---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When we hang the capitalists they will…"
description: "\"When we hang the capitalists they will sell us the rope we use.\" — Joseph Stalin"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91a/joseph-stalin-1734_capitalists_when-we-hang-the-capitalists-they-will-s_2994397.jpg"
---

#  When we hang the capitalists they will sell us the rope we…

![“When we hang the capitalists they will sell us the rope we use.” quote by Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91a/joseph-stalin-1734_capitalists_when-we-hang-the-capitalists-they-will-s_2994397.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91a/joseph-stalin-1734_capitalists_when-we-hang-the-capitalists-they-will-s_2994397.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91a/joseph-stalin-1734_capitalists_when-we-hang-the-capitalists-they-will-s_2994397.jpg)

> “When we hang the capitalists they will sell us the rope we use.”

[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.

Capitalists would profit from their own oppression, highlighting paradoxical exploitation.

**In simple terms:** Oppressors may profit from oppression.

Key Takeaway

Beware of exploitative promises.

Themes

politics economics paradox

Mood

skeptical warning

Type

political philosophical

When to use this quote

- labor negotiations
- political rhetoric
- economic policy

Key Concepts

marxist theory power dynamics

Questions to Reflect On

- How can we prevent exploitation by those in power?
- What safeguards stop profiteering from oppression?

A Different Perspective

May oversimplify class relations.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Capitalists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalists/)

## Related quotes

> [When it comes to hang the capitalists they will compete with each other to sell us the rope at a lower price.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-lenin/when-it-comes-to-hang-the-capitalists-they-will-compete-with-each/)

[Vladimir Lenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-lenin/)

> [Capitalists will sell us the rope we will hang them with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-lenin/capitalists-will-sell-us-the-rope-we-will-hang-them-with/)

[Vladimir Lenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-lenin/)

> [We will hang the capitalists with the rope that they sell us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/we-will-hang-the-capitalists-with-the-rope-that-they-sell-us/)

[Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/)

> [Revolution is profitable. So the capitalists sell it... The hip capitalists have some allies within the revolutionary community: longhairs who work as intermediaries between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-rubin/revolution-is-profitable-so-the-capitalists-sell-it-the-hip/)

[Jerry Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-rubin/)

> [We have no parties standing in opposition to each other, just as we have no class of capitalists and a class of workers exploited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/we-have-no-parties-standing-in-opposition-to-each-other-just-as-we/)

[Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/)

> [In speaking of the capitalists who strive only for profit, only to get rich, I do not want to say that these are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/in-speaking-of-the-capitalists-who-strive-only-for-profit-only-to-get/)

[Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/)

> [The Tea Party in the United States' biggest fight is with the the Republican establishment, which is really a collection of crony capitalists that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-bannon/the-tea-party-in-the-united-states-biggest-fight-is-with-the-the/)

[Steve Bannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-bannon/)

> [The mistake the apartheid government made was they gave the black people nothing, so they had nothing to lose. But now a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilbur-smith/the-mistake-the-apartheid-government-made-was-they-gave-the-black/)

[Wilbur Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilbur-smith/)

> [All capitalists should be like Warren Buffett, and he says he should be taxed more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-asner/all-capitalists-should-be-like-warren-buffett-and-he-says-he-should/)

[Ed Asner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-asner/)

> [The American capitalists are richer and stronger than their counterparts in other lands. They are also younger and more ignorant, and therefore more inclined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-p-cannon/the-american-capitalists-are-richer-and-stronger-than-their/)

[James P. Cannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-p-cannon/)

> [In seventy years, Russia’s Communists had not succeeded in dealing markets such a telling blow as did its deadbeat capitalists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-lowenstein/in-seventy-years-russia-s-communists-had-not-succeeded-in-dealing/)

[Roger Lowenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-lowenstein/)

> [We're supposed to live under capitalism, and capitalism is supposed to be competitive so you would expect that capitalists and entrepreneurs would like competition.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harvey/we-re-supposed-to-live-under-capitalism-and-capitalism-is-supposed-to/)

[David Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harvey/)

> [The more successful capitalists are in cutting their wage costs, the less money workers will have to buy back what those same capitalists produce.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-d-wolff/the-more-successful-capitalists-are-in-cutting-their-wage-costs-the/)

[Richard D. Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-d-wolff/)

> [“Private property based on the labour of the small proprietor, free competition, democracy, i.e., all the catchwords with which the capitalists and their press…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-lenin/private-property-based-on-the-labour-of-the-small-proprietor-free/)

[Vladimir Lenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-lenin/)

> [Capitalists have done more good for society through their charitable giving, philanthropy and generosity than all their critics combined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/capitalists-have-done-more-good-for-society-through-their-charitable/)

[James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/)

## 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 Capitalists quotes

> [Capitalists have done more good for society through their charitable giving, philanthropy and generosity than all their critics combined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/capitalists-have-done-more-good-for-society-through-their-charitable/)

[James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/)

> [“Private property based on the labour of the small proprietor, free competition, democracy, i.e., all the catchwords with which the capitalists and their press…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-lenin/private-property-based-on-the-labour-of-the-small-proprietor-free/)

[Vladimir Lenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-lenin/)

> [The more successful capitalists are in cutting their wage costs, the less money workers will have to buy back what those same capitalists produce.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-d-wolff/the-more-successful-capitalists-are-in-cutting-their-wage-costs-the/)

[Richard D. Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-d-wolff/)

> [We're supposed to live under capitalism, and capitalism is supposed to be competitive so you would expect that capitalists and entrepreneurs would like competition.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harvey/we-re-supposed-to-live-under-capitalism-and-capitalism-is-supposed-to/)

[David Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harvey/)

> [In seventy years, Russia’s Communists had not succeeded in dealing markets such a telling blow as did its deadbeat capitalists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-lowenstein/in-seventy-years-russia-s-communists-had-not-succeeded-in-dealing/)

[Roger Lowenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-lowenstein/)

> [The American capitalists are richer and stronger than their counterparts in other lands. They are also younger and more ignorant, and therefore more inclined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-p-cannon/the-american-capitalists-are-richer-and-stronger-than-their/)

[James P. Cannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-p-cannon/)

> [All capitalists should be like Warren Buffett, and he says he should be taxed more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-asner/all-capitalists-should-be-like-warren-buffett-and-he-says-he-should/)

[Ed Asner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-asner/)

> [The mistake the apartheid government made was they gave the black people nothing, so they had nothing to lose. But now a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilbur-smith/the-mistake-the-apartheid-government-made-was-they-gave-the-black/)

[Wilbur Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilbur-smith/)

> [The Tea Party in the United States' biggest fight is with the the Republican establishment, which is really a collection of crony capitalists that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-bannon/the-tea-party-in-the-united-states-biggest-fight-is-with-the-the/)

[Steve Bannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-bannon/)

> [The capitalists owned everything in the world, and everyone else was their slave. They owned all the land, all the houses, all the factories,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/the-capitalists-owned-everything-in-the-world-and-everyone-else-was/)

[George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/)

> [I don't agree with the Black Lives Matter organizers. They are stated as anti-capitalists. And it's much more than just the police to them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/i-don-t-agree-with-the-black-lives-matter-organizers-they-are-stated/)

[Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/)

> [Without getting into brothels, there are ethical capitalists the problem is that there aren't enough of them. It is not "just a few bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/without-getting-into-brothels-there-are-ethical-capitalists-the/)

[John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/)

> [What made women's labour particularly attractive to the capitalists was not only its lower price but also the greater submissiveness of women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-zetkin/what-made-women-s-labour-particularly-attractive-to-the-capitalists/)

[Clara Zetkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-zetkin/)

> [The terror in which English capitalists now stand of organized proletarian resistance gives to the naturally protected craft organizations the power to receive the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/the-terror-in-which-english-capitalists-now-stand-of-organized/)

[Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/)

> [We will hang the capitalists with the rope that they sell us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/we-will-hang-the-capitalists-with-the-rope-that-they-sell-us/)

[Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/)

[Browse all 197 Capitalists quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalists/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "When we hang the capitalists they will sell us the rope we use.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Joseph Stalin"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/when-we-hang-the-capitalists-they-will-sell-us-the-rope-we-use/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Capitalists"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/when-we-hang-the-capitalists-they-will-sell-us-the-rope-we-use/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91a/joseph-stalin-1734_capitalists_when-we-hang-the-capitalists-they-will-s_2994397.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91a/joseph-stalin-1734_capitalists_when-we-hang-the-capitalists-they-will-s_2994397.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91a/joseph-stalin-1734_capitalists_when-we-hang-the-capitalists-they-will-s_2994397.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“When we hang the capitalists they will sell us the rope we use.” — 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": "When we hang the capitalists they...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/when-we-hang-the-capitalists-they-will-sell-us-the-rope-we-use/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/when-we-hang-the-capitalists-they-will-sell-us-the-rope-we-use/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
