--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Labor is the source of subsistence…" description: "\"Labor is the source of subsistence, capital is the source of affluence. My idea is to make everyone a capitalist, and therefore, financially secure.\" —..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88d/louis-o-kelso-12324_affluence_labor-is-the-source-of-subsistence-capit_1329579.png" --- # Labor is the source of subsistence, capital is the source… ![“Labor is the source of subsistence, capital is the source of affluence. My idea is to make everyone a capitalist, and therefore, financially secure.” quote by Louis O. Kelso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88d/louis-o-kelso-12324_affluence_labor-is-the-source-of-subsistence-capit_1329579.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88d/louis-o-kelso-12324_affluence_labor-is-the-source-of-subsistence-capit_1329579.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88d/louis-o-kelso-12324_affluence_labor-is-the-source-of-subsistence-capit_1329579.png) > “Labor is the source of subsistence, capital is the source of affluence. My idea is to make everyone a capitalist, and therefore, financially secure.” [Louis O. Kelso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-o-kelso/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We need and capital to produce wealth, and capital ownership spreads prosperity and security. **In simple terms:** Capital gives wealth, labor gives basics. Key Takeaway Share ownership to build financial security. Themes economics wealth ownership security Mood optimistic analytical Type economic policy inspirational When to use this quote - business startups - employee profit sharing - community investment - personal finance planning Key Concepts capitalism distribution financial inclusion Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure capital is distributed equitably? - What safeguards prevent concentration of wealth? A Different Perspective Capital alone cannot guarantee equality without fair distribution mechanisms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affluence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affluence/) [Affluence Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affluence-idea-4456883/) [Capitalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism/) [Capitalist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalist/) [Capitalist Financially](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalist-financially-4456881/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Labor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labor/) [Liberalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberalism/) [Make Capitalist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-capitalist-4456880/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Secure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secure/) [Source](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/source/) [Subsistence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subsistence/) [Subsistence Capital](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subsistence-capital-4456882/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [The scarcity that afflicts the world is not the fault of either science or nature. The cause is defective economic institutions which abort technology's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-o-kelso/the-scarcity-that-afflicts-the-world-is-not-the-fault-of-either/) [Louis O. Kelso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-o-kelso/) > [Hard-core structural poverty has a counterpart at the apex: hard-core structural affluence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-o-kelso/hard-core-structural-poverty-has-a-counterpart-at-the-apex-hard-core/) [Louis O. Kelso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-o-kelso/) > [There's only one honest way to measure affluence; that's by comparing the capability of producing goods and services with the desire of people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-o-kelso/there-s-only-one-honest-way-to-measure-affluence-that-s-by-comparing/) [Louis O. Kelso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-o-kelso/) > [The primary cause of disorder and lawlessness today, as throughout history, is the poverty of the many in contrast to the affluence of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-o-kelso/the-primary-cause-of-disorder-and-lawlessness-today-as-throughout/) [Louis O. Kelso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-o-kelso/) > [Of the laws of nature, on which the condition of man depends, that which is attended with the greatest number of consequences, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mill/of-the-laws-of-nature-on-which-the-condition-of-man-depends-that/) [James Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mill/) > [...the science of calculation also is indispensable as far as the extraction of the square and cube roots: Algebra as far as the quadratic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-science-of-calculation-also-is-indispensable-as-far-as-the/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [What more degrades woman today than that she so often seeks marriage as a support? Why is the holy sacrament of love, the sanctity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-c-ames/what-more-degrades-woman-today-than-that-she-so-often-seeks-marriage/) [Mary C. Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-c-ames/) > [The power of population is indefinitely greater than the power in the earth to produce subsistence for man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-malthus/the-power-of-population-is-indefinitely-greater-than-the-power-in-the/) [Thomas Malthus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-malthus/) > [“(On producer/consumer relationship in subsistence farming) This is the sort of interconnectedness that once defined every outpost across our emerging nation. But outposts grew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hewitt/on-producer-consumer-relationship-in-subsistence-farming-this-is-the/) [Ben Hewitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hewitt/) > [If the land was divided among all the inhabitants of a country, so that each of them possessed precisely the quantity necessary for his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-robert-jacques-turgot-baron-de-laune/if-the-land-was-divided-among-all-the-inhabitants-of-a-country-so/) [Anne-Robert-Jacques Turgot, Baron de Laune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-robert-jacques-turgot-baron-de-laune/) > [For extending its sway, partly by force of arms, partly by the voluntary submission of weaker tribes, the community soon acquires wealth and slaves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-extending-its-sway-partly-by-force-of-arms-partly-by-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“People who live at subsistence level want first things to be put first. They are not particularly interested in freedom of religion, freedom of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/people-who-live-at-subsistence-level-want-first-things-to-be-put/) [Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/) > [Most man only care for science so far as they get a living by it, and that they worship even error when it affords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/most-man-only-care-for-science-so-far-as-they-get-a-living-by-it-and/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [If this labourer were in possession of his own means of production, and was satisfied to live as a labourer, he need not work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/if-this-labourer-were-in-possession-of-his-own-means-of-production/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [It is evident that the right of acquiring and possessing property, and having it protected, is one of the natural, inherent, and unalienable rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-paterson/it-is-evident-that-the-right-of-acquiring-and-possessing-property-and/) [William Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-paterson/) ## More by Louis O. Kelso > [It is the institutions of society, not parental genes, that bestow the blessings of ownership of productive capital.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-o-kelso/it-is-the-institutions-of-society-not-parental-genes-that-bestow-the/) [Louis O. Kelso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-o-kelso/) > [The primary cause of disorder and lawlessness today, as throughout history, is the poverty of the many in contrast to the affluence of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-o-kelso/the-primary-cause-of-disorder-and-lawlessness-today-as-throughout/) [Louis O. Kelso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-o-kelso/) > [Money is not a part of the visible sector of the economy; people do not consume money. Money is not a physical factor of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-o-kelso/money-is-not-a-part-of-the-visible-sector-of-the-economy-people-do/) [Louis O. Kelso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-o-kelso/) > [Take Milton Friedman, he sits at his desk pontificating about such bunk as the monetary system being the answer to our problems. The monetary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-o-kelso/take-milton-friedman-he-sits-at-his-desk-pontificating-about-such/) [Louis O. Kelso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-o-kelso/) > [There is no future for those who cannot or will not think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-o-kelso/there-is-no-future-for-those-who-cannot-or-will-not-think/) [Louis O. Kelso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-o-kelso/) > [They sense that there's a majority out there and that the emotions are all on the other side-if they can be heard. They think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-o-kelso/they-sense-that-there-s-a-majority-out-there-and-that-the-emotions/) [Louis O. Kelso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-o-kelso/) > [Thus, the capital owner is not a parasite or a rentier but a worker - a capital worker. A distinction between labor work and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-o-kelso/thus-the-capital-owner-is-not-a-parasite-or-a-rentier-but-a-worker-a/) [Louis O. Kelso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-o-kelso/) > [When capital owners are few, the private-property conduits of necessity create vast savings reservoirs for those few. If there were many owners, the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-o-kelso/when-capital-owners-are-few-the-private-property-conduits-of/) [Louis O. Kelso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-o-kelso/) > [Equality of economic opportunity, in the context of private property, means equality of opportunity for the millions of capital-less households of today to buy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-o-kelso/equality-of-economic-opportunity-in-the-context-of-private-property/) [Louis O. Kelso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-o-kelso/) > [If capital produces most of the economy's wealth and income is distributed on the basis of productive input, the individual can hardly reach his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-o-kelso/if-capital-produces-most-of-the-economy-s-wealth-and-income-is/) [Louis O. Kelso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-o-kelso/) > [All this plan does is make everybody a capitalist. I know that the New York Stock Exchange says there are 25 million shareholders in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-o-kelso/all-this-plan-does-is-make-everybody-a-capitalist-i-know-that-the-new/) [Louis O. Kelso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-o-kelso/) > [The schemes to set up blacks in cleaning stores, gas stations, hamburger stands and fried-chicken franchises, all the low-profit, low-capital enterprises, will rivet the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-o-kelso/the-schemes-to-set-up-blacks-in-cleaning-stores-gas-stations/) [Louis O. Kelso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-o-kelso/) > [Technology has no function except to save labor. Yet how often do we hear that the purpose of new capital formation is to create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-o-kelso/technology-has-no-function-except-to-save-labor-yet-how-often-do-we/) [Louis O. Kelso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-o-kelso/) > [There is more to life than material well-being. Who would claim that the wholly wage-dependent family enjoys the dignity, the security, the range of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-o-kelso/there-is-more-to-life-than-material-well-being-who-would-claim-that/) [Louis O. Kelso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-o-kelso/) > [The sooner the world solves its economic problems, the sooner its inhabitants can afford leisure and peace and get on with the non-material things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-o-kelso/the-sooner-the-world-solves-its-economic-problems-the-sooner-its/) [Louis O. Kelso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-o-kelso/) [Explore all 55 Louis O. Kelso quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-o-kelso/) ## More Affluence quotes > [In our own time the whole of Greece has been subject to a low birth rate and a general decrease of the population, owing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polybius/in-our-own-time-the-whole-of-greece-has-been-subject-to-a-low-birth/) [Polybius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polybius/) > [The secret of achieving prosperity lies in so vividly keeping yourself centered in the inner focus of affluence that you literally exude the consciousness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-butterworth/the-secret-of-achieving-prosperity-lies-in-so-vividly-keeping/) [Eric Butterworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-butterworth/) > [Affluence = abundant flow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-butterworth/affluence-abundant-flow/) [Eric Butterworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-butterworth/) > [“If I am to choose between integrity and wealth, I will go for integrity because I believe that lack of integrity is the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/if-i-am-to-choose-between-integrity-and-wealth-i-will-go-for/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > ['Playboy' made the good life a reality for me and made it the subject matter of my paintings - not affluence and luxury as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-neiman/playboy-made-the-good-life-a-reality-for-me-and-made-it-the-subject/) [LeRoy Neiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-neiman/) > [Affluence creates poverty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/affluence-creates-poverty/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [The primary cause of disorder and lawlessness today, as throughout history, is the poverty of the many in contrast to the affluence of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-o-kelso/the-primary-cause-of-disorder-and-lawlessness-today-as-throughout/) [Louis O. Kelso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-o-kelso/) > [To generate any appreciable degree of long-term affluence requires scrupulous honesty and the willingness to honor long-term agreements with employers, suppliers, partners, and especially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-sheaffer/to-generate-any-appreciable-degree-of-long-term-affluence-requires/) [Robert Sheaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-sheaffer/) > [“Imam Hussein Ibn Ali al-Shaheed was once asked: what is affluence? He said : Decreasing your wishes , and being satisfied with what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/imam-hussein-ibn-ali-al-shaheed-was-once-asked-what-is-affluence-he/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I don't want to be around people who accept me as is, in my unrefined state of becoming. I consistently want people around me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-l-bates/i-don-t-want-to-be-around-people-who-accept-me-as-is-in-my-unrefined/) [Brandi L. Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-l-bates/) > [Large department stores, with their luxuriant abundance of canned goods, foods, and clothing, are like the primary landscape and the geometrical locus of affluence.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baudrillard/large-department-stores-with-their-luxuriant-abundance-of-canned/) [Jean Baudrillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baudrillard/) > [Owning a home is a keystone of wealth - both financial affluence and emotional security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/owning-a-home-is-a-keystone-of-wealth-both-financial-affluence-and/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [“Don’t let affluence make you impoverished of God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-bloom/don-t-let-affluence-make-you-impoverished-of-god/) [Jon Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-bloom/) > [“Drama does not just walk into our lives. Either we create it, invite it, or associate with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-l-bates/drama-does-not-just-walk-into-our-lives-either-we-create-it-invite-it/) [Brandi L. Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-l-bates/) > [There is wealth but no wellbeing. What are you going to do with this wealth?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaggi-vasudev/there-is-wealth-but-no-wellbeing-what-are-you-going-to-do-with-this/) [Jaggi Vasudev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaggi-vasudev/) [Browse all 181 Affluence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affluence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Labor is the source of subsistence, capital is the source of affluence. My idea is to make everyone a capitalist, and therefore, financially secure.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Louis O. 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