-forward-to-a-world-founded-upon-four-essential-human-freedoms/)

[Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/)

> [We are fighting to save a great and precious form of government for ourselves and for the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/we-are-fighting-to-save-a-great-and-precious-form-of-government-for/)

[Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/)

> [The real truth of the matter is, as you and I know, that a financial element in the large centers has owned the government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/the-real-truth-of-the-matter-is-as-you-and-i-know-that-a-financial-2/)

[Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/)

> [Happiness lies not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the enjoyment of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/happiness-lies-not-in-the-mere-possession-of-money-it-lies-in-the/)

[Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/)

> [We can gain no lasting peace if we approach it with suspicion and mistrust or with fear. We can gain it only if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/we-can-gain-no-lasting-peace-if-we-approach-it-with-suspicion-and/)

[Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/)

> [The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it comes stronger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/the-liberty-of-a-democracy-is-not-safe-if-the-people-tolerate-the/)

[Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/)

> [We do our best that we know how at the moment, and if it doesn't turn out, we modify it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/we-do-our-best-that-we-know-how-at-the-moment-and-if-it-doesn-t-turn/)

[Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/)

> [I hope that your committee will not permit doubt as to constitutionality, however reasonable, to block the suggested legislation (the Guffey Coal Control Bill)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/i-hope-that-your-committee-will-not-permit-doubt-as-to-2/)

[Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/)

> [Yesterday, December seventh, 1941, a date which will live in infamy, the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/yesterday-december-seventh-1941-a-date-which-will-live-in-infamy-the/)

[Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/)

> [If civilization is to survive, theprinciples of the Prince of Peace must be restored. Shattered trust between nations must be revived. Mostimportant of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/if-civilization-is-to-survive-theprinciples-of-the-prince-of-peace/)

[Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/)

> [To stand upon ramparts and die for our principles is heroic, but to sally forth to battle and win for our principles is something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/to-stand-upon-ramparts-and-die-for-our-principles-is-heroic-but-to/)

[Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/)

> [If in other lands the press and books and literature of all kinds are censored, we must redouble our efforts here to keep them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/if-in-other-lands-the-press-and-books-and-literature-of-all-kinds-are/)

[Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/)

> [Let us never forget that government is ourselves and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/let-us-never-forget-that-government-is-ourselves-and-not-an-alien-2/)

[Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/)

> [The test of our progress is not whether we add to the abundance of those who have much. It is whether we provide enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/the-test-of-our-progress-is-not-whether-we-add-to-the-abundance-of/)

[Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/)

[Explore all 25 Franklin D Roosevelt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/)

## More Business quotes

> [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. A company that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/companies-with-cultures-that-celebrate-diverse-opinions-and-encourage/)

[Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/)

> [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/)

[Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/)

> [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/)

[Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/)

> [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/)

[Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/)

> [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/)

[Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/)

> [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/)

[Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/)

> [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/)

[G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/)

> [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/)

[Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/)

> [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/)

[Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/)

> [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/)

[N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/)

> [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [It's not just that families can't buy a home or start a business without some savings tucked away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/it-s-not-just-that-families-can-t-buy-a-home-or-start-a-business/)

[Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/)

> [I'm not into business at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-mercury/i-m-not-into-business-at-all/)

[Freddie Mercury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-mercury/)

> [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

[Browse all 39,016 Business quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "No business which depends for existence on paying less than living wages to its workers has any right to continue in this country",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Franklin D Roosevelt"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/no-business-which-depends-for-existence-on-paying-less-than-living-2/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Business"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/no-business-which-depends-for-existence-on-paying-less-than-living-2/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05b/franklin-d-roosevelt-2-23592_business_no-business-which-depends-for-existence_1566349.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05b/franklin-d-roosevelt-2-23592_business_no-business-which-depends-for-existence_1566349.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05b/franklin-d-roosevelt-2-23592_business_no-business-which-depends-for-existence_1566349.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“No business which depends for existence on paying less than living wages to its workers has any right to…” — Franklin D Roosevelt",
                "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": "Franklin D Roosevelt",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "No business which depends for existence...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/no-business-which-depends-for-existence-on-paying-less-than-living-2/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/no-business-which-depends-for-existence-on-paying-less-than-living-2/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
