--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Even under the most perfect Social…" description: "\"Even under the most perfect Social Democracy we should, without Communism, still be living like hogs, except that each hog would get his fair share of ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7b/george-bernard-shaw-68_communism_even-under-the-most-perfect-social-democ_1362042.png" --- # Even under the most perfect Social Democracy we should… ![“Even under the most perfect Social Democracy we should, without Communism, still be living like hogs, except that each hog would get his fair share of grub… Whilst we are hogs, let us at least be well-fed, healthy, reciprocally useful hogs, instead of--well, instead of the sort we are at present.” quote by George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7b/george-bernard-shaw-68_communism_even-under-the-most-perfect-social-democ_1362042.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7b/george-bernard-shaw-68_communism_even-under-the-most-perfect-social-democ_1362042.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7b/george-bernard-shaw-68_communism_even-under-the-most-perfect-social-democ_1362042.png) > “Even under the most perfect Social Democracy we should, without Communism, still be living like hogs, except that each hog would get his fair share of grub… Whilst we are hogs, let us at least be well-fed, healthy, reciprocally useful hogs, instead of--well, instead of the sort we are at present.” [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even in an ideal society, without communism, people may still be like hogs, but at least they should be well‑fed and useful. **In simple terms:** Ideal societies still need fairness and purpose. Key Takeaway Promote fairness and usefulness. Themes social justice fairness community idealism Mood critical thoughtful Type philosophical satirical When to use this quote - public policy - social welfare - community projects Key Concepts political theory ethics Questions to Reflect On - What does “well‑fed” mean for society? - How can we balance fairness with individual freedom? A Different Perspective Idealism may overlook practical constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communism/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Fair share](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fair-share/) [Feds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feds/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-democracy/) [Socialism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/socialism/) ## Related quotes > [Under communism, no one would be living in marginal conditions as they do under capitalism today and where the greatest part of humanity lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-castro-espin/under-communism-no-one-would-be-living-in-marginal-conditions-as-they/) [Alejandro Castro Espin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-castro-espin/) > [“It is only when women start to organize in large numbers that we become a political force, and begin to move towards the possibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-rowbotham/it-is-only-when-women-start-to-organize-in-large-numbers-that-we/) [Sheila Rowbotham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-rowbotham/) > [Our real battlefield today is Asia and our real battle is the one between democracy and communism. . . . 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And 'social democracy' - a term that better fits the belief of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/democratic-socialism-is-awful-as-a-slogan-and-catastrophic-as-a/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) ## More by George Bernard Shaw > [I love little children too but I don't cut off their heads and stick them in vases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/i-love-little-children-too-but-i-don-t-cut-off-their-heads-and-stick/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Blasphemy and sedition (meaning the truth about Church and State).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/blasphemy-and-sedition-meaning-the-truth-about-church-and-state/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [In the arts of life, man invents nothing; but in the arts of death he outdoes Nature herself, and produces by chemistry and machinery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/in-the-arts-of-life-man-invents-nothing-but-in-the-arts-of-death-he/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“My religious convictions and scientific views cannot at present be more specifically defined than as those of a believer in creative evolution. 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Satisfaction is death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/as-long-as-i-have-a-want-i-have-a-reason-for-living-satisfaction-is/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [The camera can represent flesh so superbly that, if I dared, I would never photograph a figure without asking that figure to take its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-camera-can-represent-flesh-so-superbly-that-if-i-dared-i-would/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [A man who is not a communist at the age of twenty is a fool. Any man who is still communist at the age…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/a-man-who-is-not-a-communist-at-the-age-of-twenty-is-a-fool-any-man/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [But to admire a strong person and to live under that strong person’s thumb are two different things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/but-to-admire-a-strong-person-and-to-live-under-that-strong-person-s/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Socialism is the same as Communism, only better English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/socialism-is-the-same-as-communism-only-better-english/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [The person who is ignorant enough to believe that his nourishment depends on meat is in a horrible dilemma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-person-who-is-ignorant-enough-to-believe-that-his-nourishment/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [In the arts of peace Man is a bungler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/in-the-arts-of-peace-man-is-a-bungler/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) [Explore all 1,640 George Bernard Shaw quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) ## More Communism quotes > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [I didn't understand Southland Tales script at all! 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The jokes about death for the sake of the motherland…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/motherland-is-our-property-and-we-have-right-to-handle-our-properties/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [“Socialists and Progressives confuse compassion and compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-e-samaan/socialists-and-progressives-confuse-compassion-and-compulsion/) [A.E. Samaan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-e-samaan/) > [Your best friends are your principles, if you havent them, dont look for another friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/your-best-friends-are-your-principles-if-you-havent-them-dont-look/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [If I paint a hammer and sickle people may think it is a representation of Communism, but for me it is only a hammer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/if-i-paint-a-hammer-and-sickle-people-may-think-it-is-a/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [Our power does not know liberty or justice. 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