--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can be a very charitable capitalist…" description: "\"You can be a very charitable capitalist. Like [Nicola] Sarkozy was saying, we have to 'moralise capitalism', which for me is a contradiction in terms.\"..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba8/tariq-ramadan-877_capitalism_you-can-be-a-very-charitable-capitalist_2567432.jpg" --- # You can be a very charitable capitalist. Like \[Nicola\]… ![“You can be a very charitable capitalist. Like [Nicola] Sarkozy was saying, we have to 'moralise capitalism', which for me is a contradiction in terms.” quote by Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba8/tariq-ramadan-877_capitalism_you-can-be-a-very-charitable-capitalist_2567432.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba8/tariq-ramadan-877_capitalism_you-can-be-a-very-charitable-capitalist_2567432.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba8/tariq-ramadan-877_capitalism_you-can-be-a-very-charitable-capitalist_2567432.jpg) > “You can be a very charitable capitalist. Like \[Nicola\] Sarkozy was saying, we have to 'moralise capitalism', which for me is a contradiction in terms.” [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Charitable capitalism seems contradictory; moralizing capitalism is paradoxical. **In simple terms:** Capitalism and charity clash. Key Takeaway Reevaluate economic ethics. Themes economics ethics charity Mood critical thought‑provoking Type philosophical economic When to use this quote - business strategy - philanthropy - policy advocacy Key Concepts moral economics social responsibility Questions to Reflect On - Can capitalism be truly moral? - What defines ethical profit? A Different Perspective Balancing profit and morality is complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Capitalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism/) [Capitalism Contradiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism-contradiction-1660331/) [Capitalist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalist/) [Capitalist Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalist-like-1660332/) [Charitable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charitable/) [Charitable Capitalist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charitable-capitalist-1660330/) [Contradiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contradiction/) [Moralise Capitalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moralise-capitalism-1660329/) [Term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term/) ## Related quotes > [Being a venture capitalist to me is like being more of a psychologist. So if you come to my office we have two chairs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-rabois/being-a-venture-capitalist-to-me-is-like-being-more-of-a-psychologist/) [Keith Rabois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-rabois/) > [Capitalists have done more good for society through their charitable giving, philanthropy and generosity than all their critics combined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/capitalists-have-done-more-good-for-society-through-their-charitable/) [James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/) > [I have always seen the Clinton Foundation - yes, they do a lot of charitable good works. But by my lights, the charitable good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-goldberg/i-have-always-seen-the-clinton-foundation-yes-they-do-a-lot-of/) [Jonah Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-goldberg/) > [I have formed the Mahendra Singh Dhoni Charitable Trust which organises cricket tournaments in Jharkhand to identify promising cricketers so that we can help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahendra-singh-dhoni/i-have-formed-the-mahendra-singh-dhoni-charitable-trust-which/) [Mahendra Singh Dhoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahendra-singh-dhoni/) > [Many people are alienated by faceless bureaucracy and what they see as an erosion of participatory democracy. Consequently, there has been a revival of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-prochaska/many-people-are-alienated-by-faceless-bureaucracy-and-what-they-see/) [Frank Prochaska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-prochaska/) > [The Bush administration, they had two blue ribbon commissions about infrastructure finance that recommended a lot more money, and additionally the gas tax being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-lahood/the-bush-administration-they-had-two-blue-ribbon-commissions-about/) [Ray LaHood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-lahood/) > [ I mean, I think it would humanize Hillary \[Clinton\] incredibly to detail how she was involved in the family charitable organization. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-mean-i-think-it-would-humanize-hillary-clinton-incredibly-to-detail/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Our Heavenly Father is far more merciful, infinitely more charitable, than even the best of his servants, and the Everlasting Gospel is mightier in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-f-whitney/our-heavenly-father-is-far-more-merciful-infinitely-more-charitable/) [Orson F. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-f-whitney/) > [Nowhere is wisdom more necessary than in the guidance of charitable impulses. Meaning well is only half our duty; Thinking right is the other,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-gridley-howe/nowhere-is-wisdom-more-necessary-than-in-the-guidance-of-charitable/) [Samuel Gridley Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-gridley-howe/) > [As different as we are from one another, as unique as each one of us is, we are much more the same than we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/as-different-as-we-are-from-one-another-as-unique-as-each-one-of-us/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [I am involved with so many charitable organizations. Lung Cancer because of my dad, Breast Cancer because as a woman and mother of two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-robbins/i-am-involved-with-so-many-charitable-organizations-lung-cancer/) [Lois Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-robbins/) > [Though the world may often appear to be more charitable than the church, it is crucial to remember that, for the church, the care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-hauerwas/though-the-world-may-often-appear-to-be-more-charitable-than-the/) [Stanley Hauerwas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-hauerwas/) > [The highest perfection of politeness is only a beautiful edifice, built, from the base to the dome, of ungraceful and gilded forms of charitable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-highest-perfection-of-politeness-is-only-a-beautiful-edifice/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Companies are not charitable enterprises: They hire workers to make profits. In the United States, this logic still works. In Europe, it hardly does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/companies-are-not-charitable-enterprises-they-hire-workers-to-make/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [Businesses acting as businesses, not as charitable donors, are the most powerful force for addressing the pressing issues society face(s)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-elumelu/businesses-acting-as-businesses-not-as-charitable-donors-are-the-most/) [Tony Elumelu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-elumelu/) ## More by Tariq Ramadan > [Saying that the origin of the Islamic State (IS) is within the Muslim Brotherhood organisation only strengthens IS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/saying-that-the-origin-of-the-islamic-state-is-is-within-the-muslim/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I have learned that one should say "Peace!" to those who shout their hatred for one's being and presence or at one's passage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/i-have-learned-that-one-should-say-peace-to-those-who-shout-their/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [51% of the French people - who are not very religious - were thinking that what "Charlie Hebdo" did was unwise. They aren't asking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/51-of-the-french-people-who-are-not-very-religious-were-thinking-that/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I wanted to understand. I'm not here to support one, but I am here to criticize all, on a principled position. I very much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/i-wanted-to-understand-i-m-not-here-to-support-one-but-i-am-here-to/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [Many U.S. organizations believe that I am being barred from the country not because of my actions but because of my ideas. The conclusion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/many-u-s-organizations-believe-that-i-am-being-barred-from-the/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [There is the philosophy embedded in the culture we are living. It is quite clear for example that Arabs have a different culture than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/there-is-the-philosophy-embedded-in-the-culture-we-are-living-it-is/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [South Africa is labouring to find its revolutionary path; the colours of the Rainbow Nation have difficulty blending together; the wealthy elites (white, black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/south-africa-is-labouring-to-find-its-revolutionary-path-the-colours/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [Acknowledged differences may create mutual respect, but hazy misunderstandings bring forth nothing but prejudice and rejection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/acknowledged-differences-may-create-mutual-respect-but-hazy/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [It is of the highest importance to provide equal access to the labour market. Governments should act to establish equitable employment standards and penalise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/it-is-of-the-highest-importance-to-provide-equal-access-to-the-labour/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [Wisdom is always connected to beauty. When you see someone acting by their principles, their wisdom makes them beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/wisdom-is-always-connected-to-beauty-when-you-see-someone-acting-by/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [Your sensitivity is power. Don't let people transform your qualities into weaknesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/your-sensitivity-is-power-don-t-let-people-transform-your-qualities/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [The dogmatic and, therefore, invulnerable core in Islam is understandably simple: acknowledgement of faith, prayer, charity and fasting. Almost everything else is open to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/the-dogmatic-and-therefore-invulnerable-core-in-islam-is/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [It is like using a smoke screen, the same thing for an individual. The topic here is Islam. If French politicians are no longer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/it-is-like-using-a-smoke-screen-the-same-thing-for-an-individual-the/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [Humility is my table, respect is my garment, empathy is my food and curiosity is my drink. As for love, it has a thousand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/humility-is-my-table-respect-is-my-garment-empathy-is-my-food-and/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) [Explore all 336 Tariq Ramadan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) ## More Capitalism quotes > [Don't let's lose sight of what creates wealth. It is open markets, it is capitalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/don-t-let-s-lose-sight-of-what-creates-wealth-it-is-open-markets-it/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [Crony capitalism is essentially a condition in which... public officials are giving favours to people in the private sector in payment of political favours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/crony-capitalism-is-essentially-a-condition-in-which-public-officials/) [Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/) > [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/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [ Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a \[Soviet socialistic\] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-national-socialism-have-anything/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [Corporations have nothing to do with values, and they know it, and sometimes say it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kierans/corporations-have-nothing-to-do-with-values-and-they-know-it-and/) [Eric Kierans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-kierans/) > [Both fact and logic seem to me to support the view that savings invested in privately owned economic tools of production amount to an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-a-harper/both-fact-and-logic-seem-to-me-to-support-the-view-that-savings/) [F. A. Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-a-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. All politicians do is turn human vice into votes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilana-mercer/socialism-is-humanity-s-second-nature-all-politicians-do-is-turn/) [Ilana Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilana-mercer/) > [“Scholars have long debated whether capital markets lead to appropriate levels of saving and investment for future generations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-l-weimer/scholars-have-long-debated-whether-capital-markets-lead-to/) [David L. Weimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-l-weimer/) > [“A car is one of the most interesting inventions, but driving is one of the most boring activities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-car-is-one-of-the-most-interesting-inventions-but-driving-is-one-of/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) [Browse all 3,832 Capitalism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can be a very charitable capitalist. Like [Nicola] Sarkozy was saying, we have to 'moralise capitalism', which for me is a contradiction in terms.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tariq Ramadan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/you-can-be-a-very-charitable-capitalist-like-nicola-sarkozy-was/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Capitalism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/you-can-be-a-very-charitable-capitalist-like-nicola-sarkozy-was/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba8/tariq-ramadan-877_capitalism_you-can-be-a-very-charitable-capitalist_2567432.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba8/tariq-ramadan-877_capitalism_you-can-be-a-very-charitable-capitalist_2567432.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba8/tariq-ramadan-877_capitalism_you-can-be-a-very-charitable-capitalist_2567432.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can be a very charitable capitalist. Like [Nicola] Sarkozy was saying, we have to 'moralise capitalism'…” — Tariq Ramadan", "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": "Tariq Ramadan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You can be a very charitable...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/you-can-be-a-very-charitable-capitalist-like-nicola-sarkozy-was/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/you-can-be-a-very-charitable-capitalist-like-nicola-sarkozy-was/#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 } } ] } ```