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William Graham Sumner

William Graham Sumner Quotes

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Famous William Graham Sumner Quotes

“Gentlemen, the time is coming when there will be two great classes, Socialists, and Anarchists. The Anarchists want the government to be nothing, and the Socialists want the government to be everything. There can be no greater contrast. Well, the time will come when there will be only these two great parties, the Anarchists representing the laissez faire doctrine and the Socialists representing the extreme view on the other side, and when that time comes I am an Anarchist.”

WantWellsTwoGovernmentSidesViewsPartyClassGreaterExtremesDoctrineGentlemanContrastAnarchistRepresentingLaissez FaireGreat Party
Author:William Graham Sumner
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“The type and formula of most schemes of philanthropy or humanitarianism is this: A and B put their heads together to decide what C shall be made to do for D. The radical vice of all these schemes, from a sociological point of view, is that C is not allowed a voice in the matter, and his position, character, and interests, as well as the ultimate effects on society through C's interests, are entirely overlooked. I call C the Forgotten Man.”

MenWellsMadeMatterCharacterTogetherVoiceInterestViewsEffectsPositionTypeUltimateForgottenVicesPoint Of ViewRadicalFormulasSchemesPhilanthropyHumanitarianismOverlookedSociological
Book:What Social Classes Owe to Each Other
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“The Forgotten Man is delving away in patient industry, supporting his family, paying his taxes, casting his vote, supporting the church and the school, reading his newspaper, and cheering for the politician of his admiration, but he is the only one for whom there is no provision in the great scramble and the big divide. Such is the Forgotten Man. He works, he votes, generally he prays — but he always pays — yes, above all, he pays.”

PeopleMenLifeBigsSchoolPoliticalLife IsChurchPrayerBusinessPayFamilyCasesIndustryPrayingTaxesVoteElectionWorkersPatientForgottenChiefsVotingDividesCastingOrdinary PeopleProvisionSimple LifeElection DayWorkmenDelving
Author:William Graham Sumner
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“Every man and woman in society has one big duty. That is, to take care of his or her own self. This is a social duty. For, fortunately, the matter stands so that the duty of making the best of one's self individually is not a separate thing from the duty of filling one's place in society, but the two are one, and the latter is accomplished when the former is done”

MenTwoSelfMatterDoneBigsCareSocialDutyMen And WomenTake CareEvery ManFormerAccomplishedLatterFillingWomen In Society
Book:What Social Classes Owe to Each Other
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“Whatever capital you divert to the support of a shiftless and good-for-nothing person is so much diverted from some other employment, and that means from somebody else. I would spend any conceivable amount of zeal and eloquence if I possessed it to try to make people grasp this idea. Capital is force. If it goes one way it cannot go another. If you give a loaf to a pauper you cannot give the same loaf to a laborer. Now this other man who would have got it but for the charitable sentiment which bestowed it on a worthless member of society is the Forgotten Man.”

PeopleIfsMenWayGivingTryingMeanPersonsIdeasForceSupportAmountMembersForgottenEmploymentOne WaySentimentsPossessedWorthlessZealEloquenceCharitableLaborers
Book:Sumner today: selected essays of William Graham Sumner, with comments by American leaders
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