Greed Quote by Ron Chernow
““And shall we at last become the victims of our own abominable lust of gain? Forbid it, Heaven." Washington himself could be a hard driving businessman, yet he found the rapacity of many vendors unconscionable. As he told George Mason, he thought it the intent of the speculators, various tribes of money makers and stock jobbers of all denominations, to continue the war for their own private emolument, without considering that their avarice and thirst for gain must plunge everything in one common ruin.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow, 2010
The quote warns that unchecked greed and profit‑driven motives can corrupt societies and lead to collective ruin.
In simple terms: Greed harms everyone.
Key Takeaway
Guard against selfish gain.
Themes
ethics
politics
economics
corruption
war
Mood
cautious
critical
reflective
Type
advice
historical
political
When to use this quote
- government policy
- business decisions
- investment strategies
- public discourse
Key Concepts
Capitalism
moral hazard
public good
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies balance profit with public welfare?
- What safeguards can prevent greed from dictating policy?
A Different Perspective
Greed is often rationalized as personal ambition, making reform difficult.
![“Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari [living a worldly life] regardless of whether one is an ascetic or a family man. And where anger-pride-deceit-greed are absent, one is regarded as being asansaari…” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7ec/dada-bhagwan-31_anger_where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-dece_5756.jpg)
