Quote by Paul Ambroise Valery, Economic S
There are two ways to aquire the niceties of life:1) To produce them or2) To plunder them.When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men living together in society, they create for themselves in the course of time, a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that glorifies it.
Summary
This quote suggests that there are two paths to obtaining material comforts in life. The first is through honest work and productivity, while the second is through exploiting and taking from others. The quote goes on to suggest that when a group of people adopts plundering as a way of life, they eventually create systems and beliefs that justify and even celebrate this behavior. In essence, the quote serves as a warning against embracing a culture of exploitation and the dangers it poses to both the social and moral fabric of society.