--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All privileges based on wealth, and all…" description: "\"All privileges based on wealth, and all emnity to honest men merely because they are wealthy, are un-American.\" — Theodore Roosevelt" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58c/theodore-roosevelt-218_america_all-privileges-based-on-wealth-and-all-e_2140259.jpg" --- # All privileges based on wealth, and all emnity to honest… ![“All privileges based on wealth, and all emnity to honest men merely because they are wealthy, are un-American.” quote by Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58c/theodore-roosevelt-218_america_all-privileges-based-on-wealth-and-all-e_2140259.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58c/theodore-roosevelt-218_america_all-privileges-based-on-wealth-and-all-e_2140259.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58c/theodore-roosevelt-218_america_all-privileges-based-on-wealth-and-all-e_2140259.jpg) > “All privileges based on wealth, and all emnity to honest men merely because they are wealthy, are un-American.” [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Wealth should not grant privilege, nor should it breed hostility toward honest people; such attitudes contradict American values. **In simple terms:** Money shouldn't give special rights or cause hatred. Key Takeaway Promote fairness regardless of wealth. Themes equality justice American ideals Mood determined critical Type political social When to use this quote - policy making - public discourse - community building - legal reform Key Concepts political philosophy social ethics Questions to Reflect On - How can societies ensure fairness for all economic classes? - What policies reduce bias against the wealthy? A Different Perspective Wealth can still influence power dynamics despite ideals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Honest man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest-man/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Merely Wealthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/merely-wealthy-4452817/) [Privilege](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/privilege/) [Privileges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/privileges/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) [Wealthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealthy/) [Wealthy American](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealthy-american-4452816/) ## Related quotes > [I am part of the 1 percent of the 1 percent. By that, I mean that I am fortunate to be a wealthy American,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-tilson/i-am-part-of-the-1-percent-of-the-1-percent-by-that-i-mean-that-i-am/) [Whitney Tilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-tilson/) > [NOBLEMAN, n. Nature's provision for wealthy American minds ambitious to incur social distinction and suffer high life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/nobleman-n-nature-s-provision-for-wealthy-american-minds-ambitious-to/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Freedom is not constituted primarily of privileges but of responsibilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/freedom-is-not-constituted-primarily-of-privileges-but-of/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [I enjoy my rights, but I revel in my privileges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/i-enjoy-my-rights-but-i-revel-in-my-privileges/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [Victimization has its privileges, and I want some.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/victimization-has-its-privileges-and-i-want-some/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [I dont want any injustice brought against the bullies. Bullies just dont know any better. Anyone who is crying about police brutality or victimization…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-pink/i-dont-want-any-injustice-brought-against-the-bullies-bullies-just/) [Ariel Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-pink/) > [The liar is no whit better than the thief, and if his mendacity takes the form of slander he may be worse than most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-liar-is-no-whit-better-than-the-thief-and-if-his-mendacity-takes/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Everything is un-American that tends either to government by a plutocracy or government by a mob. To divide along the lines of section or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/everything-is-un-american-that-tends-either-to-government-by-a/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [The absence of effective State, and, especially, national, restraint upon unfair money-getting has tended to create a small class of enormously wealthy and economically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-absence-of-effective-state-and-especially-national-restraint-upon/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [It is the great privilege of poverty to be happy and yet unenvied, to be healthy with physic, secure without a guard, and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/it-is-the-great-privilege-of-poverty-to-be-happy-and-yet-unenvied-to/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The greatest privilege and greatest duty for any man is to be happily married, and no other form of success or service, for either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-greatest-privilege-and-greatest-duty-for-any-man-is-to-be-happily/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [There is in our society a gulf opening up, a kind of cultural apartheid, between those who are brought up to feel our national…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-eyre/there-is-in-our-society-a-gulf-opening-up-a-kind-of-cultural/) [Richard Eyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-eyre/) > [Books are in no hurry. An act of creation is in no hurry; it reads us, it privileges us infinitely. The notion that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-steiner/books-are-in-no-hurry-an-act-of-creation-is-in-no-hurry-it-reads-us/) [George Steiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-steiner/) > [Corporations are created by the people, acting through their governments. We grant them corporate charters that confer certain legal rights and privileges, like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mcgovern/corporations-are-created-by-the-people-acting-through-their/) [Jim McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mcgovern/) > [I think that, as Americans, we should never forget that when we tamper with freedom of speech, it is a very sensitive issue that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-b-rangel/i-think-that-as-americans-we-should-never-forget-that-when-we-tamper/) [Charles B. Rangel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-b-rangel/) ## More by Theodore Roosevelt > [No people is wholly civilized where a distinction is drawn between stealing an office and stealing a purse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/no-people-is-wholly-civilized-where-a-distinction-is-drawn-between/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [There can be no effective control of corporations while their political activity remains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/there-can-be-no-effective-control-of-corporations-while-their/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Get action. Seize the moment. Man was never intended to become an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/get-action-seize-the-moment-man-was-never-intended-to-become-an-oyster/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Argument weak; speak loudly!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/argument-weak-speak-loudly/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Let the watchwords of all our people be the old familiar watchwords of honesty, decency, fair-dealing, and commonsense."... "We must treat each man on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/let-the-watchwords-of-all-our-people-be-the-old-familiar-watchwords/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [The forces that tend for evil are great and terrible, but the forces of truth and love and courage and honesty and generosity and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-forces-that-tend-for-evil-are-great-and-terrible-but-the-forces/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Every reform movement has a lunatic fringe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/every-reform-movement-has-a-lunatic-fringe/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Conservation and rural-life policies are really two sides of the same policy; and down at the bottom this policy rests upon the fundamental law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/conservation-and-rural-life-policies-are-really-two-sides-of-the-same/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [It is a great mistake to think that the extremist is a better man than the moderate. Usually the difference is not that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/it-is-a-great-mistake-to-think-that-the-extremist-is-a-better-man/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [I am a strong individualist by personal habit, inheritance, and conviction; but it is a mere matter of common sense to recognize that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/i-am-a-strong-individualist-by-personal-habit-inheritance-and/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Alone of human beings the good and wise mother stands on a plane of equal honor with the bravest soldier; for she has gladly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/alone-of-human-beings-the-good-and-wise-mother-stands-on-a-plane-of/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [The greatest privilege and greatest duty for any man is to be happily married, and no other form of success or service, for either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-greatest-privilege-and-greatest-duty-for-any-man-is-to-be-happily/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [For unflagging interest and enjoyment, a household of children, if things go reasonably well, certainly all other forms of success and achievement lose their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/for-unflagging-interest-and-enjoyment-a-household-of-children-if/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [There can be no effective control of corporations while their political activity remains. To put an end to it will be neither a short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/there-can-be-no-effective-control-of-corporations-while-their-2/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [If elected, I shall see to it that every man has a square deal, no less and no more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/if-elected-i-shall-see-to-it-that-every-man-has-a-square-deal-no-less/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) [Explore all 876 Theodore Roosevelt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. 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