Voltaire: Weak Grovel Like Sheep

Voltaire Money Quote saying The wealthy and powerful take advantage of the poor and vulnerable as though they were to be shorn and slaughtered. Voltaire said:
 

 

“Everywhere in the world, the weak detest the strong and grovel before them. And the strong treat them like flocks of sheep to be sold for their meat and wool” — Voltaire

Voltaire is criticizing how the powerful take advantage of and oppress the weak in society. Voltaire observed that the weak resent their treatment by the strong but feel they have no choice but to submit to them.

He compares how the strong view and use the weak like farmers view and use sheep – to be exploited for their meat, wool, and other goods. Overall, Voltaire is pointing out the imbalance of power between social classes and how the wealthy and powerful often abuse their position at the expense of the vulnerable.

Birthday: November 21, 1694 – Death: May 30, 1778

Voltaire: Inveterate Hatred to Rich

Voltaire Money Quote saying in Candide that the rich and poor despise each other but treat each other differently. Poor scrape to the rich, who in turn treat them horribly. Voltaire said:
 

 

“The poor in all parts of the world bear an inveterate hatred to the rich, even while they creep and cringe to them; and the rich treat the poor like sheep, whose wool and flesh they barter for money” — Voltaire

This quote from Voltaire criticizes the relationship between the rich and poor. He says that while the poor hate the rich, they still “creep and cringe” to them out of necessity. At the same time, the rich treat the poor “like sheep” and see them only as a means to make money, whether through their labor, wool, or flesh.

Voltaire is pointing out the imbalance of power and lack of dignity in how the wealthy view and interact with those in poverty. The quote captures Voltaire’s belief that the divide between social classes often led the rich to objectify and take advantage of the poor for economic gain.

Birthday: November 21, 1694 – Death: May 30, 1778

Voltaire: Charity No Longer Belongs

Voltaire Money Quote saying that once a man dies, he no longer owns anything to be able to give it to any charity. Voltaire said:

“The man who leaves money to charity in his will is only giving away what no longer belongs to him” — Voltaire

Voltaire said this because once someone has died, they no longer own or control their possessions and money. Anything left in a will is being given away after death, when the person can no longer benefit from or use the money and items themselves.

Voltaire was pointing out that charitable donations made in a will are not really a personal sacrifice, since the person is deceased and no longer has any ownership or need of the money or items. It is essentially giving away something that you no longer have any use for or claim to after death.

Birthday: November 21, 1694 – Death: May 30, 1778

Voltaire: Government Taking & Giving

Voltaire Money Quote saying taking money from one group to give to another is the only function of governments. Voltaire said:
 

 

“The art of government consists in taking as much money as possible from one party of the citizens to give to the other” — Voltaire

Birthday November 21, 1694 – Died May 30, 1778

Voltaire is criticizing the tendency of governments to redistribute wealth by taxing some citizens and using that money to benefit others. He seems to be suggesting that the primary function or “art” of any government is to take money from taxpayers and redistribute it through spending on programs, subsidies, or services that will aid other groups of citizens. Voltaire appears to have been skeptical of this practice and saw taxation and redistribution as the core activity of states.

Voltaire: Don’t Think Money Does Everything

Voltaire Money Quote saying when we believe that money will accomplish anything, then we spend all efforts at gaining more so we can achieve things unrelated. Voltaire said:
 

 

“Don’t think money does everything or you are going to end up doing everything for money” — Voltaire

Voltaire is warning against believing that money can solve all of life’s problems or achieve anything you want. If you think money is the most important thing, you may end up prioritizing wealth over other important things like relationships, health, happiness or fulfillment. Voltaire is suggesting that when money becomes the sole focus, people will do anything to get more of it instead of focusing on what really matters in life.

Some examples of things people may do “everything for money” according to the Voltaire quote could include:

• Pursuing high-paying careers they don’t enjoy just for the salary.
• Working long hours in demanding jobs solely to earn more income.
• Compromising their values or ethics if it means getting paid more.
• Focusing all their energy on advancing their career instead of other priorities like family or hobbies.
• Taking risky actions just for the chance of a big financial payoff

Birthday: November 21, 1694 – Death: May 30, 1778

Voltaire: Rich Robbed by the Poor

Voltaire Money Quote saying speaking of his contemporary, Rousseau – calling him a bum who’d prefer a poor peoples revolt to overtake the rich. Voltaire said:
 

 

“A tramp who would like to see the rich robbed by the poor, the better to establish the fraternal unity of man” — Voltaire

The quote from Voltaire is criticizing the views of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Voltaire is saying that Rousseau, who was often homeless and poor, wanted to see a revolt by the poor against the rich. However, Voltaire disagrees with this idea and sees it as undermining the social order.

He believes Rousseau just wants the fraternal unity of man as an excuse to rob the rich. The quote suggests Voltaire saw Rousseau’s political views as unrealistic and motivated more by his personal difficulties than a sincere vision for social change.

Birthday: November 21, 1694 – Death: May 30, 1778

Voltaire on Religious Money

Voltaire Money Quotation saying that even though there are multiple religions – all need donations and every one of them believe in cash. Voltaire said:
 

 

“When it is a question of money, everybody is of the same religion” — Voltaire

Voltaire suggests that when it comes to money and financial matters, people from different religions will cooperate and work together regardless of their religious beliefs.

Voltaire was pointing out that while people may belong to different religions, they are all united by their interest in accumulating wealth. His point was that money has a universal appeal that transcends religious divisions. The quote implies that financial self-interest can overcome religious and ideological differences.

Birthday: November 21, 1694 – Death: May 30, 1778

Voltaire: Comfort & Abundance of Poor

Money Quotation – It takes light to know darkness and opposites do attract, but sometimes they clash as in the case of wealth and poverty. Voltaire said:
 

 

“The comfort of the rich depends upon an abundant supply of the poor” — Voltaire

Voltaire is pointing out that the wealthy rely on the existence of poorer classes of people in order to maintain their comfortable lifestyle. If there were no poor, there would be no one to perform low-paying jobs that support the rich, such as servants, manual laborers, etc.

So Voltaire is arguing that the rich benefit from and depend on having a large population of poor people who are able and willing to work for low wages. In other words, inequality between the rich and poor is what allows the rich to live so comfortably according to Voltaire.

Birthday: November 21, 1694 – Death: May 30, 1778