--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He who has money, lives long: he who has…" description: "\"He who has money, lives long: he who has authority, can do no wrong: he who has might, establishes right. Such is history! Ecce historia!\" — Gottfried ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d0/gottfried-benn-72290_authority_he-who-has-money-lives-long-he-who-has-a_1112932.jpg" --- # He who has money, lives long: he who has authority, can do… ![“He who has money, lives long: he who has authority, can do no wrong: he who has might, establishes right. Such is history! Ecce historia!” quote by Gottfried Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d0/gottfried-benn-72290_authority_he-who-has-money-lives-long-he-who-has-a_1112932.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d0/gottfried-benn-72290_authority_he-who-has-money-lives-long-he-who-has-a_1112932.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d0/gottfried-benn-72290_authority_he-who-has-money-lives-long-he-who-has-a_1112932.jpg) > “He who has money, lives long: he who has authority, can do no wrong: he who has might, establishes right. Such is history! Ecce historia!” [Gottfried Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gottfried-benn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Authority, wealth, and might are portrayed as sources of power and longevity, reflecting a cynical view of history. **In simple terms:** Power comes from money and authority, not virtue. Key Takeaway Question the legitimacy of power structures. Themes power wealth authority history morality Mood cynical analytical Type Authority:1 Can do:0 History:1 Long:0 Long life:0 Might:1 Money:1 Lives Long:0 Long Authority:0 Right History:0 Establishes Right:0 When to use this quote - leadership - social critique - historical analysis - policy making - personal ethics Key Concepts political theory ethical philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What defines rightful authority? - Can wealth be used ethically? A Different Perspective Not all authority is corrupt; some serves justice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) [Can do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-do/) [Establishes Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/establishes-right-2974441/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Lives Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lives-long-372652/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-authority-1253981/) [Long life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-life/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Right History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-history-2307828/) ## Related quotes > [“The right to make revolution is unconditional, for it alone establishes right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stathis-kouvelakis/the-right-to-make-revolution-is-unconditional-for-it-alone/) [Stathis Kouvelakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stathis-kouvelakis/) > [How long would authority ... exist, if not for the willingness of the mass to become soldiers, policemen, jailers, and hangmen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/how-long-would-authority-exist-if-not-for-the-willingness-of-the-mass/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [“Authority and I have no problems as long as authority recognizes that I am absolutely, always right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-travis/authority-and-i-have-no-problems-as-long-as-authority-recognizes-that/) [Todd Travis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-travis/) > [Anything is possible in the life of a man if he lives long enough. Even maturity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howell-raines/anything-is-possible-in-the-life-of-a-man-if-he-lives-long-enough/) [Howell Raines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howell-raines/) > [A light heart lives long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-light-heart-lives-long/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“I give you life in the memory of one who no longer lives. May you have a long life, and may you thank Matthew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mois-s-kaufman/i-give-you-life-in-the-memory-of-one-who-no-longer-lives-may-you-have/) [Moisés Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mois-s-kaufman/) > [May my enemies lives long life to see my success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/may-my-enemies-lives-long-life-to-see-my-success/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [The truth can wait, for it lives a long life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/the-truth-can-wait-for-it-lives-a-long-life/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [Nothing would be more profitable to us than a right history of mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-weishaupt/nothing-would-be-more-profitable-to-us-than-a-right-history-of-mankind/) [Adam Weishaupt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-weishaupt/) > [Values-oriented foreign policy of the free world would be much better, supported by the self-awareness of being on the right side of history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/values-oriented-foreign-policy-of-the-free-world-would-be-much-better/) [Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/) > [I like the feeling that I'm on the right side of history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-abrams/i-like-the-feeling-that-i-m-on-the-right-side-of-history/) [Dan Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-abrams/) > [I would love to see the Church on the right side of history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/i-would-love-to-see-the-church-on-the-right-side-of-history/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [Sometimes you have to stand up for what's right, and sometimes that may be ruffling feathers and may be frowned upon by everyone else,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-hill/sometimes-you-have-to-stand-up-for-what-s-right-and-sometimes-that/) [George Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-hill/) > [Part of why history is so important in my life is because it brings you an awareness that everything isn't new. It gives context…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yara-shahidi/part-of-why-history-is-so-important-in-my-life-is-because-it-brings/) [Yara Shahidi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yara-shahidi/) > [People always want to be on the right side of history; it is a lot easier to say, 'What an atrocity that was' then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-trethewey/people-always-want-to-be-on-the-right-side-of-history-it-is-a-lot/) [Natasha Trethewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-trethewey/) ## More by Gottfried Benn > [Whoever wants to understand much must play much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gottfried-benn/whoever-wants-to-understand-much-must-play-much/) [Gottfried Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gottfried-benn/) [Explore all 2 Gottfried Benn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gottfried-benn/) ## More Authority quotes > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [I think people need to be comfortable questioning the authority of a doctor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/i-think-people-need-to-be-comfortable-questioning-the-authority-of-a/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) > [At a distance, we cannot conceive of the authority of a despot who knows all his subjects on sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stendhal/at-a-distance-we-cannot-conceive-of-the-authority-of-a-despot-who/) [Stendhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stendhal/) > [Throughout human history, as our species has faced the frightening, terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are, or where we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/throughout-human-history-as-our-species-has-faced-the-frightening/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) > [“I'm of the age and immaturity level that I cannot give you my respect solely because you are older or ranked higher on an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-goros/i-m-of-the-age-and-immaturity-level-that-i-cannot-give-you-my-respect/) [Erica Goros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-goros/) > [In the end theologians are jealous of science, for they are aware that it has greater authority than do their own ways of finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-a-coyne/in-the-end-theologians-are-jealous-of-science-for-they-are-aware-that/) [Jerry A. Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-a-coyne/) > [Every wife ought to answer for her man. If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Miracles are like candles lit up until the sun rises, and then blown out. Therefore, I am amused when I hear sects and churches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/miracles-are-like-candles-lit-up-until-the-sun-rises-and-then-blown/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [The execution was set for the 29th of March, at nine in the morning. This delay was due to a desire on the part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/the-execution-was-set-for-the-29th-of-march-at-nine-in-the-morning/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [I started with the belief that every person who came to the laboratory was free to accept or to reject the dictates of authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/i-started-with-the-belief-that-every-person-who-came-to-the/) [Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/) > [The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-millett/the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imposition-of-male-authority/) [Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-millett/) > [“We are at the mercy of whoever wields authority over the things we either desire or detest. If you would be free, then, do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/we-are-at-the-mercy-of-whoever-wields-authority-over-the-things-we/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Sometimes it's easier for people who are in authority to be authoritarian, because people know where you stand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meryl-streep/sometimes-it-s-easier-for-people-who-are-in-authority-to-be/) [Meryl Streep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meryl-streep/) > [The victory of Hamas is not only based on the corruption of the Palestinian Authority. Hamas has a vision and a program, and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ismail-haniyeh/the-victory-of-hamas-is-not-only-based-on-the-corruption-of-the/) [Ismail Haniyeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ismail-haniyeh/) [Browse all 4,003 Authority quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "He who has money, lives long: he who has authority, can do no wrong: he who has might, establishes right. Such is history! 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