The Acquisitive Society

work by Tawney

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July 23, 2026

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The Acquisitive Society is a 1920 book by English historian and social critic R.H. Tawney. Tawney argued that the core motivation of capitalist society, "acquisitiveness," is morally corrupting for both the wealthy and the poor. He believed that this focus on acquiring material possessions strips work of its inherent value, reducing it to mere drudgery performed only for financial gain. Tawney, an ardent socialist, used his influential writings to shape the economic and moral perspectives of Britain's Labour Party. His work critiqued the societal emphasis on material wealth and advocated for a reevaluation of work's purpose and value.1

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Richard Henry Tawney
…most provocative and influential book, The Acquisitive Society (1920), he held that the acquisitiveness of capitalist society was a morally wrong motivating principle. Acquisitiveness, he said, corrupted both rich and poor. He argued that in capitalist societies work is deprived of its inherent value and thus becomes drudgery, for it…
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…most provocative and influential book, The Acquisitive Society (1920), he held that the acquisitiveness of capitalist society was a morally wrong motivating principle. Acquisitiveness, he said, corrupted both rich and poor. He argued that in capitalist societies work is deprived of its inherent value and thus becomes drudgery, for it…
Read More