Born Quote by James Russell Lowell
“A father of the church said that property was theft, many centuries before Proudhon was born. Bourdaloue reaffirmed it. Montesquieu was the inventor of national workshops and of the theory that the state owed every man a living. Nay, was not the church herself the first organized democracy?”
About This Quote
The quote contrasts early religious criticism of property with later political ideas about state responsibility, suggesting early democratic thought in the church.
In simple terms: Early church critiqued ownership and hinted at communal responsibility.
Key Takeaway
Recognize historical roots of social critique.
Themes
property
democracy
religion
politics
Mood
critical
historical
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- theological debates
- political theory
- social movements
- policy discussions
Key Concepts
social contract
communal ownership
state welfare
Questions to Reflect On
- How did religious teachings influence early democratic ideas?
- Can state welfare replace private ownership?
A Different Perspective
Modern capitalism may resist communal ideas.
![“Montesquieu well knew, and justly admired, the happy constitution of this country [Great Britain], where fixed and known laws equally restrain monarchy from tyranny and liberty from licentiousness.” quote by Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/708/lord-chesterfield-757_britain_montesquieu-well-knew-and-justly-admired_2143500.jpg)
![“[Montesquieu] lifted the veil from the venerable errors which enslaved opinion, and pointed the way to those luminous truths of which he had but a glimpse himself.” quote by James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0cf/james-madison-373_errors_montesquieu-lifted-the-veil-from-the-ven_1991887.jpg)
![“[B]ut in literature, it should be remembered, a thing always becomes his at last who says it best, and thus makes it his own.” quote by James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/4fa/james-russell-lowell-561_books_b-ut-in-literature-it-should-be-remember_55085.jpg)
