Bentham Quote by Linda McQuaig
““ Jeremy Bentham argued that 'even in the best of times the great mass of citizens will most probably possess few resources other than their daily labour and, consequently, be always near indigence'. As long as working man was near indigence, hunger would remain an effective tool to goad him to labour. Bentham argued that an important task of government was to ensure conditions of deprivation, thereby guaranteeing that hunger would [be a constant motivation to work].””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Wealth of Nations Revisited, Linda McQuaig, 2010
Bentham claimed that keeping citizens in near‑poverty makes hunger a tool to compel labor, suggesting government should maintain deprivation to motivate work.
In simple terms: Government should keep people poor to make them work.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the moral cost of using poverty as labor incentive.
Themes
politics
economics
ethics
labor
poverty
Mood
critical
somber
analytical
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- policy design
- welfare programs
- labor negotiations
- social activism
Key Concepts
Social contract
coercive economics
state power
Questions to Reflect On
- Is poverty an ethical way to motivate work?
- What alternatives exist to incentivize labor?
A Different Perspective
Assumes deprivation always drives productivity, ignoring dignity and rights.
