"In every commercial state, notwithstanding any pretension to equal rights, the exaltation of a few must depress the many"

This quote by Adam Ferguson speaks with the reality of inequality in an industrial state, or a state that is driven by financial activity. Regardless of any claims of equivalent rights, the truth is that the success of a couple of will come at the expense of the lots of. This is due to the fact that the few who are successful will have access to more resources, more chances, and more power than most of the population. This inequality can manifest itself in different ways, such as an absence of access to education, health care, and other standard requirements. It can also lead to an absence of representation in federal government and other decision-making bodies. Eventually, this quote functions as a suggestion that inequality is a truth in an industrial state, and that it is necessary to recognize and resolve this inequality in order to create a more fair society.