--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The saddest object in civilization, and…" description: "\"The saddest object in civilization, and to my mind the greatest confession of its failure, is the man who can work, who wants work, and who is not allo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bf/robert-louis-stevenson-289_civilization_the-saddest-object-in-civilization-and-t_2388740.jpg" --- # The saddest object in civilization, and to my mind the… ![“The saddest object in civilization, and to my mind the greatest confession of its failure, is the man who can work, who wants work, and who is not allowed to work.” quote by Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bf/robert-louis-stevenson-289_civilization_the-saddest-object-in-civilization-and-t_2388740.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bf/robert-louis-stevenson-289_civilization_the-saddest-object-in-civilization-and-t_2388740.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bf/robert-louis-stevenson-289_civilization_the-saddest-object-in-civilization-and-t_2388740.jpg) > “The saddest object in civilization, and to my mind the greatest confession of its failure, is the man who can work, who wants work, and who is not allowed to work.” [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The tragedy is that capable people who desire work are denied the chance to labor. **In simple terms:** People who want to work but can’t is a deep failure. Key Takeaway Advocate for fair employment opportunities. Themes work justice human dignity Mood somber determined Type political philosophical When to use this quote - unemployment - economic policy - social welfare Key Concepts economics philosophy labor rights Questions to Reflect On - What barriers prevent willing workers from contributing? - How can society better match labor supply and demand? A Different Perspective Economic systems may limit opportunities despite desire. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Confession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confession/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Saddest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saddest/) ## Related quotes > [1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 A conservative is a man who is too cowardly to fight and too fat to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/1-2-3-4-5-a-conservative-is-a-man-who-is-too-cowardly-to-fight-and/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [The only failure one man should fear, is the failure to do his best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-d-palmer/the-only-failure-one-man-should-fear-is-the-failure-to-do-his-best/) [Daniel D. Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-d-palmer/) > [Failure -- The man who can tell others what to do and how to do it, but never does it himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/failure-the-man-who-can-tell-others-what-to-do-and-how-to-do-it-but/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [The man who lives for himself is a failure. Even if he gains much wealth, position or fortune, he is still a failure. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/the-man-who-lives-for-himself-is-a-failure-even-if-he-gains-much/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [No matter how vast, how total, the failure of man here on earth, the work of man will be resumed elsewhere. 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