Business Quote by Maximilien Robespierre
“Food that is necessary for man’s existence is as sacred as life itself. Everything that is indispensable for its preservation is the common property of society as a whole. It is only the surplus that is private property and can be safely left to individual commercial enterprise.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, 1789
Essential resources belong to all; only surplus can be privately owned.
In simple terms: Basic needs are communal; excess can be private.
Key Takeaway
Protect common resources, limit private claims.
Themes
eity
property
society
economics
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- public policy
- community planning
- environmental stewardship
- food security
Key Concepts
commons
social contract
resource allocation
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we define “surplus” in modern economies?
- What mechanisms ensure fair distribution of essentials?
A Different Perspective
Balancing individual profit with collective need is complex.
![“[S]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once, for example, when I was just starting out in the food business, I was hired by the caper people to develop a lot of recipes using capers, and it was weeks of…” quote by Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d79/nora-ephron-1217_business_s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-th_980.jpg)
![“If the State does not acquire supremacy over [vast private] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bad/bertrand-russell-69_acquire_if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy_1379.jpg)
