Under capitalism man exploits man; under socialism the reverse is true
—Polish Proverb
The dynamics of capitalism is postponement of enjoyment to the constantly postponed future.
—Norman O. Brown (1913–2002) American Philosopher
Capitalism is at its liberating best in a noncapitalist environment. The crypto-businessman is the true revolutionary in a Communist country.
—Eric Hoffer (1902–83) American Philosopher, Author
The Internet will help achieve “friction free capitalism” by putting buyer and seller in direct contact and providing more information to both about each other.
—Bill Gates (b.1955) American Businessperson, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, Author
Capital is dead labor, which, vampire-like, lives only by sucking living labor, and lives the more, the more labor it sucks.
—Karl Marx (1818–1883) German Philosopher, Economist
The most eloquent eulogy of capitalism was made by its greatest enemy. Marx is only anti-capitalist in so far as capitalism is out of date.
—Albert Camus (1913–60) Algerian-born French Philosopher, Dramatist, Essayist, Novelist, Author
Labor in this country is independent and proud. It has not to ask the patronage of capital, but capital solicits the aid of labor.
—Daniel Webster (1782–1852) American Statesman, Lawyer
Advocates of capitalism are very apt to appeal to the sacred principles of liberty, which are embodied in one maxim: The fortunate must not be restrained in the exercise of tyranny over the unfortunate.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
The evolution of the capitalist style of life could be easily—and perhaps most tellingly—described in terms of the genesis of the modern Lounge Suit.
—Joseph Schumpeter (1883–1950) Austrian-American Political Economist, Sociologist
It is impossible for capitalism to survive, primarily because the system of capitalism needs some blood to suck. Capitalism used to be like an eagle, but now it’s more like a vulture. It used to be strong enough to go and suck anybody’s blood whether they were strong or not. But now it has become more cowardly, like the vulture, and it can only suck the blood of the helpless. As the nations of the world free themselves, the capitalism has less victims, less to suck, and it becomes weaker and weaker. It’s only a matter of time in my opinion before it will collapse completely.
—Malcolm X (1925–65) American Civil Rights Leader
History suggests that capitalism is a necessary condition for political freedom. Clearly it is not a sufficient condition.
—Milton Friedman (1912–2006) American Economist
When all the world is socialist, Switzerland will have to remain capitalist, so that it can tell us the price of everything.
—Nikita Khrushchev (1894–1971) Russian Head of State, Political leader
Natural capitalism is not about making sudden changes, uprooting institutions, or fomenting upheaval for a new social order. Natural capitalism is about making small, critical choices that can tip economic and social factors in positive ways.
—Paul Hawken (b.1946) American Environmentalist
And while the law of ‘competition’ may be sometimes hard for the individual, it is best for the race, because it ensures the survival of the fittest in every department.
—Andrew Carnegie (1835–1919) Scottish-American Industrialist
The decadent international but individualistic capitalism in the hands of which we found ourselves after the war is not a success. It is not intelligent. It is not beautiful. It is not just. It is not virtuous. And it doesn’t deliver the goods.
—John Maynard Keynes (1883–1946) English Economist
Publicity is the life of this culture, in so far as without publicity capitalism could not survive, and at the same time publicity is its dream.
—John Berger (1926–2017) English Art Critic, Novelist
Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration. Capital has its rights, which are as worthy of protection as any other rights.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State
I believe totally in a Capitalist System, I only wish that someone would try it.
—Frank Lloyd Wright (1867–1959) American Architect
Doing well is the result of doing good. That’s what capitalism is all about.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
The ideology of capitalism makes us all into connoisseurs of liberty—of the indefinite expansion of possibility.
—Susan Sontag (1933–2004) American Writer, Philosopher
What kind of society isn’t structured on greed? The problem of social organization is how to set up an arrangement under which greed will do the least harm; capitalism is that kind of a system.
—Milton Friedman (1912–2006) American Economist
The best way to destroy the capitalist system is to debauch the currency. By a continuing process of inflation governments can confiscate, secretly and unobserved, an important part of the wealth of their citizens.
—John Maynard Keynes (1883–1946) English Economist
Capitalists are no more capable of self-sacrifice than a man is capable of lifting himself up by his own bootstraps.
—Vladimir Lenin (1870–1924) Russian Revolutionary Leader
I’m afraid for all those who’ll have the bread snatched from their mouths by these machines. What business has science and capitalism got, bringing all these new inventions into the works, before society has produced a generation educated up to using them!
—Henrik Ibsen (1828–1906) Norwegian Playwright
Capitalism is our only moral system. All other systems take advantage of man’s rights and liberties.
—Ayn Rand (1905–82) Russian-born American Novelist, Philosopher
There is but one means available to improve the material conditions of mankind: to accelerate the growth of capital accumulated as against the growth in population. The greater the amount of capital invested per head of the worker, the more and better goods can be produced and consumed. This is what capitalism, the much abused profit system, has brought about and brings about daily anew. Yet, most present-day governments and political parties are eager to destroy this system.
—Ludwig von Mises (1881–1973) Austrian Economist, Philosopher, Author
Capitalism knows only one color: that color is green; all else is necessarily subservient to it, hence, race, gender and ethnicity cannot be considered within it
—Thomas Sowell (b.1930) American Conservative Economist, Political Commentator
Some see private enterprise as a predatory target to be shot, others as a cow to be milked, but few see it as a sturdy horse pulling the wagon.
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
Capitalism is the astounding belief that the most wickedest of men will do the most wickedest of things for the greatest good of everyone.
—John Maynard Keynes (1883–1946) English Economist
The call for free markets would be more successful if it came from more sympathetic people.
—Gerhard Kocher (b.1939) Swiss Publicist, Aphorist