Quotes by William Graham Sumner
1840 – 1910
William Graham Sumner (1840-1910) was one of the founding father’s of American sociology. Although he trained as an Episcopalian clergyman, Sumner went on to teach at Yale University where he wrote his most influential works. His interests included money and tariff policy, critiques of socialism, social classes, and anti-imperialism.
Bio
See the Liberty Matters online discussion on William Graham Sumner - Liberty’s Forgotten Man
War & Peace
William Graham Sumner denounced America’s war against Spain and thought that “war, debt, taxation, diplomacy, a grand governmental system, pomp, glory, a big army and navy, lavish expenditures, political jobbery” would result in imperialsm (1898)
Taxation
William Graham Sumner reminds us never to forget the “Forgotten Man”, the ordinary working man and woman who pays the taxes and suffers under government regulation (1883)
Socialism & Interventionism
Sumner criticizes the competing vested interests and the role of legislators in the “new democratic State” (1887)
War & Peace
Sumner and the Conquest of the United States by Spain (1898)
The State
Sumner on the legalization of robbery by the State (1883)
Food & Drink
William Graham Sumner on how “society” helps the drunkard in the gutter (1883)
War & Peace
William Graham Sumner on the racism which lies behind Imperialism (1898)
Economics
Sumner on the industrial system as an example of social co-operation (c. 1900)
Free Trade
William Graham Sumner on free trade as another aspect of individual liberty (1888)
The State
William Graham Sumner on the “do-nothing” state vs. ”the meddling” state (1888)
Class
William Graham Sumner on the political corruption which is “jobbery” (1884)