Edward Ryan on Rule of Wealth
on Tuesday, September 24, 2013Edward Ryan Money Quotation saying (as Chief Justice of Wisconsin Supreme Court) that money is an alternate source of power that many are choosing by ignoring campaign finance. Edward Ryan said:
“Which shall rule, wealth or man; which shall lead, money or intellect” — Edward Ryan
In this quote, Edward Ryan appears to be posing a rhetorical question that challenges society’s priorities. He asks whether wealth, in the form of money, will dominate over human intellect and moral reasoning (“man”). Ryan also questions whether financial gain (“money”) will outweigh wisdom and knowledge (“intellect”) as the guiding force.
The overall interpretation is that the quote conveys Ryan’s view that a just world is one led by human qualities like intellect and conscience, not single-minded pursuit of profits. He seems to believe society functions best when people and principles, not wealth accumulation alone, take precedence in decision making. Ryan is advocating that intellect and human values should rule over the influence of money and economic interests.