Angela Davis: Prison Profits

Meaning of Angela Davis Money Quote: saying Detaining poor prisoners in large numbers can be profitable. Angela Davis said:
 

“The prison has become a black hole into which the detritus of contemporary capitalism is deposited. Mass imprisonment generates profits as it devours social wealth” — Angela Davis

In this quote, Angela Davis is criticizing the modern use of prisons in capitalist societies. She refers to prisons as a “black hole” that swallows up the “detritus”, or unwanted byproducts, of capitalism.

Specifically, she suggests they are used to warehouse and remove from society those made expendable by economic forces, like the unemployed. Davis then states that mass incarceration on a large scale “generates profits” for the prison industry while simultaneously “devouring social wealth” by draining resources from communities through over-policing and removing productive members of society.

Overall, the quote presents Davis’ view that for-profit prisons have become a means to profit off human confinement while concealing social problems produced by economic inequality under the guise of criminal justice.

Matshona Dhliwayo: Capital Religion

Meaning of Matshona Dhliwayo Money Quote: saying finance is religion for many and express themselves via commerce. Matshona Dhliwayo said:

 


 

“The world’s biggest religion is capitalism: money is our god, greed is our priest, banks are our temples, and shopping is how we express our worship” — Matshona Dhliwayo

In this quote, Matshona Dhliwayo is making a critique of modern capitalist society by likening it to a religion with money and greed at its core. He suggests that capitalism has become the dominant ideology or “world’s biggest religion” where wealth (money) is viewed almost devoutly as the highest value and purpose.

Dhliwayo portrays greedy profit-seeking as the priestly function that drives this religion, with banks serving as the temples where financial worship is conducted. Finally, he implies that mass consumption through shopping has become the ritualistic practice through which people demonstrate their reverence within this economic faith system.

Overall, the quote conveys Dhliwayo’s view that capitalism has transcended an economic system and become a all-encompassing worldview where the pursuit of wealth through the mechanisms of greed, banking and consumerism holds a quasi-religious level of significance, devotion and social influence for many in contemporary society.

He presents capitalism metaphorically as having assumed the role and function of an overarching faith that dominates people’s mindsets and behaviors.

Margaret Sanger: Less Capitalism

Meaning of Margaret Sanger Money Quote: saying Christian capitalism requires radicals to escape financial tyranny. Margaret Sanger said:
 

 

“Birth control appeals to the advanced radical because it is calculated to undermine the authority of the Christian churches. I look forward to seeing humanity free someday of the tyranny of Christianity no less than Capitalism” — Margaret Sanger

In this quote, Margaret Sanger seems to be expressing support for birth control as a means to weaken the social influence and dominance of Christian institutions at the time, which largely opposed contraception. Some key points:

• She notes that birth control appeals to “advanced radicals” who want social change and progressivism.
• Sanger states that making contraception available would “undermine the authority” of Christian churches that held sway over such personal matters.
• She looks forward to a future where people are liberated not only from capitalism but also from “the tyranny of Christianity” and its doctrines restricting reproductive autonomy.
• The quote conveys Sanger’s view that birth control was an important part of the effort to modernize society and lessen conservative religious control over private individual choices and lifestyles.

Overall, while controversial, the quote reflects Sanger’s perspective that expanding access to contraception could help diminish what she saw as oppressive patriarchal authority of churches over women’s health decisions and shift social norms in a more secular, progressive direction with individuals enjoying greater self-determination. Her aim seemed to challenge the dominance of religious dogma as much as economic systems according to this perspective.

Birthday: September 14, 1879 – Death: September 6, 1966

Noam Chomsky: Capitalism Private

Noam Chomsky Money Quote saying Capitalism values profits and devalues costs and risks by making them socialist. Noam Chomsky said:
 

 

“A basic principal of modern state capitalism is that costs and risks are socialized to the extent possible, while profit is privatized” — Noam Chomsky

In this quote, Noam Chomsky is criticizing how large corporations operate within capitalism. The best interpretation is:

• Chomsky argues that under “modern state capitalism”, corporations socialize costs and risks as much as possible – things like environmental damage, health impacts, and economic downturns are often offset by public funds and programs.
• However, profits generated from economic activity remain firmly private, pocketed by corporations and shareholders rather than being shared more broadly.
• His view is that this system privatizes rewards while socializing negative externalities, allowing corporations to reap gains while risks and burdens are pushed onto society, taxpayers, and future generations.
• The overall message is one of economic criticism – Chomsky believes this model of capitalism encourages irresponsible business practices by removing incentives for corporations to minimize social and environmental costs, since profits remain private while risks can be offset by public support

Martin Scorsese: Finance Superhero

Martin Scorsese Money Quote saying that because the goal capitalism is reaching financial heights above all, there aren’t finance heroes in our culture. Martin Scorsese said:
 

 

“I would ask: Given the nature of free-market capitalism – where the rule is to rise to the top at all costs – is it possible to have a financial industry hero? And by the way, this is not a pop-culture trend we’re talking about. There aren’t many financial heroes in literature, theater or cinema” — Martin Scorsese

Scorsese says there aren’t many financial heroes portrayed in literature, theater or cinema because the goal of capitalism is to rise to the top financially above all else, at any cost. This prioritizes profits and wealth accumulation over other values. As a result, stories tend not to glorify or portray bankers, investors, etc. as heroic figures, since their work focuses on making money rather than other noble goals like helping people. Scorsese is pointing out that within a free market capitalist system, achieving financial success alone is generally not seen as a heroic attribute worthy of dramatic portrayal.

Fidel Castro: Capitalism Socialism

Fidel Castro Money Quote saying Capitalists make use of money while socialists discard it instead. Fidel Castro said:
 

 

“Capitalism is using its money; we socialists throw it away” — Fidel Castro

In the context of Fidel Castro’s quote, “throw it away” suggests that socialists do not value money as a means to an end, but rather view it as a means to be discarded.

This contrasts with capitalists, who use money as a means to acquire goods and services. This quote highlights the fundamental difference between capitalism and socialism, with the former prioritizing material wealth and the latter prioritizing the collective well-being of society.

Birthday: August 13, 1926 – Death: November 25, 2016

Don Boudreaux: Innate Wealth

Don Boudreaux Money Quote saying there are reasons for some things that money can’t explain or resolve – no matter our expectations. Don Boudreaux said:
 

 

“Poverty has no causes. Wealth has causes. But capitalism has been so enormously successful at producing widespread material abundance that we today … regard wealth as innate to our existence, as our default mode. It is not” — Don Boudreaux

In this quote, Don Boudreaux seems to be challenging common assumptions about wealth and poverty. By stating that “poverty has no causes” while “wealth has causes”, Boudreaux implies poverty is a natural baseline state for humanity that requires explanation, while abundance is an achieved condition with identifiable contributing factors.

His comment that capitalism’s success makes wealth seem “innate” and “our default mode” but it is not conveys Boudreaux’s perspective that widespread prosperity is a historic anomaly achieved through free-market policies, not the natural order.

Overall, the quote portrays Boudreaux’s view that poverty, not wealth, should be society’s expected state, and that attributing poverty to personal faults ignores it as humanity’s natural condition absent factors like industry and free exchange that facilitated unprecedented gains.

John Gardner: Capitalism Exploit

John Gardner Money Quote saying both capitalist and communist are exploiting us equally. John Gardner said:
 

 

“Capitalism is the exploitation of man by man, and communism is the reverse” — John Gardner

In this tongue-in-cheek quote, John Gardner seems to be commenting humorously on the theoretical ideals versus practical outcomes of capitalism and communism. On the surface, capitalism involves businesses exploiting the labor of workers for profit while communism aims to create a classless society with common ownership.

However, Gardner turns this notion on its head by suggesting the results are essentially reversed – communist systems historically involved totalitarian control and oppression of citizens, while capitalism in practice has allowed many workers to improve their living standards over time.

So the quote plays with the expected definitions of the two economic models for satirical effect. Gardner appears to be acknowledging that the reality of both ideologies diverged from their original intentions in complex ways.

Birthday: November 20, 1926 – Death: August 20, 2007