--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The aristocracy and the ordinary people…" description: "\"“The aristocracy and the ordinary people were like different species. A commoner might rarely be elevated to nobility by acquiring great wealth or poli..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1c/james-essinger-35386_aristocracy_the-aristocracy-and-the-ordinary-people_786841.jpg" --- # The aristocracy and the ordinary people were like… ![“The aristocracy and the ordinary people were like different species. A commoner might rarely be elevated to nobility by acquiring great wealth or political influence, but the easiest way into the aristocracy – then as now – was through marriage. Most aristocrats married other ones, but…” quote by James Essinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1c/james-essinger-35386_aristocracy_the-aristocracy-and-the-ordinary-people_786841.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1c/james-essinger-35386_aristocracy_the-aristocracy-and-the-ordinary-people_786841.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1c/james-essinger-35386_aristocracy_the-aristocracy-and-the-ordinary-people_786841.jpg) > ““The aristocracy and the ordinary people were like different species. A commoner might rarely be elevated to nobility by acquiring great wealth or political influence, but the easiest way into the aristocracy – then as now – was through marriage. Most aristocrats married other ones, but occasionally a commoner might get lucky, just as sometimes happens today. Many”” [James Essinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-essinger/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Aristocracy and commoners were separate groups; marriage was the main path for commoners to join the elite. **In simple terms:** Marriage was the key to social mobility. Key Takeaway Use strategic alliances to rise socially. Themes social hierarchy marriage mobility class history Mood analytical historical Type sociological educational When to use this quote - political marriages - career advancement - networking events Key Concepts social stratification economic power Questions to Reflect On - Can modern societies still use marriage for upward mobility? - What other routes exist today? A Different Perspective Marriage alone may not overcome entrenched barriers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aristocracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aristocracy/) ## Related quotes > [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [ The law for religious freedom... \[has\]put down the aristocracy of the clergy and restored to the citizen the freedom of the mind. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-law-for-religious-freedom-has-put-down-the-aristocracy-of-the/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [We stand a better chance with aristocracy, whether hereditary or elective, than with monarchy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-stiles/we-stand-a-better-chance-with-aristocracy-whether-hereditary-or/) [Ezra Stiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-stiles/) > [Books are the treasured wealth of the world and the fit inheritance of generations and nations. Books, the oldest and the best, stand naturally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/books-are-the-treasured-wealth-of-the-world-and-the-fit-inheritance/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“I believe in aristocracy, though—if that is the right word, and if a democrat may use it. Not an aristocracy of power … but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-n-aron/i-believe-in-aristocracy-though-if-that-is-the-right-word-and-if-a-2/) [Elaine N. Aron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-n-aron/) > [“Why do these big old country houses always have family portraits in the dining room? Do you really want to eat with someone's gloomy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-jane-howard/why-do-these-big-old-country-houses-always-have-family-portraits-in/) [Elizabeth Jane Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-jane-howard/) > [Tomorrow every Duchess in London will be waiting to kiss me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsay-macdonald/tomorrow-every-duchess-in-london-will-be-waiting-to-kiss-me/) [Ramsay MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsay-macdonald/) > [24.9 percent of American children live in poverty, while the proportions in Germany, France and Italy are 8.6, 7.4 and 10.5 percent. And once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-hutton/24-9-percent-of-american-children-live-in-poverty-while-the/) [Will Hutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-hutton/) > [“I believe in aristocracy, though -- if that is the right word, and if a democrat may use it. Not an aristocracy of power,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/i-believe-in-aristocracy-though-if-that-is-the-right-word-and-if-a/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) > [A strong saying is not afraid of criticism, because it includes all the answers to criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/a-strong-saying-is-not-afraid-of-criticism-because-it-includes-all/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [Your best friends are your principles, if you havent them, dont look for another friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/your-best-friends-are-your-principles-if-you-havent-them-dont-look/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [There is... an artificial aristocracy founded on wealth and birth, without either virtue or talents... The artificial aristocracy is a mischievous ingredient in government,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/there-is-an-artificial-aristocracy-founded-on-wealth-and-birth/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Motherland is our property and we have right to handle our properties as pleased. The jokes about death for the sake of the motherland…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/motherland-is-our-property-and-we-have-right-to-handle-our-properties/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [Common sense, in so far as it exists, is all for the bourgeoisie. Nonsense is the privilege of the aristocracy. The worries of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jean-nathan/common-sense-in-so-far-as-it-exists-is-all-for-the-bourgeoisie/) [George Jean Nathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jean-nathan/) ## More by James Essinger > [“Most organisations, when they would dream of the exaltations of the present, roll their eyes backward. The International Business Machines Corporation has beheld no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-essinger/most-organisations-when-they-would-dream-of-the-exaltations-of-the/) [James Essinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-essinger/) > [“Hollerith regarded engineers as backroom boys who worked best when they were left alone. Watson, on the other hand, was quick to chase engineers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-essinger/hollerith-regarded-engineers-as-backroom-boys-who-worked-best-when/) [James Essinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-essinger/) > [“Crucial decisions in business are taken as much for emotional reasons as for logical ones, perhaps even more so. The tabulators inspired a level…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-essinger/crucial-decisions-in-business-are-taken-as-much-for-emotional-reasons/) [James Essinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-essinger/) > [“Watson demanded total loyalty to the corporation from everybody it employed. ‘Joining a company,’ he would tell his staff, ‘is an act that calls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-essinger/watson-demanded-total-loyalty-to-the-corporation-from-everybody-it/) [James Essinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-essinger/) > [“Lady Byron noted with obvious approval that her daughter was more impressed with meeting scientists on Wednesday, June 5, 1833, rather than royalty. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-essinger/lady-byron-noted-with-obvious-approval-that-her-daughter-was-more/) [James Essinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-essinger/) > [“Hollerith was at heart an academic inventor whose commercial success, though not his technological achievement, had in a sense been something of an accident.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-essinger/hollerith-was-at-heart-an-academic-inventor-whose-commercial-success/) [James Essinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-essinger/) > [“The clash of Watson’s and Hollerith’s personalities was a classical example of a brash, energetic, visionary newcomer confronting a staid traditionalist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-essinger/the-clash-of-watson-s-and-hollerith-s-personalities-was-a-classical/) [James Essinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-essinger/) > [“Hollerith learned a lesson that all vendors of data processing devices and computers have learned at some point: that the biggest market for information…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-essinger/hollerith-learned-a-lesson-that-all-vendors-of-data-processing/) [James Essinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-essinger/) > [“IBM had its origins in Jacquard’s endeavours in Revolutionary France. And indeed IBM is, indeed, a direct descendant of the work that went on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-essinger/ibm-had-its-origins-in-jacquard-s-endeavours-in-revolutionary-france/) [James Essinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-essinger/) > [“One of Watson’s many passionately held beliefs was that too many people failed to fulfil their potential because they didn’t make enough effort to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-essinger/one-of-watson-s-many-passionately-held-beliefs-was-that-too-many/) [James Essinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-essinger/) > [“His other deals had tended to bring together companies from the same industry horizontally, or merge customers with their suppliers vertically, or bring together…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-essinger/his-other-deals-had-tended-to-bring-together-companies-from-the-same/) [James Essinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-essinger/) > [“Computer engineers of today are likely to find that if they have a two-week holiday they may miss a crucial new development in computing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-essinger/computer-engineers-of-today-are-likely-to-find-that-if-they-have-a/) [James Essinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-essinger/) [Explore all 13 James Essinger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-essinger/) ## More Aristocracy quotes > [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [Motherland is our property and we have right to handle our properties as pleased. The jokes about death for the sake of the motherland…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/motherland-is-our-property-and-we-have-right-to-handle-our-properties/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [There is... an artificial aristocracy founded on wealth and birth, without either virtue or talents... The artificial aristocracy is a mischievous ingredient in government,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/there-is-an-artificial-aristocracy-founded-on-wealth-and-birth/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Your best friends are your principles, if you havent them, dont look for another friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/your-best-friends-are-your-principles-if-you-havent-them-dont-look/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [A strong saying is not afraid of criticism, because it includes all the answers to criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/a-strong-saying-is-not-afraid-of-criticism-because-it-includes-all/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [“I believe in aristocracy, though -- if that is the right word, and if a democrat may use it. Not an aristocracy of power,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/i-believe-in-aristocracy-though-if-that-is-the-right-word-and-if-a/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) > [24.9 percent of American children live in poverty, while the proportions in Germany, France and Italy are 8.6, 7.4 and 10.5 percent. And once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-hutton/24-9-percent-of-american-children-live-in-poverty-while-the/) [Will Hutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-hutton/) > [Tomorrow every Duchess in London will be waiting to kiss me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsay-macdonald/tomorrow-every-duchess-in-london-will-be-waiting-to-kiss-me/) [Ramsay MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsay-macdonald/) > [“Why do these big old country houses always have family portraits in the dining room? Do you really want to eat with someone's gloomy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-jane-howard/why-do-these-big-old-country-houses-always-have-family-portraits-in/) [Elizabeth Jane Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-jane-howard/) > [“I believe in aristocracy, though—if that is the right word, and if a democrat may use it. Not an aristocracy of power … but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-n-aron/i-believe-in-aristocracy-though-if-that-is-the-right-word-and-if-a-2/) [Elaine N. Aron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-n-aron/) > [Books are the treasured wealth of the world and the fit inheritance of generations and nations. Books, the oldest and the best, stand naturally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/books-are-the-treasured-wealth-of-the-world-and-the-fit-inheritance/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [We stand a better chance with aristocracy, whether hereditary or elective, than with monarchy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-stiles/we-stand-a-better-chance-with-aristocracy-whether-hereditary-or/) [Ezra Stiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-stiles/) > [ The law for religious freedom... \[has\]put down the aristocracy of the clergy and restored to the citizen the freedom of the mind. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-law-for-religious-freedom-has-put-down-the-aristocracy-of-the/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Common sense, in so far as it exists, is all for the bourgeoisie. Nonsense is the privilege of the aristocracy. The worries of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jean-nathan/common-sense-in-so-far-as-it-exists-is-all-for-the-bourgeoisie/) [George Jean Nathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jean-nathan/) [Browse all 426 Aristocracy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aristocracy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The aristocracy and the ordinary people were like different species. A commoner might rarely be elevated to nobility by acquiring great wealth or political influence, but the easiest way into the aristocracy – then as now – was through marriage. Most aristocrats married other ones, but occasionally a commoner might get lucky, just as sometimes happens today. Many”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Essinger" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-essinger/the-aristocracy-and-the-ordinary-people-were-like-different-species-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aristocracy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-essinger/the-aristocracy-and-the-ordinary-people-were-like-different-species-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1c/james-essinger-35386_aristocracy_the-aristocracy-and-the-ordinary-people_786841.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1c/james-essinger-35386_aristocracy_the-aristocracy-and-the-ordinary-people_786841.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1c/james-essinger-35386_aristocracy_the-aristocracy-and-the-ordinary-people_786841.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The aristocracy and the ordinary people were like different species. A commoner might rarely be elevated to…” — James Essinger", "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": "James Essinger", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-essinger/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The aristocracy and the ordinary people...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-essinger/the-aristocracy-and-the-ordinary-people-were-like-different-species-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-essinger/the-aristocracy-and-the-ordinary-people-were-like-different-species-a/#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 } } ] } ```