--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We all know how 'modern democracies take…" description: "\"“We all know how 'modern democracies take loaves from the wealthy.' It's the slipups in the 'pass them out to the poor' department that inspire a study..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffd/p-j-o-rourke-2-11933_capitalism_we-all-know-how-modern-democracies-take_346848.jpg" --- # We all know how 'modern democracies take loaves from the… ![“We all know how 'modern democracies take loaves from the wealthy.' It's the slipups in the 'pass them out to the poor' department that inspire a study of Economics.” quote by P.J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffd/p-j-o-rourke-2-11933_capitalism_we-all-know-how-modern-democracies-take_346848.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffd/p-j-o-rourke-2-11933_capitalism_we-all-know-how-modern-democracies-take_346848.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffd/p-j-o-rourke-2-11933_capitalism_we-all-know-how-modern-democracies-take_346848.jpg) > ““We all know how 'modern democracies take loaves from the wealthy.' It's the slipups in the 'pass them out to the poor' department that inspire a study of Economics.”” [P.J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Wealth redistribution often fails due to bureaucratic errors, prompting economic analysis of policy flaws. **In simple terms:** Policy errors reveal economic truths. Key Takeaway Examine and fix bureaucratic slipups. Themes economics policy inequality Mood critical analytical Type political economic When to use this quote - government welfare programs - tax policy - social safety nets Key Concepts public finance behavioral economics Questions to Reflect On - How can bureaucratic processes be streamlined? - What metrics reveal hidden inefficiencies? A Different Perspective Implementation gaps can undermine good intentions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Capitalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Redistribution of wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/redistribution-of-wealth/) [Socialism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/socialism/) ## Related quotes > [“All things pass, but the poor remain. We are the people of the Apokalis. Tomorrow there will be more of us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indra-sinha/all-things-pass-but-the-poor-remain-we-are-the-people-of-the-apokalis/) [Indra Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indra-sinha/) > [I am practical by nature, and I'd heard that being a writer or an artist is a good way to starve! So I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/i-am-practical-by-nature-and-i-d-heard-that-being-a-writer-or-an/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [I started in the law; and the study of law, when it precedes the study of economics, gives you a set of foundation principles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reich/i-started-in-the-law-and-the-study-of-law-when-it-precedes-the-study/) [Robert Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reich/) > [The study of economics does not seem to require any specialised gifts of an unusually high order.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/the-study-of-economics-does-not-seem-to-require-any-specialised-gifts/) [John Maynard Keynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/) > [To those who say climate change is not caused by human activity or that addressing it will harm the economy, let's encourage them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-malley/to-those-who-say-climate-change-is-not-caused-by-human-activity-or/) [Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/) > [When you choose your profession, you also choose your own downfall or success. If one chooses to become an artist it is 99% certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/odd-nerdrum/when-you-choose-your-profession-you-also-choose-your-own-downfall-or/) [Odd Nerdrum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/odd-nerdrum/) > [The study of economics has been again and again led astray by the vain idea that economics must proceed according to the pattern of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-study-of-economics-has-been-again-and-again-led-astray-by-the/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [A study of economics usually reveals that the best time to buy anything is last year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-allen/a-study-of-economics-usually-reveals-that-the-best-time-to-buy/) [Marty Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-allen/) > [My family are quite academic, and I was set to study economics and politics at university.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/o-t-fagbenle/my-family-are-quite-academic-and-i-was-set-to-study-economics-and/) [O. T. Fagbenle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-t-fagbenle/) > [“The Constitution is quite clear that the government has the right to tax in order to support its programs, but there is nothing in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-carson/the-constitution-is-quite-clear-that-the-government-has-the-right-to/) [Ben Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-carson/) > [The poor of the world cannot be made rich by the redistribution of wealth. Poverty can't be eliminated by punishing people who've escaped poverty,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/the-poor-of-the-world-cannot-be-made-rich-by-the-redistribution-of/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Received left-wing wisdom holds that the police cannot lower crime, only massive welfare spending and the redistribution of wealth can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mac-donald/received-left-wing-wisdom-holds-that-the-police-cannot-lower-crime/) [Heather Mac Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mac-donald/) > [Poverty can't be eliminated by punishing people who've escaped poverty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/poverty-can-t-be-eliminated-by-punishing-people-who-ve-escaped-poverty/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [ \[Steven\] Lerner said that unions and community organizations are, for all intents and purposes, dead. The only way to achieve their goals, therefore -… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/steven-lerner-said-that-unions-and-community-organizations-are-for/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The people who are working, paying their taxes are put into the system so that affordable housing could be built in neighborhoods that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bolling/the-people-who-are-working-paying-their-taxes-are-put-into-the-system/) [Eric Bolling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bolling/) ## More by P.J. O'Rourke > [“Sucking the fun out of life has always been an important component of politics.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke-2/sucking-the-fun-out-of-life-has-always-been-an-important-component-of/) [P.J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke-2/) > [“A road trip with Richard Nixon would seem like gum surgery on wheels. But Hunter S. Thompson actually went on a road trip with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke-2/a-road-trip-with-richard-nixon-would-seem-like-gum-surgery-on-wheels/) [P.J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke-2/) > [“Perhaps in that flight of birds . . . the leader was not really a bold spirit trusting to its own initiative and hypnotizing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke-2/perhaps-in-that-flight-of-birds-the-leader-was-not-really-a-bold/) [P.J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke-2/) > [“Indeed, it costs more. CNN reports that Hillary and Bill collected $153 million in speaking fees between 2001 and 2015. Ken Starr, according to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke-2/indeed-it-costs-more-cnn-reports-that-hillary-and-bill-collected-153/) [P.J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke-2/) > [“The world’s richest man pulled Microsoft out of his butt. All Bill Gates exploited was a line of 0s and 1s as long as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke-2/the-world-s-richest-man-pulled-microsoft-out-of-his-butt-all-bill/) [P.J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke-2/) > [“The Affordable Health Care for Americans Act, passed by the House of Representatives on November 7, 2009, was 1,990 pages long. You could stand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke-2/the-affordable-health-care-for-americans-act-passed-by-the-house-of/) [P.J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke-2/) > [“We common folk may not be able to match Trump’s piggy bank, but even the most high-minded and charitable among us can match his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke-2/we-common-folk-may-not-be-able-to-match-trump-s-piggy-bank-but-even/) [P.J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke-2/) > [“If Melania had come out and said, “According to my husband, I should be very pretty to get what I want in life,” that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke-2/if-melania-had-come-out-and-said-according-to-my-husband-i-should-be/) [P.J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke-2/) > [“Instead of cathedrals, mosques and ancient temples, we have duty-free shops—at their best in Kuwait. I never knew there was so much stuff I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke-2/instead-of-cathedrals-mosques-and-ancient-temples-we-have-duty-free/) [P.J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke-2/) > [“And if there’s a libertarian moment in the future it won’t be while moderates are in charge. Because there are three basic tenets to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke-2/and-if-there-s-a-libertarian-moment-in-the-future-it-won-t-be-while/) [P.J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke-2/) > [“We got over feminism, too. At least women did, as soon as they were hired for those high-prestige jobs that only men used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke-2/we-got-over-feminism-too-at-least-women-did-as-soon-as-they-were/) [P.J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke-2/) > [“Being gloomy is easier than being cheerful. Anybody can say "I've got cancer" and get a rise out of a crowd. But how many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke-2/being-gloomy-is-easier-than-being-cheerful-anybody-can-say-i-ve-got/) [P.J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke-2/) > [“The proper behaviour all through the holiday season is to be drunk. The drunkenness culminates on New Years’ Eve, when you get so drunk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke-2/the-proper-behaviour-all-through-the-holiday-season-is-to-be-drunk/) [P.J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke-2/) > [“It is astonishing that Donald Trump managed to eke out a victory over Donald Trump at the polls. It is amazing how narrow the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke-2/it-is-astonishing-that-donald-trump-managed-to-eke-out-a-victory-over/) [P.J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke-2/) > [“For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven: and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke-2/for-behold-the-day-cometh-that-shall-burn-as-an-oven-and-all-the/) [P.J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke-2/) [Explore all 56 P.J. O'Rourke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke-2/) ## More Capitalism quotes > [Don't let's lose sight of what creates wealth. It is open markets, it is capitalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/don-t-let-s-lose-sight-of-what-creates-wealth-it-is-open-markets-it/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [Crony capitalism is essentially a condition in which... public officials are giving favours to people in the private sector in payment of political favours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/crony-capitalism-is-essentially-a-condition-in-which-public-officials/) [Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [ Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a \[Soviet socialistic\] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-national-socialism-have-anything/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [Corporations have nothing to do with values, and they know it, and sometimes say it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kierans/corporations-have-nothing-to-do-with-values-and-they-know-it-and/) [Eric Kierans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-kierans/) > [Both fact and logic seem to me to support the view that savings invested in privately owned economic tools of production amount to an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-a-harper/both-fact-and-logic-seem-to-me-to-support-the-view-that-savings/) F. A. Harper > [The free market is ugly and stupid, like going to the mall; the unfree market is just as ugly and just as stupid, except…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-free-market-is-ugly-and-stupid-like-going-to-the-mall-the-unfree/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Capitalism, communism ... it's all garbage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mstislav-rostropovich/capitalism-communism-it-s-all-garbage/) [Mstislav Rostropovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mstislav-rostropovich/) > [There are no two countries with the same style of economic mechanism, with the same capitalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatoly-chubais/there-are-no-two-countries-with-the-same-style-of-economic-mechanism/) [Anatoly Chubais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatoly-chubais/) > [It is more than a little ironic that "capital accumulation" once a rather tendentious Marxian view of a supposed capitalist obsession, should have become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kuttner/it-is-more-than-a-little-ironic-that-capital-accumulation-once-a/) [Robert Kuttner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kuttner/) > [Historically, usury was defined as any interest whatever on an unproductive loan.Our whole banking system I have ever abhorred, I continue to abhor, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/historically-usury-was-defined-as-any-interest-whatever-on-an/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [Socialism is humanity's second nature. All politicians do is turn human vice into votes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilana-mercer/socialism-is-humanity-s-second-nature-all-politicians-do-is-turn/) [Ilana Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilana-mercer/) > [“Scholars have long debated whether capital markets lead to appropriate levels of saving and investment for future generations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-l-weimer/scholars-have-long-debated-whether-capital-markets-lead-to/) David L. Weimer > [“A car is one of the most interesting inventions, but driving is one of the most boring activities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-car-is-one-of-the-most-interesting-inventions-but-driving-is-one-of/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) [Browse all 3,832 Capitalism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We all know how 'modern democracies take loaves from the wealthy.' It's the slipups in the 'pass them out to the poor' department that inspire a study of Economics.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "P.J. O'Rourke" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke-2/we-all-know-how-modern-democracies-take-loaves-from-the-wealthy-it-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Capitalism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke-2/we-all-know-how-modern-democracies-take-loaves-from-the-wealthy-it-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffd/p-j-o-rourke-2-11933_capitalism_we-all-know-how-modern-democracies-take_346848.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffd/p-j-o-rourke-2-11933_capitalism_we-all-know-how-modern-democracies-take_346848.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffd/p-j-o-rourke-2-11933_capitalism_we-all-know-how-modern-democracies-take_346848.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We all know how 'modern democracies take loaves from the wealthy.' It's the slipups in the 'pass them out to…” — P.J. O'Rourke", "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": "P.J. O'Rourke", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke-2/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“We all know how 'modern democracies...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke-2/we-all-know-how-modern-democracies-take-loaves-from-the-wealthy-it-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke-2/we-all-know-how-modern-democracies-take-loaves-from-the-wealthy-it-s/#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 } } ] } ```