Nothing is quite so wretchedly corrupt as an aristocracy which has lost its power but kept its wealth and which still has endless leisure to devote to nothing but banal enjoyments. All its great thoughts and passionate energy are things of the past, and nothing but a host of petty, gnawing vices now cling to it like worms to a corpse.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- It criticizes a powerless aristocracy that retains wealth, leading to moral decay and pettiness.
- In plain terms
- Rich elites who lost power but keep money often become corrupt and idle.
- What can you take from it?
- Wealth without responsibility breeds corruption.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How does power affect character?
- What happens when wealth is detached from duty?
Another view
It assumes all aristocracies follow this specific pattern of decline.
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