--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The concentration of wealth is a natural…" description: "\"The concentration of wealth is a natural result of this concentration of ability, and regularly recurs in history. The rate of concentration varies (ot..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d0/will-durant-948_ability_the-concentration-of-wealth-is-a-natural_2893390.png" --- # The concentration of wealth is a natural result of this… ![“The concentration of wealth is a natural result of this concentration of ability, and regularly recurs in history. The rate of concentration varies (other factors being equal) with the economic freedom permitted by morals and laws.” quote by Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d0/will-durant-948_ability_the-concentration-of-wealth-is-a-natural_2893390.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d0/will-durant-948_ability_the-concentration-of-wealth-is-a-natural_2893390.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d0/will-durant-948_ability_the-concentration-of-wealth-is-a-natural_2893390.png) > “The concentration of wealth is a natural result of this concentration of ability, and regularly recurs in history. The rate of concentration varies (other factors being equal) with the economic freedom permitted by morals and laws.” [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. Wealth tends to accumulate among those with greater ability, and the degree of concentration depends on how much economic freedom societies allow. **In simple terms:** Ability leads to wealth; freedom affects how much it concentrates. Key Takeaway Recognize how policy shapes wealth distribution. Themes economics history inequality policy freedom Mood analytical critical thoughtful Type observational analytical critical When to use this quote - tax policy design - education investment - anti‑monopoly regulation - social mobility programs Key Concepts Meritocracy wealth concentration economic freedom Questions to Reflect On - How do laws influence wealth gaps? - What role does moral judgment play in economic freedom? A Different Perspective If freedom is limited, wealth may concentrate even among less able individuals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Concentration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concentration/) [Concentration of wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concentration-of-wealth/) [Economic freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic-freedom/) [Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Liberalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberalism/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) ## Related quotes > [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 think that both Bernie \[Sanders\] and Hillary \[Hillary\] have highlighted how much, over the last few decades, we have seen the concentration of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-castro/i-think-that-both-bernie-sanders-and-hillary-hillary-have-highlighted/) [Julian Castro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-castro/) > [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/) > [ It \[concentration of wealth and power\] has been a menace to . . . American democracy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/it-concentration-of-wealth-and-power-has-been-a-menace-to-american/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [Concentration of wealth and power has been built upon other people's money, other people's business, other people's labor. Under this concentration, independent business has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/concentration-of-wealth-and-power-has-been-built-upon-other-people-s/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [ 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… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/in-progressive-societies-the-concentration-of-wealth-may-reach-a/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [Concentration is that ability to not think about anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/concentration-is-that-ability-to-not-think-about-anything/) [Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/) > [Mindfulness develops attention, concentration and the ability to simply be present with little or no future orientation, past orientation or goal orientation—choosing to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gawler/mindfulness-develops-attention-concentration-and-the-ability-to/) Ian Gawler > [Concentration is the ability to think about absolutely nothing when it is absolutely necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-knight/concentration-is-the-ability-to-think-about-absolutely-nothing-when/) Ray Knight > [Trading demands total concentration and the ability to do several things at once while instantly recalling trading prices from the day, or week, before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-simon/trading-demands-total-concentration-and-the-ability-to-do-several/) [William E. Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-simon/) > [The 1970s were the height of social mobility. College was accessible. My grandfather was a poor immigrant who went to a public school in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-greenfield/the-1970s-were-the-height-of-social-mobility-college-was-accessible/) [Lauren Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-greenfield/) > [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/) > [“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/) ## 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. 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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": "The concentration of wealth is a natural result of this concentration of ability, and regularly recurs in history. 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