Decency Quote by Napoleon Bonaparte
“The hand that gives is among the hand that takes. Money has no fatherland, financiers are without patriotism and without decency, their sole object is gain.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Unknown source, attributed to Napoleon
Self‑interest dominates finance; lack of national loyalty leads to moral decay.
In simple terms: Financiers prioritize profit over patriotism.
Key Takeaway
Beware of profit‑driven motives.
Themes
ethics
money
patriotism
Mood
critical
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
analytical
When to use this quote
- investment decisions
- government policy
- personal finance
- corporate governance
Key Concepts
capitalism
moral philosophy
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance profit and principle?
- What safeguards ensure ethical finance?
A Different Perspective
Not all financiers are unethical; context matters.
![“We were not foolish enough to try to make a currency [backed by] gold of which we had none, but for every mark that was issued we required the equivalent of a mark's worth of work done or goods produced ... we laugh at the time our national financiers held the view that the value of a currency is…” quote by Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/db1/adolf-hitler-253_currency_we-were-not-foolish-enough-to-try-to-mak_791068.jpg)
![“I am not a member of the chamber of commerce for show business, believe me, but there are some really good people in the business, and [Tom] Hanks has this everyman decency onscreen, but he actually is that guy.” quote by Kurt Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b01/kurt-fuller-12139_believe_i-am-not-a-member-of-the-chamber-of-comm_68948.jpg)