--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Roman arena was technically a level…" description: "\"The Roman arena was technically a level playing field. But on one side were the lions with all the weapons, and on the other the Christians with all th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f50/louis-o-kelso-12324_arena_the-roman-arena-was-technically-a-level_1934923.jpg" --- # The Roman arena was technically a level playing field. But… ![“The Roman arena was technically a level playing field. But on one side were the lions with all the weapons, and on the other the Christians with all the blood. That's not a level playing field. That's a slaughter. And so is putting people into the economy without equipping them with capital, while…” quote by Louis O. Kelso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f50/louis-o-kelso-12324_arena_the-roman-arena-was-technically-a-level_1934923.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f50/louis-o-kelso-12324_arena_the-roman-arena-was-technically-a-level_1934923.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f50/louis-o-kelso-12324_arena_the-roman-arena-was-technically-a-level_1934923.jpg) > “The Roman arena was technically a level playing field. But on one side were the lions with all the weapons, and on the other the Christians with all the blood. That's not a level playing field. That's a slaughter. And so is putting people into the economy without equipping them with capital, while equipping a tiny handful of people with hundreds and thousands of times more than they can use.” [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. Economic competition is unfair when participants lack essential resources, creating a deadly imbalance. **In simple terms:** Unequal resources create unfair competition. Key Takeaway Ensure equitable access to capital. Themes economics justice inequality power dynamics Mood critical reflective Type philosophical political When to use this quote - employment - entrepreneurship - public policy - wealth distribution Key Concepts Capital theory social equity Questions to Reflect On - What mechanisms can level the economic playing field? - How does capital concentration affect social stability? A Different Perspective Capital alone cannot guarantee fair outcomes without supportive structures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arena/) [Arena Technically](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arena-technically-3049088/) [Blood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blood/) [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Christians Blood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christians-blood-3049084/) [Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy/) [Equipping Capital](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equipping-capital-3049087/) [Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fields/) [Handful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/handful/) [Level playing field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/level-playing-field/) [Levels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/levels/) [Lions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lions/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Playing fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-fields/) [Roman Arena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roman-arena-3049085/) [Romans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romans/) [Sands of time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sands-of-time/) [Sides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sides/) [Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slaughter/) [Tiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tiny/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Weapons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weapons/) [Weapons Christians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weapons-christians-3049086/) ## Related quotes > [“What caused the gods to fall upon my family like starved lions in a Roman arena?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicky-alvear-shecter/what-caused-the-gods-to-fall-upon-my-family-like-starved-lions-in-a/) [Vicky Alvear Shecter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vicky-alvear-shecter/) > [The blood of our Christian brothers is a witness that cries out..If they are Catholic, Orthodox, Copts, Lutherans, it is not important : They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/the-blood-of-our-christian-brothers-is-a-witness-that-cries-out-if/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [It makes no difference whether they be Catholics, Orthodox, Copts or Protestants. They are Christians! Their blood is one and the same. Their blood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/it-makes-no-difference-whether-they-be-catholics-orthodox-copts-or/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [The safety argument against steroids may be a good one, but let's be honest. It isn't the one that motivates most officials and fans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-dreger/the-safety-argument-against-steroids-may-be-a-good-one-but-let-s-be/) [Alice Dreger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-dreger/) > [Let everybody compete on a level playing field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-bauer/let-everybody-compete-on-a-level-playing-field/) [Trevor Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-bauer/) > [Countries like Jamaica do not have a random program, so they can go months without being tested. I'm not saying anyone is on anything,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-lewis/countries-like-jamaica-do-not-have-a-random-program-so-they-can-go/) [Carl Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-lewis/) > [Art is a critical component in a well-rounded education. Art is the level playing field - no matter how rich or poor, tall or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynda-resnick/art-is-a-critical-component-in-a-well-rounded-education-art-is-the/) [Lynda Resnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynda-resnick/) > [There is no level playing field. Any time our society says that a powerful chemical company has the same right as a low income…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-bullard/there-is-no-level-playing-field-any-time-our-society-says-that-a/) [Robert D Bullard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-bullard/) > [D'you ever wonder what it would be like if our positions were reversed?' I ask. At Jack's puzzled look I continue. 'If we whites…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malorie-blackman/d-you-ever-wonder-what-it-would-be-like-if-our-positions-were/) [Malorie Blackman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malorie-blackman/) > [Environmentally, business in America in 1970 was very similar to business in China today. Even if a CEO wanted to be a responsible corporate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/environmentally-business-in-america-in-1970-was-very-similar-to/) [Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) > [Governments should end the extreme concentration of wealth in order to end poverty. This means tackling tax dodging but also increasing taxes on wealth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winnie-byanyima/governments-should-end-the-extreme-concentration-of-wealth-in-order/) [Winnie Byanyima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winnie-byanyima/) > [I'm not afraid of code. I mean, I understand how these things work. I thought that that was the one area where Estonia was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toomas-hendrik-ilves/i-m-not-afraid-of-code-i-mean-i-understand-how-these-things-work-i/) [Toomas Hendrik Ilves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toomas-hendrik-ilves/) > [I work in lockstep, hand in glove, with the prime minister on these issues, and as we are supportive to the Eurozone so they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-clegg/i-work-in-lockstep-hand-in-glove-with-the-prime-minister-on-these/) [Nick Clegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-clegg/) > [TV is a level playing field, and you're competing for eyeballs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-winter/tv-is-a-level-playing-field-and-you-re-competing-for-eyeballs/) [Terence Winter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-winter/) > [I don't think that a company should own a studio and the network, and program for their own network. It hurts the creativity -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-bakula/i-don-t-think-that-a-company-should-own-a-studio-and-the-network-and/) [Scott Bakula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-bakula/) ## 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 Arena quotes > [The sidelines are not where you want to live your life. The world needs you in the arena!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/the-sidelines-are-not-where-you-want-to-live-your-life-the-world/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [To see classic rock, you had to go to an arena. But punk was happening everywhere, even in little towns in the middle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-callahan/to-see-classic-rock-you-had-to-go-to-an-arena-but-punk-was-happening/) [Bill Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-callahan/) > [The "family" has clearly emerged anew in the late 1970s as a central subject for discussion, debate, research and writing in bothscholarly and popular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/the-family-has-clearly-emerged-anew-in-the-late-1970s-as-a-central/) [Sheila Kamerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-kamerman/) > [Cannes is a sort of gladiators' arena, and that's the fun part of it. When you accept to come here to open the festival,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-dahan/cannes-is-a-sort-of-gladiators-arena-and-that-s-the-fun-part-of-it/) [Olivier Dahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-dahan/) > [ We're striving to stay in the arenas. We \[Papa Roach\] had just little things that just took our show a step up and were… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-palermo/we-re-striving-to-stay-in-the-arenas-we-papa-roach-had-just-little/) [Tony Palermo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-palermo/) > [The most difficult idea to reconcile in war is the notion that anything is going to be solved by killing a stranger, or in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-dean-myers/the-most-difficult-idea-to-reconcile-in-war-is-the-notion-that/) [Walter Dean Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-dean-myers/) > [I've never liked talking about my personal life, ever. Ever since I was 20, I've lived in a kind of public arena; and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-dalton/i-ve-never-liked-talking-about-my-personal-life-ever-ever-since-i-was/) [Timothy Dalton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-dalton/) > [Every NBA arena has six cameras in the ceiling. The question is what does the software do with video feeds? How to surface that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/every-nba-arena-has-six-cameras-in-the-ceiling-the-question-is-what/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [Most of my films I call arena films. I deal with a confined area -- an arena -- and I try to cover every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/most-of-my-films-i-call-arena-films-i-deal-with-a-confined-area-an/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [If you're also in the arena and you're putting your ideas out and you're owning them and you're saying "I disagree with you about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/if-you-re-also-in-the-arena-and-you-re-putting-your-ideas-out-and-you/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [The galleries are full of critics. They play no ball, they fight no fights. They make no mistakes because they attempt nothing. Down in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-m-shoup/the-galleries-are-full-of-critics-they-play-no-ball-they-fight-no/) [David M. Shoup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-m-shoup/) > [The rules of survival never change, whether you're in a desert or in an arena.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-grylls/the-rules-of-survival-never-change-whether-you-re-in-a-desert-or-in/) [Bear Grylls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-grylls/) > [We live in a very pluralistic society today. There are Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, atheists, Roman Catholics, Evangelical Christians, and Christians like me. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/we-live-in-a-very-pluralistic-society-today-there-are-buddhists/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [I just like playing music and doing it with people that I care about. It doesn't really matter where. It's like, 'Why don't we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-klinghoffer/i-just-like-playing-music-and-doing-it-with-people-that-i-care-about/) [Josh Klinghoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-klinghoffer/) > [Successful weight management really means a permanent change in lifestyle - and success in this arena provides that person with a great opportunity to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/successful-weight-management-really-means-a-permanent-change-in/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) [Browse all 674 Arena quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arena/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The Roman arena was technically a level playing field. But on one side were the lions with all the weapons, and on the other the Christians with all the blood. That's not a level playing field. That's a slaughter. 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