--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But Parliament cannot see how it is the…" description: "\"“But Parliament cannot see how it is the state's job to create work. Are not these matters in God's hands, and is not poverty and dereliction part of h..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b3/hilary-mantel-440_god-knows_but-parliament-cannot-see-how-it-is-the_1791754.jpg" --- # But Parliament cannot see how it is the state's job to… ![“But Parliament cannot see how it is the state's job to create work. Are not these matters in God's hands, and is not poverty and dereliction part of his eternal order? To everything there is a season: a time to starve and a time to thieve. If rain falls for six months solid and rots the grain in…” quote by Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b3/hilary-mantel-440_god-knows_but-parliament-cannot-see-how-it-is-the_1791754.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b3/hilary-mantel-440_god-knows_but-parliament-cannot-see-how-it-is-the_1791754.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b3/hilary-mantel-440_god-knows_but-parliament-cannot-see-how-it-is-the_1791754.jpg) > ““But Parliament cannot see how it is the state's job to create work. Are not these matters in God's hands, and is not poverty and dereliction part of his eternal order? To everything there is a season: a time to starve and a time to thieve. If rain falls for six months solid and rots the grain in the fields, there must be providence in it; for God knows his trade. It is an outrage to the rich and enterprising, to suggest that they should pay an income tax, only to put bread in the mouths of the workshy. And if Secretary Cromwell argues that famine provokes criminality: well, are there not hangmen enough?”” [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage argues that poverty and hardship are divine or, dismissing societal responsibility for welfare and taxation. **In simple terms:** It claims hardship is God‑ordained, opposing tax for the poor. Key Takeaway Question assumptions about divine destiny versus social duty. Themes politics religion economics Mood critical skeptical Type political ethical When to use this quote - policy debate - charitable giving - public health - economic planning Key Concepts social contract theodicy Questions to Reflect On - Do divine explanations excuse inaction? - How can societies balance faith and responsibility? A Different Perspective Overlooks human agency and structural causes of poverty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Argues Famine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argues-famine-1952353/) [Cromwell Argues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cromwell-argues-1952354/) [Famine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/famine/) [Famine Provokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/famine-provokes-1952355/) [God knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-knows/) [God'S Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-s-hands/) [Income tax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/income-tax/) [Six months](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/six-months/) [Tax Bread](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tax-bread-1952356/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [If a tax on malt would raise the price of beer, a tax on bread must raise the price of bread.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/if-a-tax-on-malt-would-raise-the-price-of-beer-a-tax-on-bread-must/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [It is better not to try people, not to force them to desperation. Make them prosper; out of superfluidity, they will be generous. Full…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/it-is-better-not-to-try-people-not-to-force-them-to-desperation-make/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [It is such a comfort to drop the tangles of life into God's hands and leave them there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lettie-cowman/it-is-such-a-comfort-to-drop-the-tangles-of-life-into-god-s-hands-and/) [Lettie Cowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lettie-cowman/) > [“God does Love Us and does meet the needs of each and every one of us through Attending Angels. Those Angelic deeds are most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-d-longoria-jr/god-does-love-us-and-does-meet-the-needs-of-each-and-every-one-of-us/) [Raymond D. Longoria Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-d-longoria-jr/) > [This is Christian hope, that the future is in God's hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/this-is-christian-hope-that-the-future-is-in-god-s-hands/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [“When we understand the character of God, when we grasp something of His holiness, then we begin to understand the radical character of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/when-we-understand-the-character-of-god-when-we-grasp-something-of/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [It's in God's hands when we come on this earth and when we leave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bappi-lahiri/it-s-in-god-s-hands-when-we-come-on-this-earth-and-when-we-leave/) [Bappi Lahiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bappi-lahiri/) > [“Leave the broken, irreversible past in God's hands, and step out into the invincible future with Him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/leave-the-broken-irreversible-past-in-god-s-hands-and-step-out-into/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“I'm not saying we shouldn't grieve. Just, why don't we put it in God's hands? she said. Why haven't we learned this, after all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/i-m-not-saying-we-shouldn-t-grieve-just-why-don-t-we-put-it-in-god-s/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“Your future is in God's hands, but He does not promise you marriage. Finding a spouse is a free will process, in which two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-eagar/your-future-is-in-god-s-hands-but-he-does-not-promise-you-marriage/) [Rob Eagar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-eagar/) > [It's in God's hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-chenoweth/it-s-in-god-s-hands/) [Kristin Chenoweth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-chenoweth/) > [“Thank you for reminding me that the future is in God's hands.'" "'You're welcome. And remember, wherever you go, in body and mind, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tricia-goyer/thank-you-for-reminding-me-that-the-future-is-in-god-s-hands-you-re/) [Tricia Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tricia-goyer/) > [“Righteousness is faith in motion. It is the work of faith. The faith we have is expressed by the things we do. When we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-houge/righteousness-is-faith-in-motion-it-is-the-work-of-faith-the-faith-we/) [Adam Houge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-houge/) > [I am part of the Fellowship of the Unashamed... My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is in God's hands...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-madrid/i-am-part-of-the-fellowship-of-the-unashamed-my-past-is-redeemed-my/) [Patrick Madrid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-madrid/) > [Each of us is precious to God because each of us has their name written on the palms of God's hands. And God says…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/each-of-us-is-precious-to-god-because-each-of-us-has-their-name/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) ## More by Hilary Mantel > [People will identify with a persecuted minority without asking themselves what they are identifying with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/people-will-identify-with-a-persecuted-minority-without-asking/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [“The hunter is among the most innocent of men; living in the moment makes him feel pure. When he returns in the evening, his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/the-hunter-is-among-the-most-innocent-of-men-living-in-the-moment/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [“But what would happen … I mean, what would be so awful … if they did meet up?” “Why, it would be like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/but-what-would-happen-i-mean-what-would-be-so-awful-if-they-did-meet/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [When you have committed enough words to paper, you feel you have a spine stiff enough to stand up in the wind. But when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/when-you-have-committed-enough-words-to-paper-you-feel-you-have-a/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [At New Year's he had given Anne a present of silver forks with handles of rock crystal. He hopes she will use them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/at-new-year-s-he-had-given-anne-a-present-of-silver-forks-with/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [“The story of my own childhood is a complicated sentence that I am always trying to finish, to finish and put behind me. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/the-story-of-my-own-childhood-is-a-complicated-sentence-that-i-am/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [“He wants to say, because Anne is not a carnal being, she is a calculating being, with a cold slick brain at work behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/he-wants-to-say-because-anne-is-not-a-carnal-being-she-is-a/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [“Come to that, don't pay out good money for horoscopes. If things are going to go badly for you, is that what you need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/come-to-that-don-t-pay-out-good-money-for-horoscopes-if-things-are/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [“But my sins are my strength, he thinks; the sins I have done, that others have not even found the opportunity of committing. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/but-my-sins-are-my-strength-he-thinks-the-sins-i-have-done-that/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [Feminism hasn't failed, it's just never been tried.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/feminism-hasn-t-failed-it-s-just-never-been-tried/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [“Mirabeau: “If you have been told to clear us from this hall, you must ask for orders to use force. We shall leave our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/mirabeau-if-you-have-been-told-to-clear-us-from-this-hall-you-must/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [“Cardinal Campeggio has implored Katherine to bow to the king's will, accept that her marriage is invalid and retire to a convent. Certainly, she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/cardinal-campeggio-has-implored-katherine-to-bow-to-the-king-s-will/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [“Sion calls Anne an eel, he calls her a slippery dipper from the slime, and he remembers what the cardinal had called her: my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/sion-calls-anne-an-eel-he-calls-her-a-slippery-dipper-from-the-slime/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [I spend a great deal of time on research, on finding all the available accounts of a scene or incident, finding out all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/i-spend-a-great-deal-of-time-on-research-on-finding-all-the-available/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [“At the front, people die for their mistakes. Why should politicians be more gently treated? They made the war. They deserve a dozen deaths,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/at-the-front-people-die-for-their-mistakes-why-should-politicians-be/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) [Explore all 559 Hilary Mantel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) ## More Famine quotes > [I felt cheated by the way grown-ups told me that the future of the world was bleak when I became a teenager in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-ridley/i-felt-cheated-by-the-way-grown-ups-told-me-that-the-future-of-the/) [Matt Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-ridley/) > [I read the other day an account of a meeting between John Knox and John Calvin. Imagine a dialogue between a pestilence and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/i-read-the-other-day-an-account-of-a-meeting-between-john-knox-and/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [With war and famine and flood and special effects films, when you do somebody under duress, you have to be really be inventive and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-weir/with-war-and-famine-and-flood-and-special-effects-films-when-you-do/) [Peter Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-weir/) > [Why do some die and some live? The answer was clearly, that on the whole the best fitted live. From the effects of disease…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-russel-wallace/why-do-some-die-and-some-live-the-answer-was-clearly-that-on-the/) [Alfred Russel Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-russel-wallace/) > [Calamity, war, famine, plague, death, adversity, disease, injury do not necessarily produce repentance. We may become better in a calamity but it does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/calamity-war-famine-plague-death-adversity-disease-injury-do-not/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [Tolkien can say that Aragorn became king and reigned for a hundred years, and he was wise and good. But Tolkien doesn’t ask the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin-2/tolkien-can-say-that-aragorn-became-king-and-reigned-for-a-hundred/) [George R. R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin-2/) > [A huge famine hit North Korea in the mid-1990s. Ultimately, more than a million North Koreans died during the famine, and many only survived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-hyeon-seo/a-huge-famine-hit-north-korea-in-the-mid-1990s-ultimately-more-than-a/) [Lee Hyeon-seo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-hyeon-seo/) > [Death and Famine and War and Pollution continued biking towards Tadfield. And Grievous Bodily Harm, Cruelty To Animals, Things Not Working Properly Even After…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/death-and-famine-and-war-and-pollution-continued-biking-towards/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Famines are political. We all know that the immediate response to a famine must be food, aid, and shelter, but we should also look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-rudd/famines-are-political-we-all-know-that-the-immediate-response-to-a/) [Amber Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-rudd/) > [“Famine, plague and war will probably continue to claim millions of victims in the coming decades. Yet they are no longer unavoidable tragedies beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/famine-plague-and-war-will-probably-continue-to-claim-millions-of/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [Sometimes I want to ask God why He allows poverty, famine, and injustice when He could do something about it, but I'm afraid he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdu-l-bah/sometimes-i-want-to-ask-god-why-he-allows-poverty-famine-and/) [Abdu'l-Bahá](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdu-l-bah/) > [I can't decide for you whether or not you have got to write, but if anything in the world, war, or pestilence, or famine,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/i-can-t-decide-for-you-whether-or-not-you-have-got-to-write-but-if/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [Years of drought and famine come and years of flood and famine come, and the climate is not changed with dance, libation or prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley-powell/years-of-drought-and-famine-come-and-years-of-flood-and-famine-come/) [John Wesley Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley-powell/) > [No famine has ever taken place in the history of the world in a functioning democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/no-famine-has-ever-taken-place-in-the-history-of-the-world-in-a/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [So much of the world's suffering results from the sinful action or inaction of ourselves and others. For example, people look at a famine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/so-much-of-the-world-s-suffering-results-from-the-sinful-action-or/) [Lee Strobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/) [Browse all 401 Famine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/famine/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But Parliament cannot see how it is the state's job to create work. Are not these matters in God's hands, and is not poverty and dereliction part of his eternal order? To everything there is a season: a time to starve and a time to thieve. If rain falls for six months solid and rots the grain in the fields, there must be providence in it; for God knows his trade. It is an outrage to the rich and enterprising, to suggest that they should pay an income tax, only to put bread in the mouths of the workshy. 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