--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Luxury cannot be obtained other than by…" description: "\"“Luxury cannot be obtained other than by enslaving other people.”\" — Leo Tolstoy" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bb/leo-tolstoy-55_enslaving_luxury-cannot-be-obtained-other-than-by_2757214.png" --- # Luxury cannot be obtained other than by enslaving other… ![“Luxury cannot be obtained other than by enslaving other people.” quote by Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bb/leo-tolstoy-55_enslaving_luxury-cannot-be-obtained-other-than-by_2757214.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bb/leo-tolstoy-55_enslaving_luxury-cannot-be-obtained-other-than-by_2757214.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bb/leo-tolstoy-55_enslaving_luxury-cannot-be-obtained-other-than-by_2757214.png) > ““Luxury cannot be obtained other than by enslaving other people.”” [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Luxury built on oppression is morally indefensible, exposing the injustice behind opulent comforts. **In simple terms:** Luxury often exploits others. Key Takeaway Reject exploitative comforts. Themes luxury oppression ethics Mood thoughtful serious Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - consumer choices - activism - policy advocacy Key Concepts social justice economic disparity Questions to Reflect On - What responsibilities do consumers have? - How can societies ensure fair wealth distribution? A Different Perspective Wealth can be gained without exploitation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Enslaving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enslaving/) [Enslaving People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enslaving-people-2964151/) [Luxury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luxury/) [Luxury Obtained](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luxury-obtained-2820879/) [Obtained Enslaving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obtained-enslaving-3143584/) ## Related quotes > [One of the best ways of enslaving a people is to keep them from education... The second way of enslaving a people is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/one-of-the-best-ways-of-enslaving-a-people-is-to-keep-them-from-2/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [One of the best ways of enslaving a people is to keep them from education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/one-of-the-best-ways-of-enslaving-a-people-is-to-keep-them-from/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [We can do without any article of luxury we have never had; but when once obtained, it is not in human natur' to surrender…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chandler-haliburton/we-can-do-without-any-article-of-luxury-we-have-never-had-but-when/) [Thomas Chandler Haliburton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chandler-haliburton/) > [“The flood of cheap manufactures, for which the people have no need,destroys their industries. They become dependent on this trade and the demand for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-unsworth/the-flood-of-cheap-manufactures-for-which-the-people-have-no-need/) [Barry Unsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-unsworth/) > [There is nothing more enticing, disenchanting, and enslaving than the life at sea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/there-is-nothing-more-enticing-disenchanting-and-enslaving-than-the/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [Rulers exist entirely through the persons of others. Their goal is in their subjects, in the activity of enslaving. They are as dependent as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/rulers-exist-entirely-through-the-persons-of-others-their-goal-is-in/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“But, alas, this wealth, instead of blessing the race, has been the means of enslaving it. The few have come in possession of all,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-v-debs/but-alas-this-wealth-instead-of-blessing-the-race-has-been-the-means/) [Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/) > [The average European does not seem to feel free until he succeeds in enslaving and oppressing others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-berenson/the-average-european-does-not-seem-to-feel-free-until-he-succeeds-in/) [Bernard Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-berenson/) > [The Caribbean calls upon the enslaving governments of Europe and their national institutions, all enriched and empowered by their crimes against humanity, to return…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-beckles/the-caribbean-calls-upon-the-enslaving-governments-of-europe-and/) [Hilary Beckles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-beckles/) > [ When the resolution of enslaving America was formed in Great Britain, the British parliament was advised by an artful man \[Sir William Keith\], who… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mason/when-the-resolution-of-enslaving-america-was-formed-in-great-britain/) [George Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mason/) > [We have to show these men and women freedom by enslaving them, and show them courage by frightening them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/we-have-to-show-these-men-and-women-freedom-by-enslaving-them-and/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“The first enslaving illusion is the idea that people are born to be consumers and that they can attain any of their goals by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-illich/the-first-enslaving-illusion-is-the-idea-that-people-are-born-to-be/) [Ivan Illich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-illich/) > [“Reverend John Allen of Massachusetts took up the cry: Blush ye pretended votaries for freedom! ye trifling patriots!… for while you are fasting, praying,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-brogan/reverend-john-allen-of-massachusetts-took-up-the-cry-blush-ye/) [Hugh Brogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-brogan/) > [Slavery is a wrong to each individual enslaved; and not merely to the first of a series. Natural law, therefore, as much forbids the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/slavery-is-a-wrong-to-each-individual-enslaved-and-not-merely-to-the/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > ['The Handmaid's Tale' is not a book or show advocating enslaving women or creating a theocracy. It's not glorifying that. It's talking about what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laeta-kalogridis/the-handmaid-s-tale-is-not-a-book-or-show-advocating-enslaving-women/) [Laeta Kalogridis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laeta-kalogridis/) ## More by Leo Tolstoy > [These joys were so trifling as to be as imperceptible as grains of gold among the sand, and in moments of depression she saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/these-joys-were-so-trifling-as-to-be-as-imperceptible-as-grains-of/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The only significance of life consists in helping to establish the kingdom of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-only-significance-of-life-consists-in-helping-to-establish-the/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“I already love in you your beauty, but I am only beginning to love in you that which is eternal and ever precious –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-already-love-in-you-your-beauty-but-i-am-only-beginning-to-love-in/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Energy rests upon love; and come as it will, there's no forcing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/energy-rests-upon-love-and-come-as-it-will-there-s-no-forcing-it/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“If you only knew what those society women are, and women in general! My father is right. 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She was standing talking to a lady at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/he-knew-she-was-there-by-the-rapture-and-the-terror-that-seized-on/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Rest, nature, books, music...such is my idea of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/rest-nature-books-music-such-is-my-idea-of-happiness/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“He was not to blame for being born with an irrepressible charachter and a mind some how constrained.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/he-was-not-to-blame-for-being-born-with-an-irrepressible-charachter/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [I ask one thing only: I ask for the right to hope, to suffer as I do. But if even that cannot be, command…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-ask-one-thing-only-i-ask-for-the-right-to-hope-to-suffer-as-i-do/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The idea shared by many that life is a vale of tears is just as false as the idea shared by the great majority,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-idea-shared-by-many-that-life-is-a-vale-of-tears-is-just-as-false/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [To say that a work of art is good, but incomprehensible to the majority of men, is the same as saying of some kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-say-that-a-work-of-art-is-good-but-incomprehensible-to-the/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [True life is lived when tiny changes occur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/true-life-is-lived-when-tiny-changes-occur/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) [Explore all 1,754 Leo Tolstoy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## More Enslaving quotes > ['The Handmaid's Tale' is not a book or show advocating enslaving women or creating a theocracy. It's not glorifying that. It's talking about what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laeta-kalogridis/the-handmaid-s-tale-is-not-a-book-or-show-advocating-enslaving-women/) [Laeta Kalogridis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laeta-kalogridis/) > [Slavery is a wrong to each individual enslaved; and not merely to the first of a series. Natural law, therefore, as much forbids the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/slavery-is-a-wrong-to-each-individual-enslaved-and-not-merely-to-the/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [“Reverend John Allen of Massachusetts took up the cry: Blush ye pretended votaries for freedom! ye trifling patriots!… for while you are fasting, praying,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-brogan/reverend-john-allen-of-massachusetts-took-up-the-cry-blush-ye/) [Hugh Brogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-brogan/) > [“The first enslaving illusion is the idea that people are born to be consumers and that they can attain any of their goals by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-illich/the-first-enslaving-illusion-is-the-idea-that-people-are-born-to-be/) [Ivan Illich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-illich/) > [We have to show these men and women freedom by enslaving them, and show them courage by frightening them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/we-have-to-show-these-men-and-women-freedom-by-enslaving-them-and/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [ When the resolution of enslaving America was formed in Great Britain, the British parliament was advised by an artful man \[Sir William Keith\], who… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mason/when-the-resolution-of-enslaving-america-was-formed-in-great-britain/) [George Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mason/) > [The Caribbean calls upon the enslaving governments of Europe and their national institutions, all enriched and empowered by their crimes against humanity, to return…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-beckles/the-caribbean-calls-upon-the-enslaving-governments-of-europe-and/) [Hilary Beckles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-beckles/) > [The average European does not seem to feel free until he succeeds in enslaving and oppressing others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-berenson/the-average-european-does-not-seem-to-feel-free-until-he-succeeds-in/) [Bernard Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-berenson/) > [One of the best ways of enslaving a people is to keep them from education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/one-of-the-best-ways-of-enslaving-a-people-is-to-keep-them-from/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [One of the best ways of enslaving a people is to keep them from education... The second way of enslaving a people is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/one-of-the-best-ways-of-enslaving-a-people-is-to-keep-them-from-2/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [“But, alas, this wealth, instead of blessing the race, has been the means of enslaving it. The few have come in possession of all,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-v-debs/but-alas-this-wealth-instead-of-blessing-the-race-has-been-the-means/) [Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/) > [Rulers exist entirely through the persons of others. Their goal is in their subjects, in the activity of enslaving. They are as dependent as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/rulers-exist-entirely-through-the-persons-of-others-their-goal-is-in/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [There is nothing more enticing, disenchanting, and enslaving than the life at sea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/there-is-nothing-more-enticing-disenchanting-and-enslaving-than-the/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [“The flood of cheap manufactures, for which the people have no need,destroys their industries. They become dependent on this trade and the demand for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-unsworth/the-flood-of-cheap-manufactures-for-which-the-people-have-no-need/) [Barry Unsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-unsworth/) > [What I learned in politics (is that) it's a very enslaving place to be. It's hard to be free in politics and if the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-kilpatrick/what-i-learned-in-politics-is-that-it-s-a-very-enslaving-place-to-be/) [Kwame Kilpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-kilpatrick/) [Browse all 33 Enslaving quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enslaving/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Luxury cannot be obtained other than by enslaving other people.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leo Tolstoy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/luxury-cannot-be-obtained-other-than-by-enslaving-other-people/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Enslaving" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/luxury-cannot-be-obtained-other-than-by-enslaving-other-people/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bb/leo-tolstoy-55_enslaving_luxury-cannot-be-obtained-other-than-by_2757214.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bb/leo-tolstoy-55_enslaving_luxury-cannot-be-obtained-other-than-by_2757214.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bb/leo-tolstoy-55_enslaving_luxury-cannot-be-obtained-other-than-by_2757214.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Luxury cannot be obtained other than by enslaving other people.” — Leo Tolstoy", "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": "Leo Tolstoy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Luxury cannot be obtained other than...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/luxury-cannot-be-obtained-other-than-by-enslaving-other-people/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/luxury-cannot-be-obtained-other-than-by-enslaving-other-people/#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 } } ] } ```