Bonoboism: Bankers can Rob the World
on Friday, May 15, 2015@Bonoboism (Twitter) Money Quotation saying that stealing from a bank requires a weapon, but owning a bank is a weapon. @Bonoboism (Twitter) said:
“Give a man a gun and he can rob a bank, give a man a bank and he can rob the world” — @Bonoboism (Twitter)
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You know what they say, give a man a gun and he can rob a bank, give a man a bank and he can rob the world
— Bonoboism (@Bonoboism) November 28, 2011
In this quote, the Twitter account @Bonoboism is drawing a comparison between different levels of impact that tools of influence can provide. On a small scale, giving an individual “a gun” empowers them to commit a singular harmful act like robbing a bank.
However, giving someone control over “a bank” – representing a position atop a massive financial institution – equips them to potentially perpetrate harm on a global scale through abuses of the vast economic power banks wield in the world.
The quote suggests that just as guns enable localized damage, control of banking and financial systems can facilitate widespread corruption due to the industry’s international interconnections and ability to impact national economies and policies when misused for illicit gain. It serves as a reminder of how responsibility and oversight should match the scale of influence that roles and organizations provide.