David Rockefeller

I am a passionate traveler, and from the time I was a child, travel formed me as much as my formal education.

The Christian ethic played an essential part in my upbringing.

The role of a museum of modern art is to make a good selection and identify what we believe to be the coming movements, and that requires taste.

Eventually, most people felt MoMA had filled a very important gap.

Philanthropy is involved with basic innovations that transform society, not simply maintaining the status quo or filling basic social needs that were formerly the province of the public sector.

The conventional notions of art have changed, and a lot of things done today are considered works of art that would have been rejected in the past.

When I see something I like, I buy it, but I do not look for it madly.

I am the wealthiest man, not just in Europe, but in the whole world. I collect emotions. I am wealthy in that the people of Russia have twice entrusted me with the leadership of a great nation such as Russia – I believe that is my greatest wealth.

I always knew I was going to be rich. I don’t think I ever doubted it for a minute.

My grandfather, along with Carnegie, was a pioneer in philanthropy, which my father then practiced on a very large scale.

I think it’s sad when people make a lot of money and they want the biggest boat or the biggest car or the biggest plane.

We were afraid of attempts of kidnapping.

I would be a billionaire if I was looking to be a selfish boss. That’s not me.

You know, gentlemen, that I do not owe any personal income tax. But nevertheless, I send a small check, now and then, to the Internal Revenue Service out of the kindness of my heart.

90% of all millionaires become so through owning real estate.

Riches are a good hand maiden, but a poor mistress.

I am convinced that material things can contribute a lot to making one’s life pleasant, but, basically, if you do not have very good friends and relatives who matter to you, life will be really empty and sad and material things cease to be important.

He is richest who is content with the least.

Philanthropy is involved with basic innovations that transform society, not simply maintaining the status quo or filling basic social needs that were formerly the province of the public sector.

Of great wealth there is no real use, except in its distribution, the rest is just conceit.

very day I get up and look through the Forbes list of the richest people in America. If I’m not there, I go to work.