Earning money Quote by John Hospers
““A fascist is anyone who, seeing a man working hard and earning money, says, "He's getting more than we are, let's pass a law to take it away from him!””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Political Philosophy Lecture, John Hospers, 1970
A fascist is defined as someone who, out of envy, seeks to confiscate wealth earned by hard work through legislation.
In simple terms: Envy leads to law‑driven theft of earned money.
Key Takeaway
Beware policies that punish success.
Themes
politics
economics
justice
Mood
critical
skeptical
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- labor negotiations
- tax policy
- wealth inequality
- social welfare debates
Key Concepts
property rights
redistribution
authoritarianism
Questions to Reflect On
- What motivations drive calls for wealth redistribution?
- How can societies protect both fairness and individual effort?
A Different Perspective
Such laws may claim fairness but often mask power grabs.
![“This man, although he may not have actually committed the crime attributed to him, is nevertheless morally culpable, because he is the enemy of our existing institutions. [Case of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti 1916-1927]” quote by Judge Webster Thayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8fe/judge-webster-thayer-250866_crime_this-man-although-he-may-not-have-actual_375068.jpg)
![“[Professor Greene's] reaction to GAMAY, as published in the Yale Daily News, fairly took one's breath away. He fondled the word "fascist" as though he had come up with a Dead Sea Scroll vouchsafing the key word to the understanding of God and Man at Yale. In a few sentences he used the term…” quote by William F. Buckley Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/709/william-f-buckley-jr-2-34056_daily-news_professor-greene-s-reaction-to-gamay-as_200893.jpg)
