Capitalism Quote by Petrus Borel
““To get rich, one must have but a single idea, one fixed, hard, immutable thought: the desire to make a heap of gold. And in order to increase this heap of gold, one must be inflexible, a usurer, thief, extortionist, and murderer! And one must especially mistreat the small and the weak! And when this mountain of gold has been amassed, one can climb up on it, and from up on the summit, a smile on one’s lips, one can contemplate the valley of poor wretches that one has created.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Le Rouge et le Noir, 1830
Unbridled greed leads to exploitation and moral decay, culminating in a hollow triumph over suffering.
In simple terms: Greed corrupts and harms others.
Key Takeaway
Beware of selfish ambition.
Themes
greed
ethics
power
inequality
Mood
cautionary
critical
somber
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- business leadership
- political ambition
- personal wealth pursuits
- societal policy
Key Concepts
philosophy
social critique
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- What values guide your ambitions?
- How can success be measured beyond material wealth?
A Different Perspective
Wealth alone does not bring fulfillment; ethical costs may outweigh gains.
![“Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a [Soviet socialistic] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants, lands, banks, means of transportation, etc., remain untouched there, and, therefore, capitalism in Germany and Italy…” quote by Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/411/joseph-stalin-1734_capitalism_neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-natio_1430.jpg)
