Abstraction Quote by Vilfredo Pareto
“The sentiment that is very inappropriately named equality is fresh, strong, alert, precisely because it is not, in fact, a sentiment of equality and is not related to any abstraction, as a few naive "intellectuals" still believe; but because it is related to the direct interests of individuals who are bent on escaping certain inequalities not in their favour, and setting up new inequalities that will be in their favour, this latter being their chief concern.”
About This Quote
Source Treatise: The Mind and Society, 1901
What is called “equality” is actually a strategic pursuit of self‑interest, creating new inequalities favoring the powerful.
In simple terms: Equality is often a self‑interest tool.
Key Takeaway
Question the motives behind claims of equality.
Themes
power
inequality
self‑interest
politics
strategy
Mood
skeptical
critical
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- policy making
- activism
- business negotiations
- academic debate
Key Concepts
economics
political theory
social dynamics
Questions to Reflect On
- Who benefits from the “equality” you see?
- What alternatives promote genuine fairness?
A Different Perspective
Equality rhetoric can mask hidden agendas.
