--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Poverty makes people sub-human Excess of…" description: "\"Poverty makes people sub-human Excess of wealth makes people inhuman\" — Groucho Marx" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4a/groucho-marx-788_excess_poverty-makes-people-sub-human-excess-of_1037393.jpg" --- # Poverty makes people sub-human Excess of wealth makes… ![“Poverty makes people sub-human Excess of wealth makes people inhuman” quote by Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4a/groucho-marx-788_excess_poverty-makes-people-sub-human-excess-of_1037393.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4a/groucho-marx-788_excess_poverty-makes-people-sub-human-excess-of_1037393.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4a/groucho-marx-788_excess_poverty-makes-people-sub-human-excess-of_1037393.jpg) > “Poverty makes people sub-human Excess of wealth makes people inhuman” [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He contrasts poverty and wealth, suggesting both extremes can dehumanize, highlighting the need for balance and empathy. **In simple terms:** Both poverty and excess can strip humanity. Key Takeaway Seek balance and compassion. Themes social inequality human dignity moderation Mood satirical critical Type social ethical When to use this quote - policy making - charitable work - personal finance Key Concepts dehumanization economic disparity ethical living Questions to Reflect On - How does wealth affect moral behavior? - What can societies do to maintain humanity across classes? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex socioeconomic factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Excess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excess/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) ## Related quotes > [To my mind there are not enough things that show the Nazis as human, as smart people, charismatic people, who are not inhuman naturally.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/to-my-mind-there-are-not-enough-things-that-show-the-nazis-as-human/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [Poverty makes you work really hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maye-musk/poverty-makes-you-work-really-hard/) [Maye Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maye-musk/) > [Well, you can do whatever you want, but just don’t call it inequality. Put the word poverty there. Because we have many rich people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branko-milanovic/well-you-can-do-whatever-you-want-but-just-don-t-call-it-inequality/) [Branko Milanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branko-milanovic/) > [We are raising a generation that has a woefully small stock of ideas and interests and emotions. It must be amused at all costs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mccracken/we-are-raising-a-generation-that-has-a-woefully-small-stock-of-ideas/) [Robert McCracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mccracken/) > [If poverty makes man groan, he yawns in opulence. When fortune exempts us from labor, nature overwhelms us with time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-rivarol/if-poverty-makes-man-groan-he-yawns-in-opulence-when-fortune-exempts/) [Antoine Rivarol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-rivarol/) > [Anybody can see that the little money you get is half-wasted, because you cannot spend it to advantage. The worst food comes to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-holyoake/anybody-can-see-that-the-little-money-you-get-is-half-wasted-because/) [George Holyoake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-holyoake/) > [A great philosopher has stated that the worst evil of poverty is, that it makes folks ridiculous; by which, I hope, he only means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-payn/a-great-philosopher-has-stated-that-the-worst-evil-of-poverty-is-that/) [James Payn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-payn/) > [ Poverty makes people do reckless things, but \[the rich\] do worse to protect their \[interests\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immortal-technique/poverty-makes-people-do-reckless-things-but-the-rich-do-worse-to/) [Immortal Technique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immortal-technique/) > [“Poverty makes a slave out of men. In order to eat he will accept work that gives no pleasure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/poverty-makes-a-slave-out-of-men-in-order-to-eat-he-will-accept-work/) [André Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [Poverty makes you sad as well as wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertolt-brecht/poverty-makes-you-sad-as-well-as-wise/) [Bertolt Brecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertolt-brecht/) > [The Democrat Party makes as many people victims as possible because it freezes them right where they are. And that's usually in lower middle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-democrat-party-makes-as-many-people-victims-as-possible-because/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [There is hunger for ordinary bread, and there is hunger for love, for kindness, for thoughtfulness, and this is the great poverty that makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/there-is-hunger-for-ordinary-bread-and-there-is-hunger-for-love-for/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Poverty makes it very difficult in an already competitive world for kids to get on a straight track where they can actually love learning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-deavere-smith/poverty-makes-it-very-difficult-in-an-already-competitive-world-for/) [Anna Deavere Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-deavere-smith/) > [Poverty makes you wise but it's a curse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertolt-brecht/poverty-makes-you-wise-but-it-s-a-curse/) [Bertolt Brecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertolt-brecht/) > [Seeing so much poverty everywhere makes me think that God is not rich. He gives the appearance of it, but I suspect some financial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/seeing-so-much-poverty-everywhere-makes-me-think-that-god-is-not-rich/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) ## More by Groucho Marx > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [There is no sweeter sound than the crumbling of one's fellow man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/there-is-no-sweeter-sound-than-the-crumbling-of-one-s-fellow-man/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [Television is where you watch people in your living room that you would not want near your house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/television-is-where-you-watch-people-in-your-living-room-that-you/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [ He \[Groucho's father\] had absolutely no training, and if you had ever seen one of his suits, you'd realize what an accurate statement that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/he-groucho-s-father-had-absolutely-no-training-and-if-you-had-ever/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [Women should be obscene and not heard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/women-should-be-obscene-and-not-heard/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [Why would I want to join an organization that would encourage people like myself to become members.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/why-would-i-want-to-join-an-organization-that-would-encourage-people/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, and that's not saying much for you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/you-re-the-most-beautiful-woman-i-ve-ever-seen-and-that-s-not-saying/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [The only game I like to play is "Old Maid", providing she's not too old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/the-only-game-i-like-to-play-is-old-maid-providing-she-s-not-too-old/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [Who are you going to believe, me or your own eyes?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/who-are-you-going-to-believe-me-or-your-own-eyes/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [My favourite poem is the one that starts 'Thirty days hath September' because it actually tells you something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/my-favourite-poem-is-the-one-that-starts-thirty-days-hath-september/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [Afraid? Me? A man who's licked his weight in wild caterpillars?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/afraid-me-a-man-who-s-licked-his-weight-in-wild-caterpillars/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [I hate London when it's not raining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/i-hate-london-when-it-s-not-raining/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [I never forget a face, but in your case I'll be glad to make an exception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/i-never-forget-a-face-but-in-your-case-i-ll-be-glad-to-make-an/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [Let there be dancing in the streets, drinking in the saloons, and necking in the parlor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/let-there-be-dancing-in-the-streets-drinking-in-the-saloons-and/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [If women dressed for men, the stores wouldn't sell much - just an occasional sun visor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/if-women-dressed-for-men-the-stores-wouldn-t-sell-much-just-an/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) [Explore all 366 Groucho Marx quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) ## More Excess quotes > [In discovering books, you became free to explore the full range of human motives, desires, secrets, and lies. All my life, people have scolded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/in-discovering-books-you-became-free-to-explore-the-full-range-of/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [My conscience is really active. So I feel bad about spending excess amount of money on things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/my-conscience-is-really-active-so-i-feel-bad-about-spending-excess/) [Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/) > [Christianity does not oppose debauchery and uncontrollable passions and the like as much as it opposes... flat mediocrity, this nauseating atmosphere, this homey, civil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/christianity-does-not-oppose-debauchery-and-uncontrollable-passions/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [A too closely watched flower/blossoms the wrong color./Excess attention to the jonquil/turns it gentian. Flowers/need it tranquil to get/their hues right. Some/only open at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ryan/a-too-closely-watched-flower-blossoms-the-wrong-color-excess/) [Kay Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-ryan/) > [This isn't a picture filled with wonder and a sense of fun; it's so jaded and crass that I almost wonder if it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-zacharek/this-isn-t-a-picture-filled-with-wonder-and-a-sense-of-fun-it-s-so/) [Stephanie Zacharek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-zacharek/) > [Enjoy the necessities of life but eschew the excesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gardner/enjoy-the-necessities-of-life-but-eschew-the-excesses/) [Ian Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gardner/) > [Most of us try to do too much because we are secretly afraid we will not be able to do anything at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-aster/most-of-us-try-to-do-too-much-because-we-are-secretly-afraid-we-will/) Rick Aster > [As the future is never known with certainty, the evaluation of the prospective benefits requires the formation of expectations. An acceptable house, partner or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-t-mortensen/as-the-future-is-never-known-with-certainty-the-evaluation-of-the/) [Dale T. Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-t-mortensen/) > [I believe that government should confine itself to the public realm and that it should be as stripped down as possible, within reason. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/i-believe-that-government-should-confine-itself-to-the-public-realm/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [All excess is ill; but drunkenness is of the worst sort. It spoils health, dismounts the mind, and unmans men. It reveals secrets, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/all-excess-is-ill-but-drunkenness-is-of-the-worst-sort-it-spoils/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [“The Deliverator belongs to an elite order, a hallowed subcategory. He’s got esprit up to here. Right now, he is preparing to carry out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/the-deliverator-belongs-to-an-elite-order-a-hallowed-subcategory-he-s/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [Well, as you know, we're working through a difficult period in our financial markets right now as we work off some of the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-paulson/well-as-you-know-we-re-working-through-a-difficult-period-in-our/) [Henry Paulson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-paulson/) > [The saints differ from us in their exuberance, the excess of our human talents. Moderation is not their secret. It is in the wildness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/the-saints-differ-from-us-in-their-exuberance-the-excess-of-our-human/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [Despite the recent conviction of many that we're headed back to inflation, I think deflation remains the more likely prospect. You've just got too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shilling/despite-the-recent-conviction-of-many-that-we-re-headed-back-to/) [Gary Shilling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shilling/) > [ Look at what I am proposing, and we \[wih Bernie Sanders\] have a vigorous agreement here. We both want to reign in the excesses… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/look-at-what-i-am-proposing-and-we-wih-bernie-sanders-have-a-vigorous/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) [Browse all 952 Excess quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excess/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Poverty makes people sub-human Excess of wealth makes people inhuman", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Groucho Marx" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/poverty-makes-people-sub-human-excess-of-wealth-makes-people-inhuman/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Excess" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/poverty-makes-people-sub-human-excess-of-wealth-makes-people-inhuman/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4a/groucho-marx-788_excess_poverty-makes-people-sub-human-excess-of_1037393.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4a/groucho-marx-788_excess_poverty-makes-people-sub-human-excess-of_1037393.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4a/groucho-marx-788_excess_poverty-makes-people-sub-human-excess-of_1037393.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Poverty makes people sub-human Excess of wealth makes people inhuman” — Groucho Marx", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Groucho Marx", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Poverty makes people sub-human Excess of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/poverty-makes-people-sub-human-excess-of-wealth-makes-people-inhuman/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/poverty-makes-people-sub-human-excess-of-wealth-makes-people-inhuman/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```