"The Threepenny Opera" Quotes

What is the robbing of a bank compared to the founding of a bank?

A man who sees another man on the street corner with only a stump for an arm will be so shocked the first time he'll give him sixpence. But the second time it'll only be three pennies. And if he sees him a third time, he'll have him cold-bloodedly handed over to the police.

First comes a full stomach, then comes ethics.

The law was made for one thing alone, for the exploitation of those who don't understand it.

In the dark times, will there also be singing? Yes, there will also be singing. About the dark times.

The worst illiterate is the political illiterate, he doesn't hear, doesn't speak, nor participates in the political events. He doesn't know the cost of life, the price of the bean, of the fish, of the flour, of the rent, of the shoes and of the medicine, all depends on political decisions. The political illiterate is so stupid that he is proud and swells his chest saying that he hates politics. The imbecile doesn't know that, from his political ignorance is born the prostitute, the abandoned child, and the worst thieves of all, the bad politician, corrupted and flunky of the national and multinational companies.

What is the crime of robbing a bank compared to the crime of founding one?

Unhappy is the land that breeds no hero.

The law is a spider web, it catches the small flies and lets the big ones fly.

The world is poor and man is blind. Man acts more stupidly than the animals he despises.