Moral character is a luxury only economic security can purchase

Evidence

A millionaire, or even his wife, can afford an upright and noble character, they can develop every admirable quality possible … The smaller manufacturer is at a disadvantage here, too. He needs exploitative personal characteristics to survive. This `moral’ disadvantage increases as one’s rank in the production process decreases. — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School, 191

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to Marx’s base/superstructure and to the broader critical theory strand on how material conditions shape morality. — connects to: Economic doctrines win political power only when translated into moral idioms.; Individualism intensifies the moral idealization of wealth as society fragments; Economic doctrine wins power only when translated into moral common sense (+4 more)
• corroborated: 3 independent passages support this claim — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School: Its History,…, 191

Broader Connections

• Moral characters of trustworthiness can make people trust even against reason. #complicates (0.80)
• Only a virtuous republic can generate the expectations that make people prosperous #contradicts (0.80)
• Economic doctrines win political power only when translated into moral idioms. #complicates (0.75)
• Individualism intensifies the moral idealization of wealth as society fragments #complicates (0.75)
• Economic doctrine wins power only when translated into moral common sense #complicates (0.75)
• Trust is not chosen, a gamble, or an investment; only actions are #expands (0.75)