---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Communism is exploitation of the strong…"
description: "\"Communism is exploitation of the strong by the weak.\" — Pierre-Joseph Proudhon"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb2/pierre-joseph-proudhon-11634_communism_communism-is-exploitation-of-the-strong_2428931.jpg"
---

#  Communism is exploitation of the strong by the weak.

![“Communism is exploitation of the strong by the weak.” quote by Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb2/pierre-joseph-proudhon-11634_communism_communism-is-exploitation-of-the-strong_2428931.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb2/pierre-joseph-proudhon-11634_communism_communism-is-exploitation-of-the-strong_2428931.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb2/pierre-joseph-proudhon-11634_communism_communism-is-exploitation-of-the-strong_2428931.jpg)

> “Communism is exploitation of the strong by the weak.”

[Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Power dynamics: the weak exploit the strong, not vice‑versa.

**In simple terms:** Weak exploit strong.

Key Takeaway

Recognize hidden power structures.

Themes

politics economics inequality

Mood

critical analytical

Type

philosophical political

When to use this quote

- labor negotiations
- policy analysis
- activism

Key Concepts

class struggle social theory

Questions to Reflect On

- Who truly holds power in society?
- How can the weak protect themselves?

A Different Perspective

Simplifies complex socioeconomic relations.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Communism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communism/) [Exploitation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exploitation/) [Mediocrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mediocrity/)

## Related quotes

> [A common danger tends to concord. Communism is the exploitation of the strong by the weak. In Communism, inequality comes from placing mediocrity on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/a-common-danger-tends-to-concord-communism-is-the-exploitation-of-the/)

[Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/)

> [Communism is inequality, but not as property is. Property is exploitation of the weak by the strong. Communism is exploitation of the strong by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/communism-is-inequality-but-not-as-property-is-property-is/)

[Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/)

> [Economic analysis is the first principle of Marxism. Professors who were genuine leftists would have challenged the entire economics-driven machinery of American academe the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/economic-analysis-is-the-first-principle-of-marxism-professors-who/)

[Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/)

> [Communism forgets that life is individual. Capitalism forgets that life is social, and the kingdom of brotherhood is found neither in the thesis of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/communism-forgets-that-life-is-individual-capitalism-forgets-that/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [Socialism is not spontaneous. It does not arise of itself. It has abiding principles according to which the major means of production and distribution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/socialism-is-not-spontaneous-it-does-not-arise-of-itself-it-has/)

[Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/)

> [“The bourgeoisie, wherever it has got the upper hand, has put an end to all feudal, patriarchal, idyllic relations. It has pitilessly torn asunder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/the-bourgeoisie-wherever-it-has-got-the-upper-hand-has-put-an-end-to/)

[Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/)

> [The whole gospel of Karl Marx can be summed up in a single sentence: Hate the man who is better off than you are.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hazlitt/the-whole-gospel-of-karl-marx-can-be-summed-up-in-a-single-sentence/)

[Henry Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hazlitt/)

> [The scientific approach uncovers, that Communism does not eliminate the inequality between men, the social injustice, exploitation of man by man and other evils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-zinoviev/the-scientific-approach-uncovers-that-communism-does-not-eliminate/)

Alexander Zinoviev

> [“Very often the test of one's allegiance to a cause or to a people is precisely the willingness to stay the course when things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/very-often-the-test-of-one-s-allegiance-to-a-cause-or-to-a-people-is/)

[Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/)

> [“I think everyone is strong and weak in different ways.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-think-everyone-is-strong-and-weak-in-different-ways/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [“But when the strong were too weak to hurt the weak, the weak have to be strong enough to leave.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kundera-milan/but-when-the-strong-were-too-weak-to-hurt-the-weak-the-weak-have-to/)

[Kundera Milan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kundera-milan/)

> [Love is for the strong, the weak ones give up...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sachithra/love-is-for-the-strong-the-weak-ones-give-up/)

[Sachithra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sachithra/)

> [The strong take from the weak, but the smart take from the strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-caldwell/the-strong-take-from-the-weak-but-the-smart-take-from-the-strong/)

[Ian Caldwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-caldwell/)

> [The strong do what they have to do and the weak accept what they have to accept.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/the-strong-do-what-they-have-to-do-and-the-weak-accept-what-they-have/)

[Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/)

> [“When the strong were too weak to hurt the weak, the weak had to be strong enough to leave.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/when-the-strong-were-too-weak-to-hurt-the-weak-the-weak-had-to-be/)

[Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/)

## More by Pierre-Joseph Proudhon

> [When deeds speak, words are nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/when-deeds-speak-words-are-nothing/)

[Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/)

> [In any given society the authority of man over man runs in inverse proportion to the intellectual development of that society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/in-any-given-society-the-authority-of-man-over-man-runs-in-inverse/)

[Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/)

> [Communism is inequality, but not as property is. Property is exploitation of the weak by the strong. Communism is exploitation of the strong by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/communism-is-inequality-but-not-as-property-is-property-is/)

[Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/)

> [ The faults of which we ask you \[God\] the remittance, it is you who make us commit them; the traps of which we implore… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/the-faults-of-which-we-ask-you-god-the-remittance-it-is-you-who-make/)

[Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/)

> [Does it seem to you impossible to imagine anything more inextricable than the social contract, when you think of the frightful number of relations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/does-it-seem-to-you-impossible-to-imagine-anything-more-inextricable/)

[Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/)

> [The proprietor, producing neither by his own labor nor by his implement, and receiving products in exchange for nothing, is either a parasite or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/the-proprietor-producing-neither-by-his-own-labor-nor-by-his/)

[Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/)

> [The great are only great because we are on our knees. Let us rise!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/the-great-are-only-great-because-we-are-on-our-knees-let-us-rise/)

[Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/)

> [The social revolution is seriously compromised if it comes through a political revolution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/the-social-revolution-is-seriously-compromised-if-it-comes-through-a/)

[Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/)

> [Property is impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/property-is-impossible/)

[Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/)

> [Justice is a faculty that may be developed. This development is what constitutes the education of the human race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/justice-is-a-faculty-that-may-be-developed-this-development-is-what/)

[Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/)

> [To be governed ... is to be watched, inspected, directed, indoctrinated, numbered, estimated, regulated, commanded, controlled, law-driven, preached at, spied upon, censured, checked, valued,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/to-be-governed-is-to-be-watched-inspected-directed-indoctrinated/)

[Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/)

> [Communism--the first expression of the social nature--is the first term of social development--the thesis; property, the reverse of communism, is the second term--the antithesis.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/communism-the-first-expression-of-the-social-nature-is-the-first-term/)

[Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/)

> [Democracy is nothing but the Tyranny of Majorities, the most abominable tyranny of all, for it is not based on the authority of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/democracy-is-nothing-but-the-tyranny-of-majorities-the-most/)

[Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/)

> [“Of a real, true contract, on whatsoever subject, there is no vestige in Rousseau's book. To give an exact idea of his theory, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/of-a-real-true-contract-on-whatsoever-subject-there-is-no-vestige-in/)

[Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/)

> [the government can do nothing for you. But you can do everything for yourselves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/the-government-can-do-nothing-for-you-but-you-can-do-everything-for/)

[Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/)

[Explore all 57 Pierre-Joseph Proudhon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/)

## More Communism quotes

> [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/)

> [I didn't understand Southland Tales script at all! Is there a single word to describe it? Cacophony? It's celebrity meets pornography meets politics -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-grant/i-didn-t-understand-southland-tales-script-at-all-is-there-a-single/)

[Beth Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-grant/)

> [It is popular to call it a crisis of the Western world. It is in fact a crisis of the whole world. Communism, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whittaker-chambers/it-is-popular-to-call-it-a-crisis-of-the-western-world-it-is-in-fact/)

[Whittaker Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whittaker-chambers/)

> [“Despite Soviet 'defeat' in 1991, the ideas associated with Communism remain shockingly reputable throughout what we still know as the Free World.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-west/despite-soviet-defeat-in-1991-the-ideas-associated-with-communism/)

Diana West

> [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/)

> [Communism... is the genuine resolution of the antagonism between man and nature and between man and man; it is the true resolution of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/communism-is-the-genuine-resolution-of-the-antagonism-between-man-and/)

[Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/)

> [“Occult Theft,--Theft which hides itself even from itself, and is legal, respectable, and cowardly,--corrupts the body and soul of man, to the last fibre…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/occult-theft-theft-which-hides-itself-even-from-itself-and-is-legal/)

[John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/)

> [Motherland is our property and we have right to handle our properties as pleased. The jokes about death for the sake of the motherland…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/motherland-is-our-property-and-we-have-right-to-handle-our-properties/)

[Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/)

> [“Socialists and Progressives confuse compassion and compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-e-samaan/socialists-and-progressives-confuse-compassion-and-compulsion/)

[A.E. Samaan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-e-samaan/)

> [Your best friends are your principles, if you havent them, dont look for another friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/your-best-friends-are-your-principles-if-you-havent-them-dont-look/)

[Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/)

> [If I paint a hammer and sickle people may think it is a representation of Communism, but for me it is only a hammer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/if-i-paint-a-hammer-and-sickle-people-may-think-it-is-a/)

[Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/)

> [Our power does not know liberty or justice. It is established on the destruction of the individual will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-lenin/our-power-does-not-know-liberty-or-justice-it-is-established-on-the/)

[Vladimir Lenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-lenin/)

> [A strong saying is not afraid of criticism, because it includes all the answers to criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/a-strong-saying-is-not-afraid-of-criticism-because-it-includes-all/)

[Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/)

> [I think it's sort of the hypothetical point where communism and fascism meet. They love tragedy, and they love surface beauty. You just watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-forrest/i-think-it-s-sort-of-the-hypothetical-point-where-communism-and/)

[Emma Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-forrest/)

> [Communism is inequality, but not as property is. Property is exploitation of the weak by the strong. Communism is exploitation of the strong by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/communism-is-inequality-but-not-as-property-is-property-is/)

[Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/)

[Browse all 1,510 Communism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communism/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Communism is exploitation of the strong by the weak.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Pierre-Joseph Proudhon"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/communism-is-exploitation-of-the-strong-by-the-weak/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Communism"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/communism-is-exploitation-of-the-strong-by-the-weak/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb2/pierre-joseph-proudhon-11634_communism_communism-is-exploitation-of-the-strong_2428931.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb2/pierre-joseph-proudhon-11634_communism_communism-is-exploitation-of-the-strong_2428931.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb2/pierre-joseph-proudhon-11634_communism_communism-is-exploitation-of-the-strong_2428931.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Communism is exploitation of the strong by the weak.” — Pierre-Joseph Proudhon",
                "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": "Pierre-Joseph Proudhon",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Communism is exploitation of the strong...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/communism-is-exploitation-of-the-strong-by-the-weak/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/communism-is-exploitation-of-the-strong-by-the-weak/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```