--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: law grinds the poor, rich men rule the law" description: "\"“law grinds the poor, rich men rule the law”\" — Oliver Goldsmith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/673/oliver-goldsmith-772_law_law-grinds-the-poor-rich-men-rule-the-la_2239253.png" --- # law grinds the poor, rich men rule the law ![“law grinds the poor, rich men rule the law” quote by Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/673/oliver-goldsmith-772_law_law-grinds-the-poor-rich-men-rule-the-la_2239253.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/673/oliver-goldsmith-772_law_law-grinds-the-poor-rich-men-rule-the-la_2239253.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/673/oliver-goldsmith-772_law_law-grinds-the-poor-rich-men-rule-the-la_2239253.png) > ““law grinds the poor, rich men rule the law”” [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The law favors the wealthy, crushing the poor while the rich manipulate legal systems. **In simple terms:** Rich control law, poor suffer. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge systemic bias. Themes justice inequality power law social class Mood frustrated critical determined Type political social commentary When to use this quote - activism - policy reform - community organizing - education - legal aid Key Concepts class struggle legal manipulation economic disparity Questions to Reflect On - How does wealth influence legal outcomes? - What can individuals do to promote fairness? A Different Perspective The law also protects vulnerable groups, not just the rich. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Poor rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-rich/) [Rich men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rich-men/) ## Related quotes > [Law grinds the poor, and rich men rule the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/law-grinds-the-poor-and-rich-men-rule-the-law/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [Laws grind the poor, and rich men rule the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/laws-grind-the-poor-and-rich-men-rule-the-law/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [These poor rich men, we anglers pity them perfectly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/izaak-walton/these-poor-rich-men-we-anglers-pity-them-perfectly/) [Izaak Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/izaak-walton/) > [I'm a principle liberty, rule-of-law Conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-o-toole/i-m-a-principle-liberty-rule-of-law-conservative/) [Erin O'Toole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-o-toole/) > [Any new legal measures, or cooperative arrangements between government and companies meant to keep people from organizing violence or criminal actions, must not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/any-new-legal-measures-or-cooperative-arrangements-between-government/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [Overregulation corrupts citizens and weakens the rule of law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/overregulation-corrupts-citizens-and-weakens-the-rule-of-law/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [Women literally allow men to rule their lives and take them for granted so much so that it can even cost their life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mazher/women-literally-allow-men-to-rule-their-lives-and-take-them-for/) [Mazher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mazher/) > [“Religion- made by men to rule women, children and idiots!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vardan-hambardzumyan/religion-made-by-men-to-rule-women-children-and-idiots/) Vardan Hambardzumyan > [“Men still rule this world and as a result the world is broken. Men still hold most positions of power, men control governments, men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-feeney/men-still-rule-this-world-and-as-a-result-the-world-is-broken-men/) [Alice Feeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-feeney/) > [If you are to rule men, you must rule them through their own ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/if-you-are-to-rule-men-you-must-rule-them-through-their-own-ideas/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [Circumstances rule men; men do not rule circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herodotus/circumstances-rule-men-men-do-not-rule-circumstances/) [Herodotus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herodotus/) > [Those looking for ideology in the White House should consider this: For the men who rule our world, rules are for other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/those-looking-for-ideology-in-the-white-house-should-consider-this/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [“The world needed gentle men to rule if the people were to live in peace, not the warmongers and conniving men she so often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-h-septimius/the-world-needed-gentle-men-to-rule-if-the-people-were-to-live-in/) [A. H. Septimius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-h-septimius/) > [Men rule the world,women rule men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russyb/men-rule-the-world-women-rule-men/) Russyb > [“Every select man strives instinctively for a citadel and a privacy, where he is FREE from the crowd, the many, the majority-- where he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/every-select-man-strives-instinctively-for-a-citadel-and-a-privacy/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) ## More by Oliver Goldsmith > [The fortunate circumstances of our lives are generally found, at last, to be of our own producing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/the-fortunate-circumstances-of-our-lives-are-generally-found-at-last/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [How happy he who crowns in shades like these, A youth of labour with an age of ease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/how-happy-he-who-crowns-in-shades-like-these-a-youth-of-labour-with/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [One man is born with a silver spoon in his mouth, and the other with a wooden ladle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/one-man-is-born-with-a-silver-spoon-in-his-mouth-and-the-other-with-a/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [He cast off his friends as a huntsman his pack, For he knew when he pleas'd he could whistle them back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/he-cast-off-his-friends-as-a-huntsman-his-pack-for-he-knew-when-he/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [Even children follow'd with endearing wile, And pluck'd his gown, to share the good man's smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/even-children-follow-d-with-endearing-wile-and-pluck-d-his-gown-to/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [The premises being thus settled, I proceed to observe that the concatenation of self-existence, proceeding in a reciprocal duplicate ratio, naturally produces a problematical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/the-premises-being-thus-settled-i-proceed-to-observe-that-the/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [Truth from his lips prevailed with double sway, and fools, who came to scoff, remained to pray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/truth-from-his-lips-prevailed-with-double-sway-and-fools-who-came-to/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [Politics resemble religion; attempting to divest either of ceremony is the most certain mode of bringing either into contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/politics-resemble-religion-attempting-to-divest-either-of-ceremony-is/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [To what fortuitous occurrence do we not owe every pleasure and convenience of our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/to-what-fortuitous-occurrence-do-we-not-owe-every-pleasure-and/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [Every acknowledgment of gratitude is a circumstance of humiliation; and some are found to submit to frequent mortifications of this kind, proclaiming what obligations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/every-acknowledgment-of-gratitude-is-a-circumstance-of-humiliation/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [ \[T\]here are depths of thousands of miles which are hidden from our inquiry. The only tidings we have from those unfathomable regions are by… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/t-here-are-depths-of-thousands-of-miles-which-are-hidden-from-our/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [Like the bee, we should make our industry our amusement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/like-the-bee-we-should-make-our-industry-our-amusement/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [Age, that lessens the enjoyment of life, increases our desire of living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/age-that-lessens-the-enjoyment-of-life-increases-our-desire-of-living/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [Thus let me hold thee to my heart, And every care resign: And we shall never, never part, My life-my all that's mine!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/thus-let-me-hold-thee-to-my-heart-and-every-care-resign-and-we-shall/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [Here lies David Garrick, describe me who can, An abridgment of all that was pleasant in man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/here-lies-david-garrick-describe-me-who-can-an-abridgment-of-all-that/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) [Explore all 375 Oliver Goldsmith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) ## More Law quotes > [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [ \[Islam\] Leaves no room of human legislation in an Islamic state, because herein all legislative functions vest in God and the only function left… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abul-a-la-maududi/islam-leaves-no-room-of-human-legislation-in-an-islamic-state-because/) [Abul A'la Maududi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abul-a-la-maududi/) > [The law is like apparel, which alters with the time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dodderidge/the-law-is-like-apparel-which-alters-with-the-time/) John Dodderidge > [I am convinced that we will never build a democratic state based on rule of law if we do not at the same time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/i-am-convinced-that-we-will-never-build-a-democratic-state-based-on/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [Dictatorship is rule based directly upon force and unrestricted by any laws. The revolutionary dictatorship of the proletariat is rule won and maintained by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-lenin/dictatorship-is-rule-based-directly-upon-force-and-unrestricted-by/) [Vladimir Lenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-lenin/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Laws undertake to punish only overt acts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/laws-undertake-to-punish-only-overt-acts/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A man has a right to use a saw, an axe, a plane, separately; may he not combine their uses on the same piece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/a-man-has-a-right-to-use-a-saw-an-axe-a-plane-separately-may-he-not/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [In relations between the rich and the strong, between the rich and the poor, between the master and the servant, it's liberty that grinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-relations-between-the-rich-and-the-strong-between-the-rich-and-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The laws of every country must be analogous to some common principle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-laws-of-every-country-must-be-analogous-to-some-common-principle/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) [Browse all 16,973 Law quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“law grinds the poor, rich men rule the law”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oliver Goldsmith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/law-grinds-the-poor-rich-men-rule-the-law/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Law" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/law-grinds-the-poor-rich-men-rule-the-law/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/673/oliver-goldsmith-772_law_law-grinds-the-poor-rich-men-rule-the-la_2239253.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/673/oliver-goldsmith-772_law_law-grinds-the-poor-rich-men-rule-the-la_2239253.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/673/oliver-goldsmith-772_law_law-grinds-the-poor-rich-men-rule-the-la_2239253.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“law grinds the poor, rich men rule the law” — Oliver Goldsmith", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Oliver Goldsmith", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“law grinds the poor, rich men...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/law-grinds-the-poor-rich-men-rule-the-law/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/law-grinds-the-poor-rich-men-rule-the-law/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```