At a time of increasing poverty and widening of the gap between rich and poor, the words of John Ruskin give food for thought.
(Feb 8th 1819 - Jan 20th 1900)
"That country is the richest which nourishes the greatest numbers of noble and happy human beings; that man is richest, who, having perfected the functions of his own life to the utmost, has also the widest helpful influence, both personal, and by means of his possessions, over the lives of others.”
"The whole question, respecting not only the advantage, but even the quality of national wealth, resolves itself finally into one of abstract justice."
"Whereas it has long been known and declared that the poor have no right to the property of the rich, I wish it also to be known and declared that the rich have no right to the property of the poor."
"Large fortunes are all founded either on the occupation of land, or lending, or the taxation of labour."
"... the art of making yourself rich, in the ordinary mercantile economist’s sense, is therefore equally and necessarily the art of keeping your neighbour poor."
"The universal and constant action of justice […] is therefore to diminish the power of wealth, in the hands of one individual, over masses of men, and distribute it through a chain of men."
“What right have you to take the word wealth, which originally meant ''well-being,'' and degrade and narrow it by confining it to certain sorts of material objects measured by money.”
“There is no wealth but life. Life, including all its powers of love, of joy, and of admiration..."
“Lately in a wreck of a Californian ship, one of the passengers fastened a belt about him with two hundred pounds of gold in it, with which he was found afterwards at the bottom. Now, as he was sinking- had he the gold, or the gold him?”
“What is really desired, under the name of riches, is, essentially, power over men; in its simplest sense, the power of obtaining for own own advantage the labour of servant, tradesman, and artist; in wider sense, authority of directing large masses of the nation to various ends.”
"A little thought and a little kindness are often worth more than a great deal of money."
"The whole question, respecting not only the advantage, but even the quality of national wealth, resolves itself finally into one of abstract justice."
"Whereas it has long been known and declared that the poor have no right to the property of the rich, I wish it also to be known and declared that the rich have no right to the property of the poor."
"Large fortunes are all founded either on the occupation of land, or lending, or the taxation of labour."
"... the art of making yourself rich, in the ordinary mercantile economist’s sense, is therefore equally and necessarily the art of keeping your neighbour poor."
"The universal and constant action of justice […] is therefore to diminish the power of wealth, in the hands of one individual, over masses of men, and distribute it through a chain of men."
“What right have you to take the word wealth, which originally meant ''well-being,'' and degrade and narrow it by confining it to certain sorts of material objects measured by money.”
“There is no wealth but life. Life, including all its powers of love, of joy, and of admiration..."
“Lately in a wreck of a Californian ship, one of the passengers fastened a belt about him with two hundred pounds of gold in it, with which he was found afterwards at the bottom. Now, as he was sinking- had he the gold, or the gold him?”
“What is really desired, under the name of riches, is, essentially, power over men; in its simplest sense, the power of obtaining for own own advantage the labour of servant, tradesman, and artist; in wider sense, authority of directing large masses of the nation to various ends.”
"A little thought and a little kindness are often worth more than a great deal of money."
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