--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Mankind is divided into rich and poor…" description: "\"Mankind is divided into rich and poor, into property owners and exploited; and to abstract oneself from this fundamental division; and from the antagon..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/004/joseph-stalin-1734_abstract_mankind-is-divided-into-rich-and-poor-in_1712360.jpg" --- # Mankind is divided into rich and poor, into property… ![“Mankind is divided into rich and poor, into property owners and exploited; and to abstract oneself from this fundamental division; and from the antagonism between poor and rich means abstracting oneself from fundamental facts.” quote by Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/004/joseph-stalin-1734_abstract_mankind-is-divided-into-rich-and-poor-in_1712360.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/004/joseph-stalin-1734_abstract_mankind-is-divided-into-rich-and-poor-in_1712360.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/004/joseph-stalin-1734_abstract_mankind-is-divided-into-rich-and-poor-in_1712360.jpg) > “Mankind is divided into rich and poor, into property owners and exploited; and to abstract oneself from this fundamental division; and from the antagonism between poor and rich means abstracting oneself from fundamental facts.” [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Stalin argues that ignoring the class divide and its inherent conflict means denying basic social realities. **In simple terms:** Ignoring class conflict denies reality. Key Takeaway Recognize and address class divisions. Themes class economics conflict politics social structure Mood critical serious Type political philosophical When to use this quote - policy making - labor relations - economic reform - social activism Key Concepts Marxism class struggle ideology Questions to Reflect On - How does acknowledging class conflict change your view of society? - What policies can bridge the rich‑poor gap? A Different Perspective Class divisions are complex and may be oversimplified. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abstract](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstract/) [Antagonism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/antagonism/) [Divided](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divided/) [Divided Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divided-rich-1258297/) [Division](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/division/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Fundamental Division](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamental-division-1258298/) [Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Oneself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oneself/) [Oneself Fundamental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oneself-fundamental-1258299/) [Owners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/owners/) [Owners Exploited](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/owners-exploited-1258300/) [Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor/) [Poor And Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-and-rich/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Property](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/property/) [Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rich/) [Rich and poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rich-and-poor/) [Rich poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rich-poor/) ## Related quotes > [“The Golden Mean was considered a fundamental constant by the Egyptians and the fundamental division of the whole into two parts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-heath/the-golden-mean-was-considered-a-fundamental-constant-by-the/) [Richard Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-heath/) > [Italy is divided between us and them, rich and poor, north and south, young and old, employed and unemployed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romano-prodi/italy-is-divided-between-us-and-them-rich-and-poor-north-and-south/) [Romano Prodi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romano-prodi/) > [“The future generation is not divided by rich or poor but fast and slow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alwintoffler/the-future-generation-is-not-divided-by-rich-or-poor-but-fast-and-slow/) [alwinToffler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alwintoffler/) > [We no longer live in a world that is neatly divided between rich and well-educated countries, and poor and badly-educated ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andreas-schleicher/we-no-longer-live-in-a-world-that-is-neatly-divided-between-rich-and/) [Andreas Schleicher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andreas-schleicher/) > [I am a citizen of a country that has just undergone a thieved election, a country deeply and dangerously divided between rich and poor,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/i-am-a-citizen-of-a-country-that-has-just-undergone-a-thieved/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [The World Has Divided into Rich and Poor as at No Time in History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maude-barlow/the-world-has-divided-into-rich-and-poor-as-at-no-time-in-history/) [Maude Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maude-barlow/) > [I was told, continued Egremont, that an impassable gulf divided the Rich from the Poor; I was told that the Privileged and the People…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/i-was-told-continued-egremont-that-an-impassable-gulf-divided-the/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [I had a very down-to-earth product, my wrap dress, which was really a uniform. It was just a simple little cotton-jersey dress that everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-von-furstenberg/i-had-a-very-down-to-earth-product-my-wrap-dress-which-was-really-a/) [Diane von Furstenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-von-furstenberg/) > [“The country therefore was not “born free” but born slave and free, servant and master, tenant and landlord, poor and rich.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/the-country-therefore-was-not-born-free-but-born-slave-and-free/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“Well, what was it to be a thief? He met the question at last, face to face, wiping the clammy drops of sweat from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-harding-davis/well-what-was-it-to-be-a-thief-he-met-the-question-at-last-face-to/) [Rebecca Harding Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-harding-davis/) > [I, or rather the Lord, beseech you as Christ's heralds to publish this everywhere and to persue all people of whatever rank, foot-soldiers and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-urban-ii/i-or-rather-the-lord-beseech-you-as-christ-s-heralds-to-publish-this/) [Pope Urban II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-urban-ii/) > [Poverty was a relationship, I thought, involving poor and rich people alike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/poverty-was-a-relationship-i-thought-involving-poor-and-rich-people/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [“Populace above, populace below! What are "poor" and "rich"...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/populace-above-populace-below-what-are-poor-and-rich/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [The liberal feminist movement never imagined that women would take seriously the encouragement to become our own heroes and claim life for ourselves, on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-bruce/the-liberal-feminist-movement-never-imagined-that-women-would-take/) [Tammy Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-bruce/) ## More by Joseph Stalin > [ Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a \[Soviet socialistic\] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-national-socialism-have-anything/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [There is no nation in the whole world desiring war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/there-is-no-nation-in-the-whole-world-desiring-war/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [Our Red Army now needs IL-2 aircraft like the air it breathes, like the bread it eats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/our-red-army-now-needs-il-2-aircraft-like-the-air-it-breathes-like/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [If things should go too far and deportation of all whiteguard emigres from the United States were demanded, this would be an attempt against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/if-things-should-go-too-far-and-deportation-of-all-whiteguard-emigres/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [We think that a powerful and vigorous movement is impossible without differences - "true conformity" is possible only in the cemetery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/we-think-that-a-powerful-and-vigorous-movement-is-impossible-without/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [ \[American Communist Party\] legally exists in the U.S.A., it nominates its candidates in the elections, including Presidential elections. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/american-communist-party-legally-exists-in-the-u-s-a-it-nominates-its/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [“Gratitude is an illness suffered by dogs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/gratitude-is-an-illness-suffered-by-dogs/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [A man's eyes should be torn out if he can only see the past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/a-man-s-eyes-should-be-torn-out-if-he-can-only-see-the-past/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [One death is a tragedy; a million is a statistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/one-death-is-a-tragedy-a-million-is-a-statistic/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [Education is a weapon, whose effect depends on who holds it in his hands and at whom it is aimed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/education-is-a-weapon-whose-effect-depends-on-who-holds-it-in-his/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [To slacken the tempo...would mean falling behind. And those who fall behind get beaten...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/to-slacken-the-tempo-would-mean-falling-behind-and-those-who-fall/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [You do not lament the loss of hair of one who has been beheaded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/you-do-not-lament-the-loss-of-hair-of-one-who-has-been-beheaded/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [The Red Army and Navy and the whole Soviet people must fight for every inch of Soviet soil, fight to the last drop of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/the-red-army-and-navy-and-the-whole-soviet-people-must-fight-for/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [ I admit that I do not recall the speeches of Comrades \[Earl\] Browder and \[Samuel\] Darcy. I do not even recall of what they… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/i-admit-that-i-do-not-recall-the-speeches-of-comrades-earl-browder/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [He who casts a vote decides nothing. He who counts the vote decides everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/he-who-casts-a-vote-decides-nothing-he-who-counts-the-vote-decides/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) [Explore all 208 Joseph Stalin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) ## More Abstract quotes > [Love is like that, fragile and light. No wonder it rests upon our hearts in intangible moments, bids us follow fleeting thoughts and ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-like-that-fragile-and-light-no-wonder-it-rests-upon-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Wisdom is the abstract of the past, but beauty is the promise of the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wisdom-is-the-abstract-of-the-past-but-beauty-is-the-promise-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Where human eyes have never seen, where human beings have never been, I build a world of abstract dreams, and I wait for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-ra/where-human-eyes-have-never-seen-where-human-beings-have-never-been-i/) [Sun Ra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-ra/) > [A little too abstract, a little too wise, It is time for us to kiss the earth again, It is time to let the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robinson-jeffers/a-little-too-abstract-a-little-too-wise-it-is-time-for-us-to-kiss-the/) [Robinson Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robinson-jeffers/) > [“Happy is very abstract, you can't touch it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-veal/happy-is-very-abstract-you-can-t-touch-it/) [Julius Veal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-veal/) > [Abstract Expressionism was invented by New York drunks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/abstract-expressionism-was-invented-by-new-york-drunks/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [The more horrible this world (as today, for instance), the more abstract our art, whereas a happy world brings forth an art of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-klee/the-more-horrible-this-world-as-today-for-instance-the-more-abstract/) [Paul Klee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-klee/) > [Describing comic sensibility is near impossible. It's sort of an abstract silliness, that sometimes the joke isn't the star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-carvey/describing-comic-sensibility-is-near-impossible-it-s-sort-of-an/) [Dana Carvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-carvey/) > [For people of color - especially African Americans - the idea that racist cops might frame members of their community is no abstract notion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/for-people-of-color-especially-african-americans-the-idea-that-racist/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [The word of the Lord never comes to us as an opinion, no attempt is made to support it by argument, it comes as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-w-ivins/the-word-of-the-lord-never-comes-to-us-as-an-opinion-no-attempt-is/) [Anthony W. Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-w-ivins/) > [A mobile is an abstract sculpture made chiefly out of sheet metal, steel rods, wire and wood. Some or all of these elements move,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-calder/a-mobile-is-an-abstract-sculpture-made-chiefly-out-of-sheet-metal/) [Alexander Calder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-calder/) > [I'm this superphilosophical kind of person. Stuck in a prison of abstract ideas and overpowering emotions, I have this personality that makes it really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsuo-kirino/i-m-this-superphilosophical-kind-of-person-stuck-in-a-prison-of/) [Natsuo Kirino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsuo-kirino/) > [Future lawyers should be more aware that law is not a system of abstract logic, but the web of arrangements, rooted in history but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-frankfurter/future-lawyers-should-be-more-aware-that-law-is-not-a-system-of/) [Felix Frankfurter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-frankfurter/) > [The trouble is that when you read criticisms about the other films that I've made you get the impression that they're all about themes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-haneke/the-trouble-is-that-when-you-read-criticisms-about-the-other-films/) [Michael Haneke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-haneke/) > [Painting is... a richer language than words... Painting operates through signs which are not abstract and incorporeal like words. The signs of painting are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-dubuffet/painting-is-a-richer-language-than-words-painting-operates-through/) [Jean Dubuffet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-dubuffet/) [Browse all 1,403 Abstract quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstract/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Mankind is divided into rich and poor, into property owners and exploited; and to abstract oneself from this fundamental division; and from the antagonism between poor and rich means abstracting oneself from fundamental facts.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joseph Stalin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/mankind-is-divided-into-rich-and-poor-into-property-owners-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abstract" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/mankind-is-divided-into-rich-and-poor-into-property-owners-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/004/joseph-stalin-1734_abstract_mankind-is-divided-into-rich-and-poor-in_1712360.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/004/joseph-stalin-1734_abstract_mankind-is-divided-into-rich-and-poor-in_1712360.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/004/joseph-stalin-1734_abstract_mankind-is-divided-into-rich-and-poor-in_1712360.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Mankind is divided into rich and poor, into property owners and exploited; and to abstract oneself from this…” — Joseph Stalin", "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": "Joseph Stalin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Mankind is divided into rich and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/mankind-is-divided-into-rich-and-poor-into-property-owners-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/mankind-is-divided-into-rich-and-poor-into-property-owners-and/#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 } } ] } ```