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But harder still it has proved to resist and rule the dragon Money, with his paper wings. Chancellors and Boards of Trade, Pitt, Peel, and Bobinson, and their parliaments, and their whole generation, adopted false principles, and went to their graves in the belief that they were enriching the country which they were impoverishing.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Emerson critiques the misguided belief that the pursuit of wealth benefits society, highlighting the negative consequences of such values.

In this quote, Ralph Waldo Emerson reflects on the struggle against the corrupting influence of money and the erroneous principles adopted by influential figures who believed that their pursuit of wealth and economic growth was beneficial to society. He suggests that these leaders have not only failed to enrich the country but have instead contributed to its impoverishment, illustrating a profound critique of materialism and the need for a principled approach to governance and economic policy.

Themes

MoneyWealthPhilosophyCorruptionSociety

In practice

Example use cases

During a debate on economic policy, one might quote Emerson to emphasize the pitfalls of prioritizing monetary gain over ethical governance.

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The world belongs to the energetic.
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