Appearance Quote by Friedrich Engels
“Political economy came into being as a natural result of the expansion of trade, and with its appearance elementary, unscientific huckstering was replaced by a developed system of licensed fraud, an entire science of enrichment.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Condition of the Working Class in England, 1845
Trade expansion created a formal field of political economy, turning informal cheating into a systematic, licensed practice of wealth accumulation.
In simple terms: Trade led to a formal system of wealth extraction.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and critique systemic exploitation.
Themes
economics
politics
history
ethics
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
scholarly
critical
When to use this quote
- policy making
- business ethics
- academic research
- activism
Key Concepts
capitalism
systems theory
institutional analysis
Questions to Reflect On
- How does formalization affect power dynamics?
- What alternatives exist to licensed fraud?
A Different Perspective
It may overlook informal economies that still thrive.
![“I have learned more [from Balzac] than from all the professional historians, economists, and statisticians put together.” quote by Friedrich Engels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/22f/friedrich-engels-8301_balzac_i-have-learned-more-from-balzac-than-fro_62197.jpg)
![“...it was always our view that in order to attain this [proletarian revolution] and the other far more important aims of the future social revolution, the working class must first take possession of the organised political power of the state and by its aid crush the resistance of the capitalist…” quote by Friedrich Engels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/458/friedrich-engels-8301_aids_it-was-always-our-view-that-in-order-to_258810.jpg)
