Quotes
“We must cherish one another, watch over one another, comfort one another and gain instruction that we may all sit down in heaven together.” – Lucy Mack Smith, March 24, 1842
“Let every man and woman be industrious, prudent, and economical in their acts and feelings, and while gathering to themselves, let each one identify his or her interests with the interests of their community, with those of their neighbor and neighborhood, let them seek their happiness and welfare in that of all.”
– Brigham Young
“…early LDS economic goals can be summarized under 4 headings (1) ecclesiastical sponsorship of economic growth and development; (2) ecclesiastical sponsorship of group economic independence and self-sufficiency; (3) cooperation and organized group activity for attaining these goals; (4) achievement and maintenance of economic equality.”
- from The Encyclopedia of Mormonism under heading “Economic History of the Church” edited by Daniel H. Ludlow
“From a broader view of politics…Latter-Day Saints have much greater expectations for collective action. Their theology includes a strong commitment to achieve a unified, cooperative society, characterized by spiritual convictions, strong social bonds, collective responsibility, and material equality.”
– from Encyclopedia or Mormonism under heading “Economic History of the Church” edited by Daniel H. Ludlow
“Every rhetorician knows that his most effective weapons by far are labels. He can demolish the opposition with simple and devastating labels such as communism, socialism, or atheism , popery, militarism, or Mormonism, or give his clients’ worst crimes a religious glow with noble labels such as integrity, old-fashioned honesty, tough-mindedness, or free competitive enterprise”
-Hugh Nibley
“The best measure or principle to bring the poor to repentance is to administer to their wants.”
- Joseph Smith
“The greatest temporal and spiritual blessings which always come from faithfulness and concerted effort, never attended individual exertion or enterprise.
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- Joseph Smith
“The course pursued by men of business in the world has the tendency to make a few rich, and to sink the masses of people in poverty and degredation. Too many of the Elders of Israel take this course. No matter what comes they are for gain.”
- Brigham Young
“The earth is here, and the fulness thereof is here. It was made for man; and one man was not made to trample his fellowmen under his feet, and enjoy all his hearts desires, while the thousands suffer.”
- Brigham Young
“To serve the classes that are living on them, the poor, laboring men and women are toiling, working their lives out to earn that which will keep a little life within them. Is this equality? No! What is going to be done? The Latter-day Saints will never accomplish their mission until this inequality shall cease on the earth.”
- Brigham Young
“An inequality of property is the root and foundation of innumerable evils; it tends to derision, and to keep asunder the social feelings that should exist among the people of God…. It is a principle originated in hell; it is the root of all evils…. It is inequality in riches that is a great curse.”
- Orson Pratt
“Many laws and administrative actions are simply a matter of wisdom or expediency. But many laws and administrative actions are based upon the moral standards of our society. If most of us believe that it is wrong to kill or steal or lie, our laws will include punishment for those acts. If most of us believe that it is right to care for the poor and the needy, our laws will accomplish or facilitate those activities. Society continually legislates morality. The only question is whose morality and what legislation.”
- Elder Dallin H. Oaks
“Suppose that in this community there are ten beggars who beg from door to door for something to eat, and that nine of them are imposters who beg to escape work, and with an evil heart practice imposition upon the generous and sympathetic, and that only one of the ten who visit your doors is worthy of your bounty; which is best, to give food to the ten, to make sure of helping the truly needy one, or to repulse the ten because you do not know which is the worthy one? You will say, administer charitable gifts to the ten, rather than turn away the only truly worthy and truly needy person among them. If you do this, it will make no difference in your blessings, whether you administer to worthy or unworthy persons, inasmuch as you give alms with a single eye to assist the truly needy.”
- Brigham Young
“The experience of mankind has shown that the people of communities and nations among whom wealth is the most equally distributed, enjoy the largest degree of liberty, are the least exposed to tyranny and oppression and suffer the least from luxurious habits which beget vice.”
- Quoted from pamphlet issued by the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve, 1875
“One of the great evils with which our own nation is menaced at the present time is the wonderful growth of wealth in the hands of a comparatively few individuals. The very liberties for which our fathers contended so steadfastly and courageously, and which they bequeathed to us as a priceless legacy, are endangered by the monstrous power which this accumulation of wealth gives to a few individuals and a few powerful corporations. By its seductive influence results are accomplished which, were it equally distributed, would be impossible under our form of government.”
- Quoted from pamphlet issued by the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve, 1875
“In view of the prevailing condition of social unrest, of the loud protest against existing systems, whereby the distribution of wealth is becoming more and more unequal,—the rich growing richer from the increasing poverty of the poor, the hand of oppression resting more and more heavily upon the masses, the consequent dissatisfaction with governments, and the half-smoldered fires of anarchy discernible in almost every nation,—may we not take comfort in the God-given promise of a better plan?—a plan which seeks without force or violence to establish a natural equality, to take the weapons of despotism from the right, to aid the lowly and the poor, and to give every man an opportunity to live and to labor in the sphere to which he is adapted. From the tyranny of wealth, as from every other form of oppression, the truth will make men free.” — James E. Talmage, Articles of Faith, 1899, p. 454
“The idler shall not eat the bread of the laborer has always meant that the idle rich shall not eat the bread of the laboring poor, as they always have.”
– Hugh Nibley