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Quote by Thomas Piketty

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Capital in the Twenty First Century

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Thomas Piketty
Thomas Piketty

Thomas Piketty is a renowned French economist born on May 7, 1971. His research focuses on income and wealth inequality, economic growth, and capital accumulation. Piketty is known for his in-depth studies on inequality and his influential book 'Capital in the Twenty-First Century' has had a global impact. more

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“But this city is a world of its own, a country within a country. People are used to taking the old and making it news; and used, too, to taking the new and making it old. Every glass of water from its taps, it is said, has passed six times through the kidneys of another, and every scrap of its land has been trodden on, fought over, dug up and broken down for centuries.”

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“Never forget,' says Sugar Daddy, 'we are a nation built on sugar. It is our history and it is the source of our prosperity, now and in the future.' This is true. Our entire nation sits on reclaimed land made from sugar. Ours is an island that rose out of the sea, built on a hard core of toffee.”

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“C'est donc la proportion existante entre la somme des capitaux et celle des revenus qui détermine partout la proportion dans laquelle se trouveront l'industrie et la fainéantise ; partout où les capitaux l'emportent, c'est l'industrie qui domine ; partout où ce sont les revenus, la fainéantise prévaut. Ainsi, toute augmentation ou diminution dans la masse des capitaux tend naturellement à augmenter ou à diminuer réellement la somme de l'industrie, le nombre des gens productifs et, par conséquent, la valeur échangeable du produit annuel des terres et du travail du pays, la richesse et le revenu réel de tous ses habitants. Les capitaux augmentent par l'économie ; ils diminuent par la prodigalité et la mauvaise conduite.”

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“How many troops do we embark?' inquired Philip. 'Two hundred and forty-five rank and file, and six officers. Poor fellows! There are but few of them will ever return; nay, more than one-half will not see another birthday. It is a dreadful climate. I have landed three hundred men at that horrid hole, and in six months, even before I had sailed, there were not one hundred left alive.' 'It is almost murder to send them there,' observed Philip. 'Pshaw! They must die somewhere, and if they die a little sooner, what matter? Life is a commodity to be bought and sold like any other. We send out so much manufactured goods and so much money to barter for Indian commodities. We also send out so much life, and it gives a good return to the Company.' 'But not to the poor soldiers, I am afraid.' 'No; the Company buy it cheap and sell it dear,' replied the captain, who walked forward. True, thought Philip, they do purchase human life cheap, and make a rare profit of it, for without these poor fellows how could they hold their possessions in spite of native and foreign enemies? For what a paltry and cheap annuity do these men sell their lives? For what a miserable pittance do they dare all the horrors of a most deadly climate, without a chance, a hope of return to their native land, where they might happily repair their exhausted energies, and take a new lease of life!”

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