Children Quote by Mary Elizabeth Lease
“The great common people of this country are slaves, and monopoly is the master. . . . The politicians said we suffered from overproduction. Overproduction, when 10,000 little children, so statistics tell us, starve to death every year in the United States. . . . We will stand by our homes and stay by our fireside by force if necessary, and we will not pay our debts to the loan-shark companies until the government pays its debts to us.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Populist Rally, 1890
The masses are exploited by monopolies; overproduction masks systemic poverty, prompting collective resistance.
In simple terms: People suffer under monopolies and hidden famine.
Key Takeaway
Organize against economic oppression.
Themes
economic inequality
monopoly
poverty
Mood
defiant
urgent
Type
political
motivational
When to use this quote
- labor strikes
- community cooperatives
Key Concepts
class struggle
political activism
Questions to Reflect On
- What economic injustices do you see today?
- How can communities build self‑reliance?
A Different Perspective
Resistance can be met with violent repression.
