W.H. Auden: Class Distinctions
on Wednesday, January 6, 2021W.H. Auden Money Quote saying we should not judge people based on their money or rank, but somehow turn to age. W.H. Auden said:
“The class distinctions proper to a democratic society are not those of rank or money, still less, as is apt to happen when these are abandoned, of race, but of age” — W.H. Auden
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In this quote, W.H. Auden seems to be commenting on appropriate and inappropriate forms of social stratification in a democratic society. By stating that proper class distinctions are “not those of rank or money” nor “of race”, Auden implies factors like inherited wealth, titles, or ethnicity should not determine social class.
He then notes the proper distinction is “of age”, conveying his perspective that in a democracy, the natural hierarchy is one of seniority and experience, with the elderly holding positions of greater respect than the young due to life lessons learned over time.
The quote portrays Auden’s view that while some stratification based on wisdom attained through living is acceptable, divisions formed by arbitrary attributes like wealth, heritage or appearance undermine democratic ideals of equality. Overall, he appears to advocate for merit-based social stratification according to one’s contributions and character development over other attributes.