Summary of “What Social Classes Owe to Each Other”

William Graham Sumner opens the article with an observation of what he reads in the newspaper. He states he is reading an article that poses a limit to be placed on the wealth of an individual. He then begins to say that men are taught to accumulate wealth from childhood and the concept of having too much wealth would cause young men to question the pros and cons of being wealthy.
“There is an old ecclesiastical prejudice in favor of the poor and against the rich” (Sumner, 1883, p.43-57), begins Sumner’s argument about social inequality. He argues that it’s when a person who works his way up from poverty to wealth is a good citizen until he acquires too much wealth (Sumner, 1883). It also appears that he does not agree with giving to the poor who have never tried to become successful. Although, he does state that for some poor men who never received a chance, they should be helped enough so that they can help themselves to better their life.
He also examines what it takes to be a leader:
“Any one who believes that any great enterprise of an industrial character can be started without labor must have little experience of life. Let any one try to get a railroad built, or to start a factory and win reputation for its products, or to start a school and win a reputation for it, or to found a newspaper and make it a success, or to start any other enterprise, and he will find what obstacles must be overcome, what risks must be taken, what perseverance and courage are required, what foresight and sagacity are necessary” (Sumner, 1883).
He does this to prove that very few men have the qualifications to be a leader and the leaders are compensated for their performance.
The article expresses that classes always have and always will exist. According to Sumner, will continue as long as you have people who work hard to