Business Quote by Leo Tolstoy
““A commercial company enslaved a nation comprising two hundred millions. Tell this to a man free from superstition and he will fail to grasp what these words mean. What does it mean that thirty thousand men, not athletes but rather weak and ordinary people, have subdued two hundred million vigorous, clever, capable, and freedom-loving people?””
About This Quote
Source Book: War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy, 1869
Powerful corporations can dominate massive populations, yet those unburdened by superstition may not comprehend the scale of such control.
In simple terms: Big business can dominate many people, but some may not see it.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and question corporate influence.
Themes
power
economics
humanity
Mood
critical
concerned
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- political activism
- consumer awareness
- labor rights
- education campaigns
Key Concepts
colonialism
mass manipulation
social control
Questions to Reflect On
- How does superstition affect perception of economic domination?
- What can individuals do to expose hidden corporate control?
A Different Perspective
Corporate power can be subtle and hidden, making resistance difficult.
![“[S]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once, for example, when I was just starting out in the food business, I was hired by the caper people to develop a lot of recipes using capers, and it was weeks of…” quote by Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d79/nora-ephron-1217_business_s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-th_980.jpg)
![“If the State does not acquire supremacy over [vast private] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bad/bertrand-russell-69_acquire_if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy_1379.jpg)