# Quotes about social inequality - Quotes: 44 - Authors: 37 - Broader topic: [Quotes about society](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/society.md) - Topic page: https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality - JSON version (same data): https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.json ## Quotes > “Class distinctions are an impediment to understanding, Althalus,” Bheid told him, “and anything that interferes with understanding should be discarded.” > > “You might want to give some thought to keeping that particular opinion tucked up under your arm, Bheid,” Althalus advised. “It won’t make you very popular in certain quarters.” [David Eddings](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-eddings.md) · [The Redemption of Althalus](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-eddings/the-redemption-of-althalus.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-eddings/the-redemption-of-althalus/class-distinctions-are.md) Topics: [tolerance](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/tolerance.md), [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > "What I wonder," Bob Cole said in his strange tremulous voice, "is whether the people down here have to live this way so that we can live the way we do. We have to believe it's no, don't we? We couldn't face up to it otherwise. Because if most of the world lives in this kind of poverty so that we can have our goodies and our extra protein ration - what does that make us?" [Robert S. Stone](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-s-stone.md) · [A Flag for Sunrise](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-s-stone/a-flag-for-sunrise.md) · p. 158 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-s-stone/a-flag-for-sunrise/what-i-wonder.md) Topics: [poverty](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/poverty.md), [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > I believe that inequality is not the product of capitalism but the product of the fact that in a group of two men and one woman, one of the men will be taller and will have straighter teeth than the other, and he'll get the woman. Thus I believe that economics isn't the basis of inequality, straight teeth are! [Steve Toltz](https://www.leafyquotes.com/steve-toltz.md) · [A Fraction Of The Whole](https://www.leafyquotes.com/steve-toltz/a-fraction-of-the-whole.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/steve-toltz/a-fraction-of-the-whole/i-believe-that.md) Topics: [humor](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/humor.md), [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > Although we are all brothers, some die of hunger and of foodstuffs, clothing and shoes. And with so many naked and bare-while what is useful and necessary rots at the depots and warehouses [Luisa Capetillo](https://www.leafyquotes.com/luisa-capetillo.md) · [A Nation of Women](https://www.leafyquotes.com/luisa-capetillo/a-nation-of-women.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/luisa-capetillo/a-nation-of-women/although-we-are.md) Topics: [poverty](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/poverty.md), [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > There were clear class divisions among the protestors: the upper-class ones stood back and gave the orders, while the lower-class ones did the actual work. Some things didn’t change, no matter how many worlds you visited. [Genevieve Cogman](https://www.leafyquotes.com/genevieve-cogman.md) · [The Lost Plot](https://www.leafyquotes.com/genevieve-cogman/the-lost-plot.md) · p. 215 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/genevieve-cogman/the-lost-plot/there-were-clear.md) Topics: [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > There’s only but two kinds of people. People can afford hotels like that, they’re one kind. We’re the other. Used to be, like, a middle class, people in between. But not anymore. [William Gibson](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-gibson.md) · [Virtual Light](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-gibson/virtual-light.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-gibson/virtual-light/theres-only-but.md) Topics: [wealth](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/wealth.md), [poverty](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/poverty.md), [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > Morals are taught and preached not for the sake of heaven, but to assist those people on earth who have everything they need and more to retain their possessions and to help them to accumulate still more. Morals is the butter for those who have no bread. [B. Traven](https://www.leafyquotes.com/b-traven.md) · [The Death Ship](https://www.leafyquotes.com/b-traven/the-death-ship.md) · p. 143 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/b-traven/the-death-ship/morals-are-taught.md) Topics: [morality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/morality.md), [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > The class I belong to always has to wait and wait, stand long nights and days in long files to get a cup of coffee and a slice of bread. Everybody in the world, official or boss, takes it for granted that our sort of people have ages, of time to waste. It is different with those who have money. They can arrange everything with money. Therefore they never have to wait. We who cannot pay with cold cash have to pay with our time instead. Suppose you get sore at the official who lets you wait and wait, and you say something about the citizen’s right it won’t help you a bit. He then lets you wait ten times longer, and you never do it again. He is the king. Do not forget that. Don’t ever believe that kings were done with when the fathers of the country made a revolution. [B. Traven](https://www.leafyquotes.com/b-traven.md) · [The Death Ship](https://www.leafyquotes.com/b-traven/the-death-ship.md) · p. 41 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/b-traven/the-death-ship/the-class-i-belong.md) Topics: [power](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/power.md), [time](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/time.md), [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > “The rules are different for rich men,” he said. “Always have been.” [Steve Perry](https://www.leafyquotes.com/steve-perry.md) · [The Vastalimi Gambit](https://www.leafyquotes.com/steve-perry/the-vastalimi-gambit.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/steve-perry/the-vastalimi-gambit/the-rules-are.md) Topics: [wealth](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/wealth.md), [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > In your day fully nineteen twentieths of the crime, using the word broadly to include all sorts of misdemeanors, resulted from the inequality in the possessions of individuals; want tempted the poor, lust of greater gains, or the desire to preserve former gains, tempted the well-to-do. Directly or indirectly, the desire for money, which then meant every good thing, was the motive of all this crime, the taproot of a vast poison growth, which the machinery of law, courts, and police could barely prevent from choking your civilization outright. [Edward Bellamy](https://www.leafyquotes.com/edward-bellamy.md) · [Looking Backward](https://www.leafyquotes.com/edward-bellamy/looking-backward.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/edward-bellamy/looking-backward/in-your-day.md) Topics: [money](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/money.md), [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md), [crime](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/crime-2.md) > In each puddle of light, like a morality play, the homeless lay on carefully laid out bits of cardboard or blanket. The ‘new middle class’ of Mumbai, spoken of in hushed tones by economists, stepped over the sleeping forms or skirted around them without breaking stride as they headed for the nearest Starbucks to fulfil their destiny as the engine of Indian economic growth. [Shamini Flint](https://www.leafyquotes.com/shamini-flint.md) · [Inspector Singh Investigates: A Curious Indian Cadaver](https://www.leafyquotes.com/shamini-flint/inspector-singh-investigates-a-curious-indian-cadaver.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/shamini-flint/inspector-singh-investigates-a-curious-indian-cadaver/in-each-puddle.md) Topics: [poverty](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/poverty.md), [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > Class was what formed you, but didn’t travel to other cultures – it became invisible abroad. In foreign places, you were singled out by religion and race, but not class, which was more indecipherable than any other mother tongue. He’d learnt that not only were light, language, and weather contingent – class was too. [Amit Chaudhuri](https://www.leafyquotes.com/amit-chaudhuri.md) · [Odysseus Abroad](https://www.leafyquotes.com/amit-chaudhuri/odysseus-abroad.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/amit-chaudhuri/odysseus-abroad/class-was-what.md) Topics: [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > Inequality is corrosive. It rots societies from within. The impact of material differences takes a while to show up: but in due course competition for status and goods increases; people feel a growing sense of superiority (or inferiority) based on their possessions; prejudice towards those on the lower ranks of the social ladder hardens; crime spikes and the pathologies of social disadvantage become ever more marked. The legacy of unregulated wealth creation is bitter indeed. [Tony Judt](https://www.leafyquotes.com/tony-judt.md) · [Ill Fares The Land](https://www.leafyquotes.com/tony-judt/ill-fares-the-land.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/tony-judt/ill-fares-the-land/inequality-is-corrosive.md) Topics: [society](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/society.md), [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > A convicted felon who had strong family ties, a stake in the community, and an education might get probation, while a man who had few family ties, little stake in the community, and little education might draw a ten-year sentence for the same crime. [Joe Biden](https://www.leafyquotes.com/joe-biden.md) · [Promises to Keep](https://www.leafyquotes.com/joe-biden/promises-to-keep.md) · p. 122 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/joe-biden/promises-to-keep/a-convicted-felon.md) Topics: [justice](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/justice.md), [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > I’m acquainted with a, uh, gentleman who claims that the extent to which a society focuses on the needs of its lowest common denominator is the extent to which that society’ll be mired in mediocrity. Whereas, if we would aim the bulk of our support at the brightest, most talented, most virtuous instead, then they would have the wherewithal to solve a lot of our problems, to uplift the whole culture, enlighten it or something, so that eventually there wouldn’t be so many losers and weaklings impeding evolution and dragging the whole species down. He claims that martyrs like you just perpetuate human misery by catering to it. He believes individuals have to take responsibility for their own lives and accept the consequences of their choices. [Tom Robbins](https://www.leafyquotes.com/tom-robbins.md) · [Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas](https://www.leafyquotes.com/tom-robbins/half-asleep-in-frog-pajamas.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/tom-robbins/half-asleep-in-frog-pajamas/im-acquainted-with.md) Topics: [responsibility](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/responsibility.md), [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > This seemed absolutely right, to Vimes's way of thinking. There was no difference at all between the richest man and the poorest beggar, apart from the fact that the former had lots of money, food, power, fine clothes, and good health. But at least he wasn't any better. Just richer, fatter, more powerful, better dressed and healthier. It had been like that for hundreds of years. (p. 173) [Terry Pratchett](https://www.leafyquotes.com/terry-pratchett.md) · [Guards! Guards!](https://www.leafyquotes.com/terry-pratchett/guards-guards.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/terry-pratchett/guards-guards/this-seemed-absolutely.md) Topics: [humor](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/humor.md), [wealth](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/wealth.md), [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > A society can neither advance nor improve without excess of disposable income. This excess can only be amassed through the productions of goods and services necessary or attractive to the mass. A financial system which allows this leads to inequality; one that does not leads to mass starvation. Page 10. [David Mamet](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-mamet.md) · [The Secret Knowledge](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-mamet/the-secret-knowledge.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-mamet/the-secret-knowledge/a-society-can.md) Topics: [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md), [economy](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/economy.md) > It seems to be a social axiom that as misery and privation increase for the many, the few rise ever higher in luxury and comfort, feeding on the misery. Not aware, perhaps, that they feed upon the misery, not with any wish of feeding on it—but they do. [Clifford D. Simak](https://www.leafyquotes.com/clifford-d-simak.md) · [A Choice of Gods](https://www.leafyquotes.com/clifford-d-simak/a-choice-of-gods.md) · p. 46 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/clifford-d-simak/a-choice-of-gods/it-seems-to.md) Topics: [wealth](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/wealth.md), [poverty](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/poverty.md), [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > For much of the world, globalization as it has been managed seems like a pact with the devil. A few people in the country become wealthier; GDP statistics, for what they are worth, look better, but ways of life and basic values are threatened. For some parts of the world the gains are even more tenuous, the costs more palpable. Closer integration into the global economy has brought greater volatility and insecurity, and more inequality. It has even threatened fundamental values. > > This is not how it has to be. We can make globalization work, not just for the rich and powerful but for all people, including those in the poorest countries. The task will be long and arduous, We have already waited far too long. the time to begin is now. [Joseph E. Stiglitz](https://www.leafyquotes.com/joseph-e-stiglitz.md) · [Making Globalization Work](https://www.leafyquotes.com/joseph-e-stiglitz/making-globalization-work.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/joseph-e-stiglitz/making-globalization-work/for-much-of-the.md) Topics: [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md), [globalization](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/globalization.md) > Therefore I must say that, as I hope for mercy, I can have no other notion of all the other governments that I see or know, than that they are a conspiracy of the rich, who, on pretence of managing the public, only pursue their private ends, and devise all the ways and arts they can find out; first, that they may, without danger, preserve all that they have so ill-acquired, and then, that they may engage the poor to toil and labour for them at as low rates as possible, and oppress them as much as they please; and if they can but prevail to get these contrivances established by the show of public authority, which is considered as the representative of the whole people, then they are accounted laws [Thomas More](https://www.leafyquotes.com/thomas-more.md) · [Utopia](https://www.leafyquotes.com/thomas-more/utopia.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/thomas-more/utopia/therefore-i-must.md) Topics: [wealth](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/wealth.md), [the state](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/the-state.md), [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > In a community wherepublic services have failed to keep abreast of private consumption things are very different. Here, in an atmosphere of private opulence and public squalor, the private goods have full sway. [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-kenneth-galbraith.md) · [The Affluent Society](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-kenneth-galbraith/the-affluent-society.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-kenneth-galbraith/the-affluent-society/in-a-community.md) Topics: [consumerism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/consumerism.md), [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > The family which takes its mauve and cerise, air conditioned, power-steered, and power braked automobile out for a tour passes through cities that are badly paved, made hideous by litter, blighted buildings, billboards, and posts for wires that should long since have been put underground. [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-kenneth-galbraith.md) · [The Affluent Society](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-kenneth-galbraith/the-affluent-society.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-kenneth-galbraith/the-affluent-society/the-family-which.md) Topics: [consumerism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/consumerism.md), [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > Brazilification - the widening gulf between the rich and the poor and the accompanying disappearance of the middle classes. (page 11) [Douglas Coupland](https://www.leafyquotes.com/douglas-coupland.md) · [Generation X](https://www.leafyquotes.com/douglas-coupland/generation-x.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/douglas-coupland/generation-x/brazilification-the-widening.md) Topics: [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > It was all so painfully obvious to Jurgis! It was so incomprehensible how a man could fail to see it! Here were all the opportunities of the country, the land, and the buildings upon the land, the railroads, the mines, the factories, and the stores, all in the hands of a few private individuals, called capitalists, for whom the people were obliged to work for wages. The whole balance of what the people produced went to heap up the fortunes of these capitalists, to heap, and heap again, and yet again—and that in spite of the fact that they, and every one about them, lived in unthinkable luxury! And was it not plain that if the people cut off the share of those who merely "owned," the share of those who worked would be much greater? [Upton Sinclair](https://www.leafyquotes.com/upton-sinclair.md) · [The Jungle](https://www.leafyquotes.com/upton-sinclair/the-jungle.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/upton-sinclair/the-jungle/it-was-all.md) Topics: [capitalism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/capitalism.md), [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > We have preachers and savants who dilate endlessly on the sanctity of family and childhood but who tolerate a system in which a casual observer can correlate a child's social origin with its physical well-being. [Christopher Hitchens](https://www.leafyquotes.com/christopher-hitchens.md) · [For the Sake of Argument](https://www.leafyquotes.com/christopher-hitchens/for-the-sake-of-argument.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/christopher-hitchens/for-the-sake-of-argument/we-have-preachers.md) Topics: [children](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/children.md), [hypocrisy](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/hypocrisy.md), [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > If the study of human interactions could become a science, I suspect that an inviolate axiom might be discovered to this effect: Every social disposition creates a disparity of advantages. Further: Every innovation designed to correct the disparities, no matter how altruistic in concept, works only to create a new and different set of disparities. [Jack Vance](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jack-vance.md) · [The Brave Free Men](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jack-vance/the-brave-free-men.md) · p. 113 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jack-vance/the-brave-free-men/if-the-study.md) Topics: [equality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/equality.md), [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > And then perhaps this misery of class-prejudice will fade away, and we of the sinking middle class … may sink without further struggles into the working class where we belong, and probably when we get there it will not be so dreadful as we feared, for, after all, we have nothing to lose but our aitches. [George Orwell](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-orwell.md) · [The Road to Wigan Pier](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-orwell/the-road-to-wigan-pier.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-orwell/the-road-to-wigan-pier/and-then-perhaps.md) Topics: [humor](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/humor.md), [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > A middle-class child is taught almost simultaneously to wash his neck, to be ready to die for his country, and to despise the "lower classes." [George Orwell](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-orwell.md) · [The Road to Wigan Pier](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-orwell/the-road-to-wigan-pier.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-orwell/the-road-to-wigan-pier/a-middle-class-child.md) Topics: [education](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/education.md), [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md), [patriotism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/patriotism.md) > Perhaps this class-breaking business isn't so simple as it looked! On the contrary, it is a wild ride into the darkness, and it may be that at the end of it the smile will be on the face of the tiger. With loving though slightly patronizing smiles we set out to greet our proletarian brothers, and behold! our proletarian brothers — in so far as we understand them — are not asking for our greetings, they are asking us to commit suicide. When the bourgeois sees it in that form he takes to flight. [George Orwell](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-orwell.md) · [The Road to Wigan Pier](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-orwell/the-road-to-wigan-pier.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-orwell/the-road-to-wigan-pier/perhaps-this-class-breaking.md) Topics: [humor](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/humor.md), [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > In almost any revolt the leaders would tend to be people who could pronounce their aitches. [George Orwell](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-orwell.md) · [The Road to Wigan Pier](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-orwell/the-road-to-wigan-pier.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-orwell/the-road-to-wigan-pier/in-almost-any.md) Topics: [humor](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/humor.md), [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > Why throw money at problems? That's what money is for.Should the nation's wealth be redistributed? It has been and continues to be redistributed to a few people in a manner strikingly unhelpful. [Kurt Vonnegut](https://www.leafyquotes.com/kurt-vonnegut.md) · [Timequake](https://www.leafyquotes.com/kurt-vonnegut/timequake.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/kurt-vonnegut/timequake/why-throw-money.md) Topics: [money](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/money.md), [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > Thus did a handful of rapacious citizens come to control all that was worth controlling in America. Thus was the savage and stupid and entirely inappropriate and unnecessary and humorless American class system created. Honest, industrious, peaceful citizens were classed as bloodsuckers, if they asked to be paid a living wage. And they saw that praise was reserved henceforth for those who devised means of getting paid enormously for committing crimes against which no laws had been passed. Thus the American dream turned belly up, turned green, bobbed to the scummy surface of cupidity unlimited, filled with gas, went bang in the noonday sun. [Kurt Vonnegut](https://www.leafyquotes.com/kurt-vonnegut.md) · [God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater](https://www.leafyquotes.com/kurt-vonnegut/god-bless-you-mr-rosewater.md) · p. 4 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/kurt-vonnegut/god-bless-you-mr-rosewater/thus-did-a-handful.md) Topics: [America](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/america.md), [greed](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/greed.md), [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > The policies — determining who would be drafted and who would be deferred, who would serve and who would escape, who would die and who would live — were an antidemocratic disgrace ... I am angry that so many of the sons of the powerful and well placed ... managed to wangle slots in reserve and National Guard units. Of the many tragedies of Vietnam, this raw class discrimination strikes me as the most damaging to the ideal that all Americans are created equal and owe equal allegiance to their country. [Colin Powell](https://www.leafyquotes.com/colin-powell.md) · [My American Journey](https://www.leafyquotes.com/colin-powell/my-american-journey.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/colin-powell/my-american-journey/the-policies-determining.md) Topics: [war](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/war.md), [America](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/america.md), [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > Not only does a journey transport us over enormous distances, it also causes us to move a few degrees up or down in the social scale. It displaces us physically and also — for better or for worse — takes us out of our class context, so that the colour and flavour of certain places cannot be dissociated from the always unexpected social level on which we find ourselves in experiencing them. [Claude Lévi-Strauss](https://www.leafyquotes.com/claude-levi-strauss.md) · [Tristes Tropiques](https://www.leafyquotes.com/claude-levi-strauss/tristes-tropiques.md) · p. 86 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/claude-levi-strauss/tristes-tropiques/not-only-does.md) Topics: [travel](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/travel.md), [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > "Life is a game, boy. Life is a game that one plays according to the rules." > > "Yes, sir. I know it is. I know it." > > Game, my ass. Some game. If you get on the side where all the hot-shots are, then it's a game, all right — I'll admit that. But if you get on the other side, where there aren't any hot-shots, then what's a game about it? Nothing. No game. [J.D. Salinger](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jd-salinger.md) · [The Catcher in the Rye](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jd-salinger/the-catcher-in-the-rye.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jd-salinger/the-catcher-in-the-rye/life-is-a-game.md) Topics: [life](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/life.md), [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > Marx did not preach class conflict. He showed that in fact it existed, and had always existed in some form or other. His object in writing Capital was 'to lay bare the economic law of motion of modern society', and thus uncovering these fierce conflicts between different classes in society. These conflicts are not always obvious as class struggles, because the dominant class always tries to hide its own class character. But when the existing order is threatened, then it throws away all pretence and its real character appears, and there is open warfare between the classes. Forms of democracy and ordinary laws and procedures all disappear when this happens. Instead of these class struggles being due to misunderstanding or the villainy of agitators, as some people say, they are inherent in society, and they actually increase with better understanding of the conflict of interests. [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jawaharlal-nehru.md) · [Glimpses Of World History](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jawaharlal-nehru/glimpses-of-world-history.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jawaharlal-nehru/glimpses-of-world-history/marx-did-not.md) Topics: [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md), [communism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/communism.md) > Class is the most difficult subject for American writers to deal with as it is the most difficult for the English to avoid. [Gore Vidal](https://www.leafyquotes.com/gore-vidal.md) · [At Home](https://www.leafyquotes.com/gore-vidal/at-home.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/gore-vidal/at-home/class-is-the.md) Topics: [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md), [writers](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/writers.md) > If there ever are great revolutions there, they will be caused by the presence of the blacks upon American soil. That is to say, it will not be the equality of social conditions but rather their inequality which may give rise thereto. [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://www.leafyquotes.com/alexis-de-tocqueville.md) · [Democracy in America](https://www.leafyquotes.com/alexis-de-tocqueville/democracy-in-america.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/alexis-de-tocqueville/democracy-in-america/if-there-ever.md) Topics: [America](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/america.md), [revolution](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/revolution.md), [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > The territorial aristocracy of former ages was either bound by law, or thought itself bound by usage, to come to the relief of its serving-men and to relieve their distresses. But the manufacturing aristocracy of our age first impoverishes and debases the men who serve it and then abandons them to be supported by the charity of the public. [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://www.leafyquotes.com/alexis-de-tocqueville.md) · [Democracy in America](https://www.leafyquotes.com/alexis-de-tocqueville/democracy-in-america.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/alexis-de-tocqueville/democracy-in-america/the-territorial-aristocracy.md) Topics: [poverty](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/poverty.md), [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > Projected upon the natural world... is the idea of privilege. ...Ever since the invention of civilization, there have been privileged classes... some groups that oppress others and that work to maintain these hierarchies of power. The children of the privileged grow up expecting that, through no particular effort of their own, they will retain a privileged position. [Carl Sagan](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-sagan.md) · [The Varieties of Scientific Experience](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-sagan/the-varieties-of-scientific-experience.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-sagan/the-varieties-of-scientific-experience/projected-upon-the.md) Topics: [power](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/power.md), [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > My feelings, gratitude, for instance, are denied me simply because of my social position. [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://www.leafyquotes.com/fyodor-dostoyevsky.md) · [The Brothers Karamazov](https://www.leafyquotes.com/fyodor-dostoyevsky/the-brothers-karamazov.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/fyodor-dostoyevsky/the-brothers-karamazov/my-feelings-gratitude.md) Topics: [gratitude](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/gratitude.md), [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > A great British prime minister once remarked that the people were divided into two nations, the rich and the poor, and in effect that these had no knowledge of each other. One might say the same, perhaps, of those who live in parts of the world where segregation by races is practised. But these barriers, or the reasons for them, belong to a part of our history which is fortunately passing away. There is one barrier, however, which no amount of progress or tolerance or legislation can ever diminish. I'm talking about the barrier between the attractive and the unattractive. [Kingsley Amis](https://www.leafyquotes.com/kingsley-amis.md) · [Take a Girl Like You](https://www.leafyquotes.com/kingsley-amis/take-a-girl-like-you.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/kingsley-amis/take-a-girl-like-you/a-great-british.md) Topics: [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > No one with any sense of self-respect will place himself on an equality in the matter of affection with those who are less lucky than himself in birth, health, money, good looks, capacity, or anything else. Indeed, that dislike and even disgust should be felt by the fortunate for the unfortunate, or at any rate for those who have been discovered to have met with any of the more serious and less familiar misfortunes, is not only natural, but desirable for any society, whether of man or brute. [Samuel Butler](https://www.leafyquotes.com/samuel-butler.md) · [Erewhon](https://www.leafyquotes.com/samuel-butler/erewhon.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/samuel-butler/erewhon/no-one-with.md) Topics: [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md) > [Footnote: The universal spirit of the laws of every country is always to take the part of the strong against the weak, and the part of him who has against him who has not; this defect is inevitable, and there is no exception to it.] From this first contradiction spring all the other contradictions between the real and the apparent, which are to be found in the civil order. The many will always be sacrificed to the few, the common weal to private interest; those specious words—justice and subordination—will always serve as the tools of violence and the weapons of injustice; hence it follows that the higher classes which claim to be useful to the rest are really only seeking their own welfare at the expense of others; from this we may judge how much consideration is due to them according to right and justice. It remains to be seen if the rank to which they have attained is more favourable to their own happiness to know what opinion each one of us should form with regard to his own lot. This is the study with which we are now concerned; but to do it thoroughly we must begin with a knowledge of the human heart. [Jean Jacques Rousseau](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jean-jacques-rousseau.md) · [Emile; or On Education](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jean-jacques-rousseau/emile-or-on-education.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jean-jacques-rousseau/emile-or-on-education/footnote-the-universal.md) Topics: [law](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/law.md), [social inequality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/social-inequality.md)