--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When capitalists are thwarted, deflected…" description: "\"When capitalists are thwarted, deflected, or dispossessed, the generals and politicians,... and socialist intellectuals, are always amazed at how quick..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32d/george-gilder-6757_amazed_when-capitalists-are-thwarted-deflected_534853.jpg" --- # When capitalists are thwarted, deflected, or dispossessed… ![“When capitalists are thwarted, deflected, or dispossessed, the generals and politicians,... and socialist intellectuals, are always amazed at how quickly the great physical means of production - the contested tokens of wealth and resources of nature - dissolve into so much scrap, ruined concrete…” quote by George Gilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32d/george-gilder-6757_amazed_when-capitalists-are-thwarted-deflected_534853.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32d/george-gilder-6757_amazed_when-capitalists-are-thwarted-deflected_534853.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32d/george-gilder-6757_amazed_when-capitalists-are-thwarted-deflected_534853.jpg) > “When capitalists are thwarted, deflected, or dispossessed, the generals and politicians,... and socialist intellectuals, are always amazed at how quickly the great physical means of production - the contested tokens of wealth and resources of nature - dissolve into so much scrap, ruined concrete, snarled wire, and wilderness.” [George Gilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gilder/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When capitalists lose power, the material assets they control often fall into ruin and become waste. **In simple terms:** Loss of power leads to waste of resources. Key Takeaway Protect assets and plan for transition. Themes economics politics resource management capitalism social change Mood cautious analytical Type critical political When to use this quote - urban planning - policy making - investment strategy - environmental remediation Key Concepts property rights political economy infrastructure decay Questions to Reflect On - How can societies manage asset loss responsibly? - What policies prevent resource decay? A Different Perspective Even with strong institutions, waste can be inevitable without proper stewardship. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Amazed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amazed/) [Capitalist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalist/) [Capitalists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalists/) [Capitalists Thwarted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalists-thwarted-4484544/) [Concrete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concrete/) [Deflected Dispossessed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deflected-dispossessed-4484545/) [Dispossessed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dispossessed-856471/) [Dispossessed Generals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dispossessed-generals-4484546/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Productions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/productions/) [Resources](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resources/) [Ruined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ruined/) [Scrap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scrap/) [Socialist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/socialist/) [Tokens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tokens/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) [Wilderness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wilderness/) [Wire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wire/) ## Related quotes > [When the mass of men are dispossessed - own nothing - they become wholly dependent upon the owners; and when those owners are in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/when-the-mass-of-men-are-dispossessed-own-nothing-they-become-wholly/) [Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/) > [When a person is dispossessed of his land, there is a reaction and you have to deal with the reaction properly. 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