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In truth, laws are always useful to those with possessions and harmful to those who have nothing; from which it follows that the social state is advantageous to men only when all possess something and none has too much.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote suggests that laws benefit the wealthy while disadvantaging the poor, proposing that a balanced society is one where everyone has something and no one has too much.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau highlights the inequity inherent in laws, pointing out that they often serve the interests of those who are already privileged. He argues that a just social structure is one in which wealth and resources are distributed in a manner that ensures fairness, suggesting that a society is most beneficial when resources are shared equitably, preventing extreme disparities in wealth and power.

Themes

LawsSocial JusticeWealthEqualitySociety

In practice

Example use cases

During a discussion on social justice reforms.

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Quote by Jean-Jacques Rousseau | QuoteProject