--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The system, in its irrationality, has…" description: "\"“The system, in its irrationality, has been driven by profit to build steel skyscrapers for insurance companies while the cities decay, to spend billio..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b57/howard-zinn-576_children_the-system-in-its-irrationality-has-been_1006224.jpg" --- # The system, in its irrationality, has been driven by… ![“The system, in its irrationality, has been driven by profit to build steel skyscrapers for insurance companies while the cities decay, to spend billions for weapons of destruction and virtually nothing for children’s playgrounds, to give huge incomes to men who make dangerous or useless things…” quote by Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b57/howard-zinn-576_children_the-system-in-its-irrationality-has-been_1006224.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b57/howard-zinn-576_children_the-system-in-its-irrationality-has-been_1006224.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b57/howard-zinn-576_children_the-system-in-its-irrationality-has-been_1006224.jpg) > ““The system, in its irrationality, has been driven by profit to build steel skyscrapers for insurance companies while the cities decay, to spend billions for weapons of destruction and virtually nothing for children’s playgrounds, to give huge incomes to men who make dangerous or useless things, and very little to artists, musicians, writers, actors. Capitalism has always been a failure for the lower classes. It is now beginning to fail for the middle classes.”” [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote criticizes capitalism for prioritizing profit over public welfare, leading to neglect of essential social services and cultural support. **In simple terms:** Profit drives neglect of public good. Key Takeaway Advocate policies that balance profit with public needs. Themes inequality capitalism public welfare politics social justice Mood critical concerned Type political social commentary When to use this quote - urban planning - education funding - arts funding - defense budgeting - middle class support Key Concepts economic disparity public policy wealth distribution Questions to Reflect On - How can we restructure incentives to benefit all classes? - What role should government play in balancing profit and public good? A Different Perspective Capitalism also spurs innovation and wealth creation for many. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actors Capitalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors-capitalism-2156718/) [Capitalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism/) [Capitalism Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism-failure-540317/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Lower Classes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lower-classes-305142/) [Middle Classes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-classes/) [Useless things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/useless-things/) ## Related quotes > [Capitalism has always been a failure for the lower classes. It is now beginning to fail for the middle classes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/capitalism-has-always-been-a-failure-for-the-lower-classes-it-is-now/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [These people—the employed, the somewhat privileged—are drawn into alliance with the elite. They become the guards of the system, buffers between the upper and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/these-people-the-employed-the-somewhat-privileged-are-drawn-into/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [What vitiates entirely the socialists economic critique of capitalism is their failure to grasp the sovereignty of the consumers in the market economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/what-vitiates-entirely-the-socialists-economic-critique-of-capitalism/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Capitalism without failure is like religion without sin. Bankruptcies and losses concentrate the mind on prudent behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-h-meltzer/capitalism-without-failure-is-like-religion-without-sin-bankruptcies/) [Allan H. Meltzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-h-meltzer/) > [I regard it as very unfair, but capitalism without failure is like religion without hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/i-regard-it-as-very-unfair-but-capitalism-without-failure-is-like/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [I never knew that the lower classes had such white skins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-curzon-1st-marquess-curzon-of-kedleston/i-never-knew-that-the-lower-classes-had-such-white-skins/) [George Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-curzon-1st-marquess-curzon-of-kedleston/) > [Necessity is the constant scourge of the lower classes, ennui of the higher ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/necessity-is-the-constant-scourge-of-the-lower-classes-ennui-of-the/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [The initial 18th-, 19th-century intention was to give the less-educated lower classes a way to move up into this new, rising middle class, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kory-stamper/the-initial-18th-19th-century-intention-was-to-give-the-less-educated/) [Kory Stamper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kory-stamper/) > [My plan of instruction is extremely simple and limited. They learn, on week-days, such coarse works as may fit them for servants. I allow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/my-plan-of-instruction-is-extremely-simple-and-limited-they-learn-on/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [I have no doubt but that the misery of the lower classes will be found to abate whenever the Government assumes a freer aspect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/i-have-no-doubt-but-that-the-misery-of-the-lower-classes-will-be/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [We lose our bearings entirely by speaking of the 'lower classes' when we mean humanity minus ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-lose-our-bearings-entirely-by-speaking-of-the-lower-classes-when/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The correct relationship between the higher and lower classes, the appropriate mutual interaction between the two is, as such, the true underlying support on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-gottlieb-fichte/the-correct-relationship-between-the-higher-and-lower-classes-the/) [Johann Gottlieb Fichte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-gottlieb-fichte/) > [Of course the lower classes have always felt downtrodden and aspired to a better life. But there is this theory that people respond to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/of-course-the-lower-classes-have-always-felt-downtrodden-and-aspired/) [Damian Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-lewis/) > [Socialism is nothing but the capitalism of the lower classes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-spengler/socialism-is-nothing-but-the-capitalism-of-the-lower-classes/) [Oswald Spengler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-spengler/) > [The lower classes are such fools. They waste their money on the pools. I bet, of course, but that's misleading. One must encourage bloodstock…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-ballantrae-bernard-fergusson/the-lower-classes-are-such-fools-they-waste-their-money-on-the-pools/) [Baron Ballantrae Bernard Fergusson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-ballantrae-bernard-fergusson/) ## More by Howard Zinn > [“A black man, Benjamin Banneker, who taught himself mathematics and astronomy, predicted accurately a solar eclipse, and was appointed to plan the new city…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/a-black-man-benjamin-banneker-who-taught-himself-mathematics-and/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [There is no flag large enough to cover the shame of killing innocent people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/there-is-no-flag-large-enough-to-cover-the-shame-of-killing-innocent/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“a good education is a synthesis of book learning and involvement in social action, because each enrich the other. 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You would be astounded--maybe you wouldn't, maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/now-i-have-been-studying-very-closely-what-happens-every-day-in-the/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [They were not mentioned in the Declaration of Independence, they were absent in the Constitution and they were invisible in the new political democracy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/they-were-not-mentioned-in-the-declaration-of-independence-they-were/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“Sexual purity was to be the special virtue of a woman. It was assumed that men, as a matter of biological nature, would sin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/sexual-purity-was-to-be-the-special-virtue-of-a-woman-it-was-assumed/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“Middle-class Americans might be invited to join a new elite by attacks against the corruption of the established rich. 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So when the British military commander in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/george-washington-had-turned-down-the-requests-of-blacks-seeking/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) [Explore all 461 Howard Zinn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) ## More Capitalism quotes > [Don't let's lose sight of what creates wealth. 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