--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Capitalism has brought about the…" description: "\"Capitalism has brought about the emancipation of collective humanity with respect to nature. But this collective humanity has itself taken on with resp..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b11/simone-weil-544_capitalism_capitalism-has-brought-about-the-emancip_1621693.jpg" --- # Capitalism has brought about the emancipation of… ![“Capitalism has brought about the emancipation of collective humanity with respect to nature. But this collective humanity has itself taken on with respect to the individual the oppressive function formerly exercised by nature.” quote by Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b11/simone-weil-544_capitalism_capitalism-has-brought-about-the-emancip_1621693.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b11/simone-weil-544_capitalism_capitalism-has-brought-about-the-emancip_1621693.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b11/simone-weil-544_capitalism_capitalism-has-brought-about-the-emancip_1621693.jpg) > “Capitalism has brought about the emancipation of collective humanity with respect to nature. But this collective humanity has itself taken on with respect to the individual the oppressive function formerly exercised by nature.” [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Capitalism frees humanity from nature’s constraints, yet creates new oppression on individuals. **In simple terms:** Capitalism frees but also creates new oppression. Key Takeaway Balance freedom with humane structures. Themes capitalism freedom oppression Mood critical thoughtful Type philosophical political When to use this quote - economic policy - social movements - environmental activism Key Concepts collective vs individual environmental ethics Questions to Reflect On - How can societies protect individuals within capitalism? - What alternatives respect both collective and personal freedom? A Different Perspective May simplify complex economic dynamics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Capitalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Emancipation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emancipation/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) ## Related quotes > [The greatest need you and I have-the greatest need of collective humanity-is renovation of our heart. 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If you hug many people in such a short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/i-feel-like-i-ve-gotten-an-extraordinary-opportunity-to-experience-a/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [“Free speech is the guardian of individual autonomy, a shield that allows each person to shape their own beliefs and values independent of external…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-william-steven-parker/free-speech-is-the-guardian-of-individual-autonomy-a-shield-that/) [James William Steven Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-william-steven-parker/) > [Our democratic richness arrives when we're able to comprehend our collective humanity accurately.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-crouch/our-democratic-richness-arrives-when-we-re-able-to-comprehend-our/) [Stanley Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-crouch/) > [I think we need to be human. Nobody is objective. We need to go in and be human - especially today, especially given everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arwa-damon/i-think-we-need-to-be-human-nobody-is-objective-we-need-to-go-in-and/) [Arwa Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arwa-damon/) ## More by Simone Weil > [Oppression that is clearly inexorable and invincible does not give rise to revolt but to submission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/oppression-that-is-clearly-inexorable-and-invincible-does-not-give/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [At the centre of the human heart is the longing for an absolute good, a longing which is always there and is never appeased…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/at-the-centre-of-the-human-heart-is-the-longing-for-an-absolute-good/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [One should identify oneself with the universe itself. Everything that is less than the universe is subjected to suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/one-should-identify-oneself-with-the-universe-itself-everything-that/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [In a general way, the literature of the twentieth century is essentially psychological; and psychology consists of describing states of the soul by displaying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/in-a-general-way-the-literature-of-the-twentieth-century-is/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [What a country calls its vital economic interests are not the things which enable its citizens to live, but the things which enable it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/what-a-country-calls-its-vital-economic-interests-are-not-the-things/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [The intelligent man who is proud of his intelligence is like the condemned man who is proud of his large cell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/the-intelligent-man-who-is-proud-of-his-intelligence-is-like-the/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [The highest ecstasy is the attention at its fullest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/the-highest-ecstasy-is-the-attention-at-its-fullest/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [To be innocent is to bear the weight of the entire universe. 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Harper > [The free market is ugly and stupid, like going to the mall; the unfree market is just as ugly and just as stupid, except…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-free-market-is-ugly-and-stupid-like-going-to-the-mall-the-unfree/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [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/) > [There are no two countries with the same style of economic mechanism, with the same capitalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatoly-chubais/there-are-no-two-countries-with-the-same-style-of-economic-mechanism/) [Anatoly Chubais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatoly-chubais/) > [It is more than a little ironic that "capital accumulation" once a rather tendentious Marxian view of a supposed capitalist obsession, should have become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kuttner/it-is-more-than-a-little-ironic-that-capital-accumulation-once-a/) [Robert Kuttner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kuttner/) > [Historically, usury was defined as any interest whatever on an unproductive loan.Our whole banking system I have ever abhorred, I continue to abhor, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/historically-usury-was-defined-as-any-interest-whatever-on-an/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [Socialism is humanity's second nature. 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