“The extreme emphasis upon the accumulation of wealth as a symbol of success in our society militates against the completely effective control of institutionally regulated modes of acquiring a fortune.”

Source: Social structure and anomie (1938), p. 59

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Robert K. Merton 11
American sociologist 1910–2003

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Variant translations:
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“It's insane. It's extreme. It's controlled by political interests. It has no justification in the traditional values that justify legal regulation. And we've done nothing about it.”

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