On a level plain, simple mounds look like hills; and the insipid flatness of our present bourgeoisie is to be measured by the altitude of its great intellects.

Summary

This quote by Karl Marx suggests that the bourgeoisie, referring to the middle-class capitalists, lack any remarkable intelligence or depth. He compares them to simple mounds that appear like hills on a flat plain, indicating that they may seem significant or important, but in reality, they lack substance. Marx implies that the bourgeoisie's apparent intellectual prowess is merely a product of their relative social standing rather than genuine remarkable intelligence. The quote criticizes the shallow nature and lack of intellectual depth within the bourgeoisie class.