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What must never be lost sight of is that a public functionary, in his capacity as functionary, produces absolutely nothing; that, on the contrary, he exists only on the products of the industrious class; and that he can consume nothing that has not been taken from the producers.
Charles Dunoyer
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Public officials do not create value themselves but rely on the labor of productive members of society.

In this quote, Charles Dunoyer emphasizes the role of public officials in society, highlighting that they do not contribute to the economy through production. Instead, their existence and salary depend entirely on the efforts and productivity of workers, thus underlining an essential truth about the interconnectedness of labor and public service.

Themes

Public FunctionaryProductivityIndustrious ClassGovernmentEconomy

In practice

Example use cases

This quote can be used in a speech about the importance of productive labor in society.

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