“Il y a assez de tout dans le monde pour satisfaire aux besoins de l'homme, mais pas assez pour assouvir son avidité.”
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Attribution note
Snopes: the exact quote is not in Gandhi's writings and is a paraphrase of a Pyarelal-reported 1947 remark; here it is additionally a non-English translation.
Likely origin: French rendering of the 'enough for need, not for greed' saying — a distorted paraphrase of a 1947 remark reported by Pyarelal ('Mahatma Gandhi: The Last Phase', 1958); not verbatim Gandhi.
Review the attribution sourceAbout this quote
Between what a person needs and what a person craves lies the real source of shortage. Basic needs are finite and can be met all around; greed is open-ended and never can be. The idea asks you to draw that line honestly and live inside it, so the supply that would cover everyone isn't swallowed by a few.
When to use it
- A town caps water use during a drought so every household still has enough.
- A high earner sets a ceiling on his own lifestyle and directs the surplus to people with far less.
- A shared office fridge stays stocked once everyone takes only their portion instead of hoarding.