Capitalism Quote by George Bernard Shaw
“We should have had socialism already, but for the socialists, am quite willing to drop the name if dropping it will help me to get the thing.”
About This Quote
The speaker suggests that the label 'socialism' is secondary to achieving its practical outcomes, willing to abandon the term if it hinders progress.
In simple terms: Ends matter more than labels.
Key Takeaway
Pragmatism can override ideological branding.
Themes
politics
pragmatism
ideology
Mood
pragmatic
cynical
Type
political commentary
When to use this quote
- legislative negotiations
- branding a social program
- cross‑party coalition building
Key Concepts
semantic framing
policy effectiveness
Practical Applications
- focus on measurable benefits
- rebrand to broaden appeal
Questions to Reflect On
- What risks arise when ideology is sidelined for practicality?
- Can a movement retain identity without its name?
A Different Perspective
Dropping the name may erode core principles.
![“Unappreciated because too many of his [Rudyard Kipling's] peers were socialists.” quote by Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/677/jorge-luis-borges-275_capitalism_unappreciated-because-too-many-of-his-ru_649812.jpg)
![“[Socialists claim] that we reject fraternity, solidarity, organization, and association; and they brand us with the name of individualists. We can assure them that what we repudiate is not natural organization, but forced organization. It is not free association, but the forms of association that…” quote by Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/4cc/frederic-bastiat-2151_artificial_socialists-claim-that-we-reject-fraterni_301218.jpg)
![“Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a [Soviet socialistic] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants, lands, banks, means of transportation, etc., remain untouched there, and, therefore, capitalism in Germany and Italy…” quote by Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/411/joseph-stalin-1734_capitalism_neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-natio_1430.jpg)
