Posts Tagged ‘slavery’
Next Page »Frederic Bastiat: Slavery Monopoly
on Monday, January 22, 2024Meaning of Frederic Bastiat Money Quote: saying unfair economic systems cause suffering, but can be defended by both profiteers and those who suffer. Frederic Bastiat said:
“Slavery, protection, and monopoly find defenders, not only in those who profit by them, but in those who suffer by them” — Frederic Bastiat
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In this quote, Frédéric Bastiat is making the observation that systems like slavery, protectionism and monopoly tend to have defenders not just from those who directly benefit economically from them (“those who profit by them”), but also from others who are actually harmed by them (“those who suffer by them”).
His point seems to be that these harmful systems can distort people’s perceptions to the extent that even those negatively impacted will defend them, perhaps due to psychological, social or political factors.
Overall, the quote serves as a critique of how unfair economic systems maintain support through influencing public opinion, beyond just those who gain immediate advantages from such systems
Birthday: June 30, 1801 – Death: December 24, 1850
Assata Shakur: Perpetuate Slavery
on Tuesday, January 16, 2024Meaning of Assata Shakur Money Quote: saying prisoners labor makes prisons a profitable business with the free labor pool. Assata Shakur said:
“Prisons are a profitable business. They are a way of legally perpetuating slavery” — Assata Shakur
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In this quote, Assata Shakur is strongly criticizing the prison system in the United States. Her interpretation is that private prisons have become a lucrative business that profits off of incarcerating large numbers of people.
She argues this system essentially amounts to a continuation of slavery, with prisoners being used for their labor and representing a source of cheap labor that enriches corporations.
Shakur seems to believe the profit motive has corrupted the intent of the justice system, skewing it towards mass incarceration that serves the interests of businesses profiting off prisons rather than justice or rehabilitation.
The overall message conveys Shakur’s view that the for-profit model of prisons has created a new form of institutionalized slavery in America.
Wendell Berry: Slavery Freedom
on Friday, March 10, 2023Meaning of Wendell Berry Money Quote: saying people can become wage slaves and convinced they are free, then finds ways to take back the money given. Wendell Berry said:
“The new slavery has improved upon the old by giving the new slaves the illusion that they are free. The Economy does not take people’s freedom by force, which would be against its principles, for it is very humane. It buys their freedom, pays for it, and then persuades its money back again with shoddy goods and the promise of freedom” — Wendell Berry
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This quote from Wendell Berry suggests that modern consumer capitalism has created a new form of servitude by allowing people the illusion of independence through credit and debt. Some key points in interpreting his perspective:
- Berry implies that the “Economy” gains influence over people not through overt coercion but by providing money and goods upfront in exchange for taking back more money via interest and consumerism.
- He portrays this as a subtle yet powerful new means of social control that exploits desires for autonomy and prosperity rather than enforcing subjugation directly.
- Berry’s perspective conveys the viewpoint that debt-driven consumer lifestyles replace overt slavery with “shoddy” distractions that maintain control over populations through financial obligations rather than physical force.
- However, reasonable people can disagree on Berry’s characterization, and responsible use of credit combined with savings enables opportunity for some individuals according to their priorities and circumstances.
Overall, the quote reflects Berry’s cynical stance that modern capitalism induces a “new slavery” through economic rather than corporeal bonds. But the best interpretation considers this as one perspective in ongoing discussions, and recognizes that prudent personal finance requires moderation – neither excessive debt nor its complete avoidance optimize well-being, which depends on individual situations and philosophies that may prioritize both empowerment and protection.
Quentin R. Bufogle: Minimum Wage
on Sunday, January 8, 2023Meaning of Quentin R. Bufogle Money Quote: saying to leave minimum wage up tp employers means they can pay nothing and enslave employees. Quentin R. Bufogle said:
“To all you who believe we shouldn’t have a minimum wage — that the minimum amount you can be paid should be determined solely by your employer. We tried it once before: it was called SLAVERY” — Quentin R. Bufogle
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This quote by Quentin R. Bufogle seems to be drawing a comparison between a lack of minimum wage laws and the historical institution of slavery. Some key points:
- Without a minimum wage that is legally mandated and enforced, employers would be able to pay workers extremely low wages solely based on their own determination.
- Bufogle argues this scenario resembles slavery, where slaves had no bargaining power over their compensation and masters could pay them nothing at all or whatever small amount they deemed appropriate with no oversight.
- Slavery represented an extreme case where the enslaved had no individual rights, agency or ability to change their situation. A lack of minimum wage could move society closer to such a state, according to the quote.
Overall, the quote is suggesting that allowing employers to set any wage they want without restriction, as some argue for, would essentially return the country to conditions similar to slavery by depriving workers of protections and bargaining leverage over their pay. Individual liberty and fairness in the workplace require some minimum standards be set and enforced.
Alice Walker: Out of Slavery
on Saturday, September 10, 2022Meaning of Alice Walker Money Quote: saying once slavery was ended people required even more of them. Alice Walker said:
“The trouble with our people is as soon as they got out of slavery they didn’t want to give the white man nothing else. But the fact is, you got to give em something. Either your money, your land, your woman or your ass” — Alice Walker
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In this quote, Alice Walker seems to be critiquing the mindset of some African Americans after gaining freedom from slavery. When she says “as soon as they got out of slavery they didn’t want to give the white man nothing else,” she’s referring to the desire to be fully independent and self-sufficient after so long being oppressed.
However, Walker notes that in reality “you got to give em something” – meaning it was difficult to avoid continued exploitation by white people, who would take African Americans’ “money, land, woman or ass” through things like unequal economic systems, land seizures, racism and violence (including lynching and rape).
The quote suggests Walker believes true liberation and equality had not yet been achieved after slavery’s legal end, and black communities remained vulnerable to having their livelihood and dignity stripped away by the dominant white class.
Bessie Delany: Faith in Money
on Thursday, May 26, 2022Bessie Delany Money Quote saying that believing more in money than in god leads to every kind of financial mess. Bessie Delany said:
“I can’t imagine having so little faith in the Lord, and so much faith in money, that you would end your life over a little thing like losing your fortune. The Lord says money is Evil, and He is right! Money is the root of every mess you can think of, including slavery. Greed! Profiting off the backs of others!” — Bessie Delany
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This quote from Bessie Delany expresses criticism of placing too much importance on money and wealth. She suggests that having extreme faith in money over God could lead one to consider ending their life if they lost a fortune, which she sees as misplaced priorities.
Delany echoes the sentiment of other quotes by describing money as “evil” and the “root of every mess”, implying it often enables harmful behaviors like greed, corruption and oppression. She specifically calls out profiting from exploiting others through slavery as one negative impact of pursuing wealth.
Overall, this quote conveys Delany’s view that money should not be the central focus or source of security, as that degree of faith in financial resources over spiritual guidance can distort one’s values and priorities in damaging ways. She advocates having faith in God rather than money to find meaning and purpose in life.
Birthday: September 3, 1891 – Death: September 25, 1995
Patrick Henry: Liberty or Death!
on Saturday, May 29, 2021Patrick Henry Money Quote saying those willing to be chained to peace are shackled and enslaved by it. Either freedom or death. Patrick Henry said:
“Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!” — Patrick Henry
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In this famous quote, Patrick Henry is passionately advocating for liberty over submission to tyranny and oppression. He asks rhetorically whether life itself or peace is so valuable that they should be obtained by accepting “chains and slavery” through the loss of freedom.
Henry declares that he would rather die than live without liberty. The “price” he refers to is sacrificing independence and consenting to domination in exchange for safety or stability. But Henry strongly rejects that exchange, invoking God to forbid such a compromise.
He acknowledges others may choose differently, but as for himself his uncompromising choice is liberty or death. The quote portrays liberty as so precious that it is worth fighting and even dying for, rather than relinquishing it through compliance with repressive rule. It frames liberty as more important than physical or material security purchased at the cost of independence and self-governance.
Birthday May 29, 1736 – Death June 6, 1799
Scott Santens: Wage Slavery Force
on Sunday, March 28, 2021Scott Santens Money Quote saying we thought we had gotten rid of slavery as an institution, but we simply evolved it to become wage slavery. Scott Santens said:
“We didn’t abolish slavery as an institution. We simply went from one form of slavery (chattel slavery), to another form of slavery (wage slavery). Instead of forcing people to work for nothing, we instead let people work for money needed to live, without which they risk death for not obtaining” — Scott Santens
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Scott Santens is drawing a comparison between chattel slavery and wage labor. He argues that while chattel slavery as an institution was abolished, it was replaced by another form of “slavery” – wage slavery.
Just as chattel slaves were forced to work to avoid death, wage workers must work for money in order to afford basic necessities of life like food and shelter. Without a wage, one risks death from lack of resources.
So while wage workers are not literally owned as property, Santens views wage labor as a type of economic coercion or dependency that functions similarly to slavery. He believes workers have little meaningful choice or freedom outside of participating in the wage system.
Overall, Santens is making the point that abolishing one form of slavery did not eliminate all forms of compelled labor and dependency within the economic system.