Achievement Quote by Nicholas Murray Butler
“Every attempt, by whatever authority, to fix a maximum of productive labor by a given worker in a given time is an unjust restriction upon his freedom and a limitation of his right to make the most of himself in order that he may rise in the scale of the social and economic order in which he lives. The notion that all human beings born into this world enter at birth into a definite social and economic classification, in which classification they must remain permanently through life, is wholly false and fatal to a progressive civilization.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Address on Labor Rights, 1920
Labor productivity limits imposed by authority restrict personal freedom and hinder social progress; such fixed class structures are false and harmful.
In simple terms: Restricting work limits freedom and social mobility.
Key Takeaway
Advocate flexible labor policies.
Themes
freedom
labor rights
social mobility
class structure
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- workplace
- policy debates
- education
- social reform
Key Concepts
economic theory
human rights
Questions to Reflect On
- What policies can balance productivity and freedom?
- How can societies break fixed class barriers?
A Different Perspective
Implementation may face political resistance and economic constraints.
