Communism is inequality, but not as property is. Property is exploitation of the weak by the strong. Communism is exploitation of the strong by the weak.
Pierre-Joseph ProudhonRead
In any given society the authority of man over man runs in inverse proportion to the intellectual development of that society.
Interpretation
What this quote means
As societies become more intellectually developed, the need for authority and control over others diminishes.
This quote by Pierre-Joseph Proudhon suggests that in societies where people are more educated and intellectually advanced, the hierarchical structures of authority and power are less pronounced. It implies that knowledge and understanding empower individuals, leading to greater equality and less oppression. As intellectual enlightenment spreads, people's ability to think for themselves reduces the need for authoritarian figures to govern them.
Themes
SocietyAuthorityIntellectualDevelopmentPower
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a speech about the importance of education in promoting equality.
More from Pierre-Joseph Proudhon
All quotes βI build no system. I ask an end to privilege, the abolition of slavery, equality of rights, and the reign of law. Justice, nothing else; that is the alpha and omega of my argument: to others I leave the business of governing the world.
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All men in their hearts, I say, bear witness to these truths; they need only to be made to understand it.
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A common danger tends to concord. Communism is the exploitation of the strong by the weak. In Communism, inequality comes from placing mediocrity on a level with excellence.
Pierre-Joseph ProudhonRead
To name a thing is easy: the difficulty is to discern it before its appearance.
Pierre-Joseph ProudhonRead
As man seeks justice in equality, so society seeks order in anarchy.
Pierre-Joseph ProudhonRead
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