--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Man's envy is at its most intense where…" description: "\"Man's envy is at its most intense where all are almost equal; his calls for redistribution are loudest when there is virtually nothing to redistribute...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ed/helmut-schoeck-47086_envy_man-s-envy-is-at-its-most-intense-where_636415.jpg" --- # Man's envy is at its most intense where all are almost… ![“Man's envy is at its most intense where all are almost equal; his calls for redistribution are loudest when there is virtually nothing to redistribute.” quote by Helmut Schoeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ed/helmut-schoeck-47086_envy_man-s-envy-is-at-its-most-intense-where_636415.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ed/helmut-schoeck-47086_envy_man-s-envy-is-at-its-most-intense-where_636415.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ed/helmut-schoeck-47086_envy_man-s-envy-is-at-its-most-intense-where_636415.jpg) > “Man's envy is at its most intense where all are almost equal; his calls for redistribution are loudest when there is virtually nothing to redistribute.” [Helmut Schoeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-schoeck/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Envy peaks when people are nearly equal, prompting strong calls for redistribution despite little wealth to share. **In simple terms:** People envy most when they are similar, leading to loud redistribution demands even with little to divide. Key Takeaway Recognize that perceived fairness can drive policy demands beyond actual wealth gaps. Themes inequality envy redistribution politics social justice Mood critical analytical thought‑provoking Type sociological political economic When to use this quote - political debates - tax reform discussions - social welfare planning - community negotiations - media commentary Key Concepts relative deprivation collective bargaining public policy economic theory Questions to Reflect On - How does perceived equality affect political demands? - What policies address both envy and actual scarcity? A Different Perspective Envy may be overstated if structural differences are ignored, and redistribution may not address root causes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Envy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/envy/) [Intense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intense/) [Jealousy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jealousy/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Redistribution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/redistribution/) ## Related quotes > [The only man I envy is the man who has not yet been to Africa- for he has so much to look forward to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/the-only-man-i-envy-is-the-man-who-has-not-yet-been-to-africa-for-he/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [We see how much a man has, and therefore we envy him; did we see how little he enjoys, we should rather pity him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremiah-seed/we-see-how-much-a-man-has-and-therefore-we-envy-him-did-we-see-how/) [Jeremiah Seed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremiah-seed/) > [It is always better to imitate a successful man than to envy him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/it-is-always-better-to-imitate-a-successful-man-than-to-envy-him/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [So there I was, with the two hottest girls on campus, having lunch. I was "the man", the envy of every other guy in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendelin-van-draanen/so-there-i-was-with-the-two-hottest-girls-on-campus-having-lunch-i/) [Wendelin Van Draanen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendelin-van-draanen/) > [You will be able to check envy if you rejoice with the man whom you envy whenever he rejoices, and grieve whenever he grieves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximus-the-confessor/you-will-be-able-to-check-envy-if-you-rejoice-with-the-man-whom-you/) [Maximus the Confessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximus-the-confessor/) > [Redistribution depends on three things, amnesia,meaning you don't remember the murderous paths of these beliefs. Envy, you hate the successful in the present and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jedediah-bila/redistribution-depends-on-three-things-amnesia-meaning-you-don-t/) [Jedediah Bila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jedediah-bila/) > [We envy those whose possessions or achievements are a reflection on our own. They are our neighbors and equals. It is they, above all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-schoeck/we-envy-those-whose-possessions-or-achievements-are-a-reflection-on/) [Helmut Schoeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-schoeck/) > [Overwhelming and astounding inequality,especially when it has an element of the unattainable, arouses far less envy than minimal inequality, which inevitably causes the envious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-schoeck/overwhelming-and-astounding-inequality-especially-when-it-has-an/) [Helmut Schoeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-schoeck/) > [Christianity provided man for the first time with supernatural beings who, he knew, could neither envy nor ridicule him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-schoeck/christianity-provided-man-for-the-first-time-with-supernatural-beings/) [Helmut Schoeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-schoeck/) > [Adolescents swing from euphoric self-confidence and a kind of narcissistic strength in which they feel invulnerable and even immortal, to despair, self-emptiness, self-deprecation. At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terri-e-apter/adolescents-swing-from-euphoric-self-confidence-and-a-kind-of/) [Terri E Apter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terri-e-apter/) > [Voluntary exchange is more moral than forced redistribution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shapiro/voluntary-exchange-is-more-moral-than-forced-redistribution/) [Ben Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shapiro/) > [ \[Steven\] Lerner said that unions and community organizations are, for all intents and purposes, dead. The only way to achieve their goals, therefore -… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/steven-lerner-said-that-unions-and-community-organizations-are-for/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“Redistribution alone will never be sufficient for sustained, shared improvement in living standards.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edd-s-noell/redistribution-alone-will-never-be-sufficient-for-sustained-shared/) Edd S. Noell > [The people who are working, paying their taxes are put into the system so that affordable housing could be built in neighborhoods that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bolling/the-people-who-are-working-paying-their-taxes-are-put-into-the-system/) [Eric Bolling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bolling/) > [I think one of the most important facts of basic income would be that it's not only a redistribution of income, but also of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/i-think-one-of-the-most-important-facts-of-basic-income-would-be-that/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) ## More by Helmut Schoeck > [Christianity provided man for the first time with supernatural beings who, he knew, could neither envy nor ridicule him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-schoeck/christianity-provided-man-for-the-first-time-with-supernatural-beings/) [Helmut Schoeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-schoeck/) > [Overwhelming and astounding inequality,especially when it has an element of the unattainable, arouses far less envy than minimal inequality, which inevitably causes the envious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-schoeck/overwhelming-and-astounding-inequality-especially-when-it-has-an/) [Helmut Schoeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-schoeck/) > [We envy those whose possessions or achievements are a reflection on our own. They are our neighbors and equals. It is they, above all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-schoeck/we-envy-those-whose-possessions-or-achievements-are-a-reflection-on/) [Helmut Schoeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-schoeck/) > [The envious man thinks that if his neighbor breaks a leg, he will be able to walk better himself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-schoeck/the-envious-man-thinks-that-if-his-neighbor-breaks-a-leg-he-will-be/) [Helmut Schoeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-schoeck/) > [The more kindness shown to an envious man, the worse he becomes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-schoeck/the-more-kindness-shown-to-an-envious-man-the-worse-he-becomes/) [Helmut Schoeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-schoeck/) > [To claim "humanitarian motives" when the motive is envy and its supposed appeasement, is a favorite rhetorical device of politicians today, and has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-schoeck/to-claim-humanitarian-motives-when-the-motive-is-envy-and-its/) [Helmut Schoeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-schoeck/) > [“The utopian desire for an egalitarian society cannot, however, have sprung from any other motive than that of an inability to come to terms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-schoeck/the-utopian-desire-for-an-egalitarian-society-cannot-however-have/) [Helmut Schoeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-schoeck/) [Explore all 8 Helmut Schoeck quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-schoeck/) ## More Envy quotes > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [“He often remembered his dad's admonition that envy was mental theft. If you coveted another man's possessions, Dad said, then you should be willing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/he-often-remembered-his-dad-s-admonition-that-envy-was-mental-theft/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“I don't envy "busy." Busy means having a schedule, not living life. What I really covet is leisure and peace of mind. Those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-lynn-hope/i-don-t-envy-busy-busy-means-having-a-schedule-not-living-life-what-i/) [Donna Lynn Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-lynn-hope/) > [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/) > [Thinking, or more precisely identification with thinking, gives rise to and maintains the ego, which, in our Western society in particular, is out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/thinking-or-more-precisely-identification-with-thinking-gives-rise-to/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“Is it not strange that the more someone has, the less he feels he has? Envy can never be sated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-wheeler/is-it-not-strange-that-the-more-someone-has-the-less-he-feels-he-has/) [Jeff Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-wheeler/) > [I avoid envy at all costs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-winkleman/i-avoid-envy-at-all-costs/) [Claudia Winkleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-winkleman/) > [Sometimes I envy painters, it is wonderful to remain in front of a bouquet of flowers a whole morning, or even longer. A photographer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edouard-boubat/sometimes-i-envy-painters-it-is-wonderful-to-remain-in-front-of-a/) [Edouard Boubat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edouard-boubat/) > [avarice breeds envy, a worm that is always gnawing, letting the avaricious enjoy neither their own nor anyone else's good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/avarice-breeds-envy-a-worm-that-is-always-gnawing-letting-the/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [“You don’t see someone flying and you begin to bite yourself for not being able to do that. You do what you can.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/you-don-t-see-someone-flying-and-you-begin-to-bite-yourself-for-not/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Knowledge forbidden? Suspicious, reasonless. Why should their Lord Envy them that? Can it be sin to know, Can it be death? And do they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/knowledge-forbidden-suspicious-reasonless-why-should-their-lord-envy/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [“Who would have thought you had so many supporters?" she whispered. "Not mine, my love. Yours. I had not a one till you started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-sinclair/who-would-have-thought-you-had-so-many-supporters-she-whispered-not/) [Michele Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-sinclair/) > [“Treachery is always a hairy caterpillar bred of a small butterfly called envy, no matter how lofty the principles involved.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fazil-iskander/treachery-is-always-a-hairy-caterpillar-bred-of-a-small-butterfly/) Fazil Iskander > [Yes, Clay Matthews has a long, golden, Fabio-esque flowing mane that most women would chick-slap someone for. And yes, the shiny, beautiful, dark locks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-foudy/yes-clay-matthews-has-a-long-golden-fabio-esque-flowing-mane-that/) [Julie Foudy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-foudy/) > [“I have known many true connoisseurs, with excellent tastes that range across the humanities and the culinary arts--and they never fail to have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/i-have-known-many-true-connoisseurs-with-excellent-tastes-that-range/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) [Browse all 2,111 Envy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/envy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Man's envy is at its most intense where all are almost equal; his calls for redistribution are loudest when there is virtually nothing to redistribute.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Helmut Schoeck" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-schoeck/man-s-envy-is-at-its-most-intense-where-all-are-almost-equal-his/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Envy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-schoeck/man-s-envy-is-at-its-most-intense-where-all-are-almost-equal-his/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ed/helmut-schoeck-47086_envy_man-s-envy-is-at-its-most-intense-where_636415.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ed/helmut-schoeck-47086_envy_man-s-envy-is-at-its-most-intense-where_636415.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ed/helmut-schoeck-47086_envy_man-s-envy-is-at-its-most-intense-where_636415.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Man's envy is at its most intense where all are almost equal; his calls for redistribution are loudest when…” — Helmut Schoeck", "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": "Helmut Schoeck", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-schoeck/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Man's envy is at its most...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-schoeck/man-s-envy-is-at-its-most-intense-where-all-are-almost-equal-his/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-schoeck/man-s-envy-is-at-its-most-intense-where-all-are-almost-equal-his/#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 } } ] } ```