In the reading of the above quotation, most students of history, would quickly discern that this quotation and thus this sentiment so of, must have come from the mind of Karl Marx, but it did not. In fact, it might seem incredible to Americans, but this quote came forth from the President of the United States in that President’s First Annual Message to Congress. The name of that President was Abraham Lincoln.
As they say, history is written by the victors, of which, it is fair enough to state that capitalism in America, and therefore capital in America seems to clearly be the superior of labor and not the other way around. So then, to modern ears, a belief that labor should be the superior of capital, would appear to be a sentiment that would have more in common with someone that is communistic or socialistic in nature and hence is anathema to America, and what it so stands for. However, in consideration that these words were spoken by the very wise Abraham Lincoln, should give those of an open mind some serious pause.
In fact, that which becomes capital must have, at some point, the need for labor to have created that capital. In other words, it is the blood, sweat, and tears of those who labor that creates the basis for the goods and capital so subsequently created. Therefore, labor is indeed prior to capital, and those who labor diligently deserve a fair share of what they so have created through their effort, and thus the value of that labor should not be shunned. Yet, in the present day, those who are clever, understand well, that to have capital or access to such, permits those who are the capital holders, to extract in many a situation, more than their fair share from those who labor for them, so that those with capital, are thus able to make a profit to their advantage, without having to put forth even close to their fair amount of personal labor to accomplish such.
We live in a day and age in which taxation is commonplace, whether that taxation is attached to our labor, or through an excise tax, or a sales tax, or a property tax, and so on. This then would reflect that our current governance seems not to comprehend that when it comes to taxation, those who should pay their fair share should primarily be those who are the capital holders, for it is those with capital, that not only have the better capacity to pay taxes but surely are the ones that should pay a higher percentage of their wealth or assets through those taxes, because capital uses the pathway to make money, without necessarily much personal labor.
Indeed, it is the working person, that should be held in the highest esteem, and not the fat cat, that seemingly makes all the profits, for it is because of that labor that things get built and get done, of which, the capital should best be seen then as the tool that helps to accomplish such, but should never to be seen as superior to the hands that have done the actual work.