--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For thousands of years priests, rabbis…" description: "\"“For thousands of years priests, rabbis and muftis explained that humans cannot overcome famine, plague and war by their own efforts. Then along came t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2a/yuval-noah-harari-100_capitalism_for-thousands-of-years-priests-rabbis-an_1148512.jpg" --- # For thousands of years priests, rabbis and muftis… ![“For thousands of years priests, rabbis and muftis explained that humans cannot overcome famine, plague and war by their own efforts. Then along came the bankers, investors and industrialists, and within 200 years managed to do exactly that.” quote by Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2a/yuval-noah-harari-100_capitalism_for-thousands-of-years-priests-rabbis-an_1148512.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2a/yuval-noah-harari-100_capitalism_for-thousands-of-years-priests-rabbis-an_1148512.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2a/yuval-noah-harari-100_capitalism_for-thousands-of-years-priests-rabbis-an_1148512.jpg) > ““For thousands of years priests, rabbis and muftis explained that humans cannot overcome famine, plague and war by their own efforts. Then along came the bankers, investors and industrialists, and within 200 years managed to do exactly that.”” [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human history shows that organized economic power has reshaped survival, surpassing traditional religious explanations for crises. **In simple terms:** Economic forces now dominate how we handle famine, disease, and war. Key Takeaway Understand the impact of finance on global challenges. Themes history economics power Mood critical analytical Type explanatory philosophical When to use this quote - policy making - global health - conflict resolution Key Concepts capitalism institutional change resource allocation Questions to Reflect On - What responsibilities do financiers have to humanity? - How can societies balance profit and public good? A Different Perspective Economic solutions can create new inequities and dependencies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [200 Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/200-years/) [Capitalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism/) [Famine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/famine/) [Famine Plague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/famine-plague-708874/) [Humans Overcome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans-overcome-3235056/) [Investing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investing/) [Mortality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mortality/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Overcome Famine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overcome-famine-3235055/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [“Famine, plague and war will probably continue to claim millions of victims in the coming decades. Yet they are no longer unavoidable tragedies beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/famine-plague-and-war-will-probably-continue-to-claim-millions-of/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [“Rather, when famine, plague or war break out of our control, we feel that somebody must have screwed up, we set up a commission…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/rather-when-famine-plague-or-war-break-out-of-our-control-we-feel/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [“history does not tolerate a vacuum. 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