--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Borders are the single biggest cause of…" description: "\"“Borders are the single biggest cause of discrimination in all of world history. Inequality gaps between people living in the same country are nothing ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b23/rutger-bregman-2463_history_borders-are-the-single-biggest-cause-of_1308735.jpg" --- # Borders are the single biggest cause of discrimination in… ![“Borders are the single biggest cause of discrimination in all of world history. Inequality gaps between people living in the same country are nothing in comparison to those between separated global citizenries. Today, the richest 8% earn half of all the world’s income,24 and the richest 1% own…” quote by Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b23/rutger-bregman-2463_history_borders-are-the-single-biggest-cause-of_1308735.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b23/rutger-bregman-2463_history_borders-are-the-single-biggest-cause-of_1308735.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b23/rutger-bregman-2463_history_borders-are-the-single-biggest-cause-of_1308735.jpg) > ““Borders are the single biggest cause of discrimination in all of world history. Inequality gaps between people living in the same country are nothing in comparison to those between separated global citizenries. Today, the richest 8% earn half of all the world’s income,24 and the richest 1% own more than half of all wealth.25 The poorest billion people account for just 1% of all consumption; the richest billion, 72%.26 From an international perspective, the inhabitants of the Land of Plenty aren’t merely rich, but filthy rich. A person living at the poverty line in the U.S. belongs to the richest 14% of the world population; someone earning a median wage belongs to the richest 4%.”” [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Borders create artificial divisions that amplify economic and social inequality worldwide. **In simple terms:** Borders cause big inequality. Key Takeaway Challenge borders to reduce inequality. Themes inequality economics globalization Mood critical thought‑provoking Type analytical political When to use this quote - policy debates - international aid - education reform - activism - research papers Key Concepts social stratification wealth distribution border politics Questions to Reflect On - How would societies function without borders? - What policies can mitigate border‑driven inequality? A Different Perspective Borders also serve security and cultural identity functions, complicating reforms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Filthy rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filthy-rich/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Inequality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inequality/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [World history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-history/) [World population](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-population/) ## Related quotes > [“Borders are the single biggest cause of discrimination in all of world history. Inequality gaps between people living in the same country are nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/borders-are-the-single-biggest-cause-of-discrimination-in-all-of-2/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [For most of our nation's history, whatever the inequality in wealth between the richest and poorest citizens, we maintained a cultural equality known nowhere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-murray/for-most-of-our-nation-s-history-whatever-the-inequality-in-wealth/) [Charles Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-murray/) > [Countries with big inequality gaps have big prison populations, have worse obesity rates, are less trusting, and have higher rates of violence. The gap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bacon/countries-with-big-inequality-gaps-have-big-prison-populations-have/) [Richard Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bacon/) > [The hardest thing to understand in the world is the income tax.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-hardest-thing-to-understand-in-the-world-is-the-income-tax/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“​The average wage in Australia is $78 832, according to the ABS. If you plug that into globalrichlist.com it shows that you're in the top…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pape/the-average-wage-in-australia-is-78-832-according-to-the-abs-if-you/) [Scott Pape](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pape/) > [Women do two thirds of the world's work. Yet they earn only one tenth of the world's income and own less than one percent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/women-do-two-thirds-of-the-world-s-work-yet-they-earn-only-one-tenth/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We have so much discrimination in this world - colour, race, creed, all of these things - and there is an issue here that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/we-have-so-much-discrimination-in-this-world-colour-race-creed-all-of/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [The greatest discrimination in the world now is against poor people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/the-greatest-discrimination-in-the-world-now-is-against-poor-people/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [Anywhere in the world you go, you find racism, discrimination. Not just in the United States, or in Texas. It's very sad for me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selena/anywhere-in-the-world-you-go-you-find-racism-discrimination-not-just/) [Selena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selena/) > [“A person living at the poverty line in the U.S. belongs to the richest 14% of the world population; someone earning a median wage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/a-person-living-at-the-poverty-line-in-the-u-s-belongs-to-the-richest/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“Your past self's family was rich. Filthy rich.You'll see when you meet her.She goes by Lucinda and thinks your nickname is an absolute abomination…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-kate/your-past-self-s-family-was-rich-filthy-rich-you-ll-see-when-you-meet/) [Lauren Kate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-kate/) > [Which is more messed up- that we have so much compared to everyone else, or that we don't think we're rich? That on any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/which-is-more-messed-up-that-we-have-so-much-compared-to-everyone/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [Bush is a natural-born loser with a filthy-rich daddy who pimped his son out to rich oil-mongers. He hates music, football and sex, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/bush-is-a-natural-born-loser-with-a-filthy-rich-daddy-who-pimped-his/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [Frank Sinatra did 'Born Free', Tony Bennett did 'Walkabout,' but you have no control over who does what, really. So you just hold yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barry/frank-sinatra-did-born-free-tony-bennett-did-walkabout-but-you-have/) [John Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barry/) > [“How can a butcher's son be filthy rich?" Annabelle asked. "Unless the population of London is consuming far more beef and bacon than I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/how-can-a-butcher-s-son-be-filthy-rich-annabelle-asked-unless-the/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) ## More by Rutger Bregman > [“If all the developed countries would let in just 3% more immigrants, the world’s poor would have $305 billion more to spend, say scientists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/if-all-the-developed-countries-would-let-in-just-3-more-immigrants/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“When Lehman Brothers collapsed on September 15, 2008, and inaugurated the biggest crisis since the 1930s, there were no real alternatives to hand. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/when-lehman-brothers-collapsed-on-september-15-2008-and-inaugurated/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [I think one of the most important facts of basic income would be that it's not only a redistribution of income, but also of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/i-think-one-of-the-most-important-facts-of-basic-income-would-be-that/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [The great thing about money is that people can use it to buy things they need instead of things self-appointed experts think they need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/the-great-thing-about-money-is-that-people-can-use-it-to-buy-things/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“The idea that the GDP still serves as an accurate gauge of social welfare is one of the most widespread myths of our times.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/the-idea-that-the-gdp-still-serves-as-an-accurate-gauge-of-social/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [Most of Mark Zuckerberg's income is just rent collected off the millions of picture and video posts that we give away daily for free.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/most-of-mark-zuckerberg-s-income-is-just-rent-collected-off-the/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“To calculate the GDP, numerous data points have to be linked together and hundreds of wholly subjective choices made regarding what to count and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/to-calculate-the-gdp-numerous-data-points-have-to-be-linked-together/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“Countless studies have shown that people who work less are more satisfied with their lives.37 In a recent poll conducted among working women, German…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/countless-studies-have-shown-that-people-who-work-less-are-more/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“Precisely when we should be shouldering the historic task of investing this rich, safe, and healthy existence with meaning, we’ve buried utopia instead. There’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/precisely-when-we-should-be-shouldering-the-historic-task-of/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [Believing in the good of humanity is a revolutionary act - it means that we don't need all those managers and CEO's, kings and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/believing-in-the-good-of-humanity-is-a-revolutionary-act-it-means/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [Poor people aren't making dumb decisions because they are dumb, but because they're living in a context in which anyone would make dumb decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/poor-people-aren-t-making-dumb-decisions-because-they-are-dumb-but/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“The bottom line is that wealth can be concentrated somewhere, but that doesn’t also mean that’s where it’s being created. This is just as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/the-bottom-line-is-that-wealth-can-be-concentrated-somewhere-but-that/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“Recently, the International Monetary Fund published a report which revealed that too much inequality even inhibits economic growth.22 Perhaps the most fascinating finding, however,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/recently-the-international-monetary-fund-published-a-report-which/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“Not coincidentally, the countries with the shortest workweeks also have the largest number of volunteers and the most social capital.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/not-coincidentally-the-countries-with-the-shortest-workweeks-also/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [It matters so much that from a very early age we encounter different kinds of different people, because that's what real life should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/it-matters-so-much-that-from-a-very-early-age-we-encounter-different/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) [Explore all 164 Rutger Bregman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) ## More Filthy rich quotes > [“How can a butcher's son be filthy rich?" Annabelle asked. "Unless the population of London is consuming far more beef and bacon than I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/how-can-a-butcher-s-son-be-filthy-rich-annabelle-asked-unless-the/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [Frank Sinatra did 'Born Free', Tony Bennett did 'Walkabout,' but you have no control over who does what, really. So you just hold yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barry/frank-sinatra-did-born-free-tony-bennett-did-walkabout-but-you-have/) [John Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barry/) > [Bush is a natural-born loser with a filthy-rich daddy who pimped his son out to rich oil-mongers. He hates music, football and sex, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/bush-is-a-natural-born-loser-with-a-filthy-rich-daddy-who-pimped-his/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [Which is more messed up- that we have so much compared to everyone else, or that we don't think we're rich? That on any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/which-is-more-messed-up-that-we-have-so-much-compared-to-everyone/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [“Your past self's family was rich. Filthy rich.You'll see when you meet her.She goes by Lucinda and thinks your nickname is an absolute abomination…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-kate/your-past-self-s-family-was-rich-filthy-rich-you-ll-see-when-you-meet/) [Lauren Kate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-kate/) > [“My dad's filthy rich, and even though we're Irish Catholic I'm an only child. I've got more money than you do so I'll work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grisham/my-dad-s-filthy-rich-and-even-though-we-re-irish-catholic-i-m-an-only/) [John Grisham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grisham/) > [If all we've got is the dirt poor and the filthy rich, the dirt poor would eat the filthy rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ojeda/if-all-we-ve-got-is-the-dirt-poor-and-the-filthy-rich-the-dirt-poor/) [Richard Ojeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ojeda/) > [I'll rather be pretty than hot. I wouldn't want to be sexy if I couldn't be smart. I'll rather be sweet than a bitch.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ll-rather-be-pretty-than-hot-i-wouldn-t-want-to-be-sexy-if-i-couldn/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm filthy rich!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-sandler/i-m-filthy-rich/) [Adam Sandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-sandler/) > [Im filthy rich, bitch, go spend some mula. I went to the dealership and the Ferrari dude was like uhhh Luda???](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludacris/im-filthy-rich-bitch-go-spend-some-mula-i-went-to-the-dealership-and/) [Ludacris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludacris/) > [“To become a filthy rich, first you need to be filthy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/to-become-a-filthy-rich-first-you-need-to-be-filthy/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [Boy I'm gettin' it. Ridin' in my ride lookin' filthy rich. Killin' these niggas I ain't innocent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wiz-khalifa/boy-i-m-gettin-it-ridin-in-my-ride-lookin-filthy-rich-killin-these/) [Wiz Khalifa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wiz-khalifa/) > [I'm not used to having a boss. I'm the boss. I don't need the money. I'm filthy f... rich!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimora-lee-simmons/i-m-not-used-to-having-a-boss-i-m-the-boss-i-don-t-need-the-money-i-m-2/) [Kimora Lee Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimora-lee-simmons/) > [“Counting your blessings on a private jet, doesn't make you grounded.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/counting-your-blessings-on-a-private-jet-doesn-t-make-you-grounded/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [I'm filthy rich! It's good to be Adam Sandler!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-sandler/i-m-filthy-rich-it-s-good-to-be-adam-sandler/) [Adam Sandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-sandler/) [Browse all 33 Filthy rich quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filthy-rich/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Borders are the single biggest cause of discrimination in all of world history. 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