Bahá'ís believe that economic exploitation of the poor by the rich is wrong. When in the United States in 1912, `Abdu'l-Bahá said to the American people:
Between 1860 and 1865 you did a wonderful thing; you abolished chattel slavery; but today you must do a much more wonderful thing: you must abolish industrial slavery.
The solution of economic questions will not be brought about by array of capital against labor, and labor against capital, in strife and conflict, but by the voluntary attitude of goodwill on both sides. Then a real and lasting justness of conditions will be secured
Among the Bahá'ís there are no extortionate, mercenary and unjust practices, no rebellious demands, no revolutionary uprisings against existing governments
It will not be possible in the future for men to amass great fortunes by the labors of others. The rich will willingly divide. They will come to this gradually, naturally, by their own volition. It will never be accomplished by war and bloodshed.[12]
Gandhi was even more emphatic in condemning the legal exploitation of disadvantaged people. Gandhi writes rhetorically about the free market:
So far as I know, there is not in history record of anything so disgraceful to the human intellect as the modern idea that the commercial text `Buy in the cheapest market and sell in the dearest' represents an available principle of national economy. Buy in the cheapest market? --yes; but what made your market cheap? Charcoal may be cheap among your roof timbers after a fire and bricks may be cheap after an earthquake; but fire and earthquake may not therefore be national benefits. Sell in the dearest? --yes, truly; but what made your market dear? You sold your bread well today: was it to a dying man who gave his last coin for it and will never need bread more; or to a rich man who tomorrow will buy your farm over your head; or to a soldier on his way to pillage the bank in which you have put your fortune?
None of these things you can know. One thing only you can know; namely whether this dealing of yours is a just and faithful one, which is all you need concern yourself