--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In progressive societies the…" description: "\"In progressive societies the concentration[of wealth] may reach a point where the strength of number in the many poor rivals the strength of ability in..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b1/will-durant-948_ability_in-progressive-societies-the-concentrati_2532010.jpg" --- # In progressive societies the concentration\[of wealth\] may… ![“In progressive societies the concentration[of wealth] may reach a point where the strength of number in the many poor rivals the strength of ability in the few rich; then the unstable equilibrium generates a critical situation, which history has diversely met by legislation redistributing wealth…” quote by Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b1/will-durant-948_ability_in-progressive-societies-the-concentrati_2532010.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b1/will-durant-948_ability_in-progressive-societies-the-concentrati_2532010.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b1/will-durant-948_ability_in-progressive-societies-the-concentrati_2532010.jpg) > “In progressive societies the concentration\[of wealth\] may reach a point where the strength of number in the many poor rivals the strength of ability in the few rich; then the unstable equilibrium generates a critical situation, which history has diversely met by legislation redistributing wealth or by revolution distributing poverty.” [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When wealth becomes highly concentrated, the many poor can collectively challenge the few rich, prompting either redistributive laws or revolutionary upheaval. **In simple terms:** Extreme inequality can trigger social conflict and change. Key Takeaway Address inequality before it destabilizes society. Themes inequality power social change politics economics Mood concernedanalreflective Type analytical historical When to use this quote - policy debates - labor movements - economic reforms - community organizing Key Concepts wealth concentration class conflict revolution legislation Questions to Reflect On - What mechanisms can prevent wealth concentration? - How can legislation balance fairness and economic growth? A Different Perspective Revolutions can cause instability and may not achieve lasting equity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Concentration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concentration/) [Concentration Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concentration-wealth-491480/) [Critical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critical/) [Distributing Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distributing-poverty-1352208/) [Equilibrium](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equilibrium/) [Legislation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legislation/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Mets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mets/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Numbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numbers/) [Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Progressive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progressive/) [Redistributing Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/redistributing-wealth-1039085/) [Revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolution/) [Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rich/) [Rivals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rivals/) [Situation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/situation/) [Societies Concentration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/societies-concentration-1352207/) [Unstable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unstable/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) [Wealth Revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth-revolution-1352209/) ## Related quotes > [The concentration of wealth is a natural result of this concentration of ability, and regularly recurs in history. The rate of concentration varies (other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/the-concentration-of-wealth-is-a-natural-result-of-this-concentration/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [We conclude that the concentration of wealth is natural and inevitable, and is periodically alleviated by violent or peaceable partial redistribution. In this view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/we-conclude-that-the-concentration-of-wealth-is-natural-and/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [I'm not calling for redistributing wealth; I'm calling for reinvigorating our stuck energy sector, so some new entrepreneurs can create some new wealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/i-m-not-calling-for-redistributing-wealth-i-m-calling-for/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [We need to keep a very keen eye on our own government. It's getting too rich and redistributing wealth is a sure way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-pipes/we-need-to-keep-a-very-keen-eye-on-our-own-government-it-s-getting/) [Richard Pipes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-pipes/) > [ The only truly new ideas \[the right\] has come up with in the last twenty years are (1) supply side economics, which is a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ehrenreich/the-only-truly-new-ideas-the-right-has-come-up-with-in-the-last/) [Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/) > [The real question is whether the federal government should be in the business of redistributing wealth to equalize the economic status of every state,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/the-real-question-is-whether-the-federal-government-should-be-in-the/) [Bill Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-foster/) > [Stealing has always been a way of redistributing wealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-conyers/stealing-has-always-been-a-way-of-redistributing-wealth/) [John Conyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-conyers/) > [The dream of capitalism is to co-opt people with higher living standards without redistributing any wealth. Without co-optation, widespread repression is the only guarantor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-sklar/the-dream-of-capitalism-is-to-co-opt-people-with-higher-living/) [Holly Sklar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-sklar/) > ['Redistributing the wealth' - that phrase gets used so much that you almost get numb to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/redistributing-the-wealth-that-phrase-gets-used-so-much-that-you/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [“Most officially “poor” Americans today have things that middle-class Americans of an earlier time could only dream about—including color TV, videocassette recorders, microwave ovens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/most-officially-poor-americans-today-have-things-that-middle-class/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [“What we see in the period 1870–1914 is at best a stabilization of inequality at an extremely high level, and in certain respects an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-piketty/what-we-see-in-the-period-1870-1914-is-at-best-a-stabilization-of/) [Thomas Piketty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-piketty/) > [Liberals are concerned about the concentration of wealth because it almost inevitably leads to a concentration of power that undermines democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reich/liberals-are-concerned-about-the-concentration-of-wealth-because-it/) [Robert Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reich/) > [One way to have broader access to wealth is to reduce the tax on the large group and increase the tax on the very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-piketty/one-way-to-have-broader-access-to-wealth-is-to-reduce-the-tax-on-the/) [Thomas Piketty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-piketty/) > [What's dangerous is the concentration of wealth in the hands of a few individuals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arpad-busson/what-s-dangerous-is-the-concentration-of-wealth-in-the-hands-of-a-few/) [Arpad Busson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arpad-busson/) > [Concentration of wealth yields concentration of political power. And concentration of political power gives rise to legislation that increases and accelerates the cycle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/concentration-of-wealth-yields-concentration-of-political-power-and/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## More by Will Durant > [I came to think of myself, not as a dance and chaos of molecules, but as a brief and minute portion of that majestic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/i-came-to-think-of-myself-not-as-a-dance-and-chaos-of-molecules-but/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [“This is the tragedy of almost every civilization—that its soul is in its faith, and seldom survives philosophy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/this-is-the-tragedy-of-almost-every-civilization-that-its-soul-is-in/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/education-is-a-progressive-discovery-of-our-own-ignorance/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [In philosophy, as in politics, the longest distance between two points is a straight line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/in-philosophy-as-in-politics-the-longest-distance-between-two-points/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [As long as there is poverty there will be gods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/as-long-as-there-is-poverty-there-will-be-gods/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [“Hence the uselessness of logic: no one ever convinced anybody by logic; and even logicians use logic only as a source of income. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/hence-the-uselessness-of-logic-no-one-ever-convinced-anybody-by-logic/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [“It is a mistake to think that the past is dead. Nothing that has ever happened is quite without influence at this moment. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/it-is-a-mistake-to-think-that-the-past-is-dead-nothing-that-has-ever/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [“There is hardly an absurdity of the past that cannot be found flourishing somewhere in the present. Underneath all civilization, ancient or modern, moved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/there-is-hardly-an-absurdity-of-the-past-that-cannot-be-found/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [The Islamic conquest of India is probably the bloodiest story in history. It is a discouraging tale, for its evident moral is that civilization…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/the-islamic-conquest-of-india-is-probably-the-bloodiest-story-in/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [“Intellectualism—the conception of man as above all a thinking animal, consciously adapting means to rationally chosen ends—fell sick with Rousseau, took to its bed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/intellectualism-the-conception-of-man-as-above-all-a-thinking-animal/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [“All those fascinating varieties of terrain—mountains and valleys, fiords and straits, gulfs and streams—that make Europe a panorama of diverse delight, have broken the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/all-those-fascinating-varieties-of-terrain-mountains-and-valleys/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [“To be great is not to be placed above humanity, ruling others; but to stand above the partialities and futilities of uninformed desire, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/to-be-great-is-not-to-be-placed-above-humanity-ruling-others-but-to/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [“privately he composed—in French—a poem expressing his pleasure at having given the French a kick in the cul, which Carlyle delicately translated as “the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/privately-he-composed-in-french-a-poem-expressing-his-pleasure-at/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [ “\[N\]o language has ever had a word for a virgin man.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/n-o-language-has-ever-had-a-word-for-a-virgin-man/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [“And in the individual too, justice is effective coördination, the harmonious functioning of the elements in a man, each in its fit place and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/and-in-the-individual-too-justice-is-effective-co-rdination-the/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) [Explore all 320 Will Durant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In progressive societies the concentration[of wealth] may reach a point where the strength of number in the many poor rivals the strength of ability in the few rich; then the unstable equilibrium generates a critical situation, which history has diversely met by legislation redistributing wealth or by revolution distributing poverty.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Will Durant" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/in-progressive-societies-the-concentration-of-wealth-may-reach-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/in-progressive-societies-the-concentration-of-wealth-may-reach-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b1/will-durant-948_ability_in-progressive-societies-the-concentrati_2532010.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b1/will-durant-948_ability_in-progressive-societies-the-concentrati_2532010.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b1/will-durant-948_ability_in-progressive-societies-the-concentrati_2532010.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In progressive societies the concentration[of wealth] may reach a point where the strength of number in the…” — Will Durant", "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": "Will Durant", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In progressive societies the concentration[of wealth]...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/in-progressive-societies-the-concentration-of-wealth-may-reach-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/in-progressive-societies-the-concentration-of-wealth-may-reach-a/#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 } } ] } ```