Bondage Quote by Frederick Soddy
“The laws expressing the relations between energy and matter are, however, not solely of importance in pure science. They necessarily come first in order ... in the whole record of human experience, and they control, in the last resort, the rise or fall of political systems, the freedom or bondage of nations, the movements of commerce and industry, the origin of wealth and poverty, and the general physical welfare of the race.”
About This Quote
Source Lecture: Scientific Foundations of Society, 1930s
Scientific laws of energy and matter shape politics, economics, and human welfare, not just theory.
In simple terms: Science underpins societies and economies.
Key Takeaway
Consider scientific impact on policy.
Themes
science
politics
economics
society
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
academic
policy
When to use this quote
- policy making
- economic planning
- environmental strategy
Key Concepts
thermodynamics
energy-matter relations
systems theory
Questions to Reflect On
- How can science inform fair governance?
- What risks arise when science is ignored?
A Different Perspective
Scientific laws are not neutral; they can be misapplied.
![“Let us look at wealth and poverty. The affluent society and the deprived society inter-are. The wealth of one society is made of the poverty of the other. "This is like this, because that is like that." Wealth is made of non-wealth elements, and poverty is made by non-poverty elements. [...] so we…” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b2f/anonymous-1_affluent_let-us-look-at-wealth-and-poverty-the-af_2689248.jpg)
![“[The human control of atomic energy could] virtually provide anyone who wanted it with a private sun of his own.” quote by Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/43e/frederick-soddy-16246_atomic-energy_the-human-control-of-atomic-energy-could_422373.jpg)
![“[The blame for the future 'plight of civilization] must rest on scientific men, equally with others, for being incapable of accepting the responsibility for the profound social upheavals which their own work primarily has brought about in human relationships.” quote by Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0de/frederick-soddy-16246_acceptance_the-blame-for-the-future-plight-of-civil_627769.jpg)
