# eat the rich

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/eat-the-rich
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

An expression of contempt towards capitalism and the rich, demanding an equitable redistribution of wealth.

## Examples

- The protesters carried signs that said eat the rich.
- During the protest against rising inequality, the crowd chanted eat the rich to show their anger at the wealthy elite.
- The radical manifesto concluded with the provocative slogan eat the rich, demanding a complete restructuring of the economic system to benefit the working class.

## Origin

The idiom is attributed to the Genevan philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau. The original quotation, "Quand le peuple n’aura plus rien à manger, il mangera le riche," translates as "When the people shall have no more to eat, they will eat the rich." The sentiment suggests that a total lack of subsistence would eventually necessitate a change in diet involving the upper classes. The phrase became popular in the 21st-century United States. It was adopted as an anti-capitalist motto within left-wing online communities, where the philosopher's eighteenth-century observation on famine was repurposed for modern economic grievances.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.