Who said “Catch a man a fish, and you can sell it to him. Teach a man to fish, and you ruin a…”?

Misattributed

Not Karl Marx. It's commonly credited to them, but the evidence shows it isn't theirs.

What the research foundListed as misattributed to Karl Marx; no source in their known works.

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

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“Catch a man a fish, and you can sell it to him. Teach a man to fish, and you ruin a wonderful business opportunity.”
MisattributedListed as misattributed to Karl Marx; no source in their known works. · evidenceOpportunity
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Cite this quote

APA

“Catch a man a fish, and you can sell it to him. Teach a man to fish, and you ruin a wonderful business opportunity.” [Quotation attributed to Karl Marx]. (n.d.). Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/30377-catch-a-man-a-fish-and-you-can/

MLA

“Catch a man a fish, and you can sell it to him. Teach a man to fish, and you ruin a wonderful business opportunity.” Attributed to Karl Marx. Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/30377-catch-a-man-a-fish-and-you-can/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

“Catch a man a fish, and you can sell it to him. Teach a man to fish, and you ruin a wonderful business opportunity.” Attributed to Karl Marx. Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/30377-catch-a-man-a-fish-and-you-can/.