Thomas Jefferson: Rich Preying on Poor
on Tuesday, May 24, 2011Thomas Jefferson Money Quotation saying Financial cannibalism when the wealthy feast on the poor is worse than what is common in banking and business. Thomas Jefferson said:
“Experience demands that man is the only animal which devours his own kind, for I can apply no milder term to the general prey of the rich on the poor” — Thomas Jefferson
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This quote suggests that Thomas Jefferson believed the poor were often exploited and taken advantage of by the rich in society. He appears to be criticizing the tendency of wealthy members of society to “prey” upon and essentially consume the economic resources and well-being of the poor for their own gain.
By describing this behavior as something no other animal engages in besides “man”, Jefferson portrays it as unnatural and harmful. The quote conveys Jefferson’s view that inequality could lead to abuse, with those in poverty vulnerable to exploitation by the rich for monetary benefit according to his experience.
Birthday: April 13, 1743 – Death: July 4, 1826