In his Consolation to Helvia, the Stoic philosopher Seneca the Younger asks: “Is it not madness and the wildest lunacy to desire so much when you can hold so little?”
He argues it’s unwise “to think that it is the amount of money and not the state of mind that matters.” This idea reflects the Stoic perspective on wealth and material possessions.
William B. Irvine, in A Guide to the Good Life, explains this mindset—the rejection of luxury—by saying:
Those who crave luxury typically have to spend considerable time and energy to attain it; those who eschew luxury can devote this same time and energy to other, more worthwhile undertakings.
Irvine also points out that while a Stoic doesn’t chase wealth, they may still acquire it. A Stoic aims to be useful to others, and that can sometimes bring financial success.
A modern example of this is José Mujica, who became president of Uruguay in 2010. Despite his new position and wealth, he donated 90% of his $12,000 monthly salary to charities supporting the poor and small business owners.
Mujica never called himself a Stoic, but as Irvine suggests, he lived by Stoic principles—dedicating himself to serving others rather than accumulating wealth.
Beyond his salary, Mujica also turned down the perks of his office. He refused to live in the presidential palace or use its staff, choosing instead to remain on his modest farm with his wife, two police officers, and their three-legged dog, Manuela.
Many admired his simple lifestyle, and the media often called him the “world’s humblest head of state” or “the world’s poorest president.”
“Poor Are Those Who Need Too Much”
Even if you don’t share Mujica’s political beliefs, it’s hard not to respect his way of life and the values that echo Stoicism.
What might surprise those unfamiliar with Uruguayan politics is Mujica’s past. Before his presidency, he was a member of an armed guerrilla group. In the early 1970s, the government captured and imprisoned him, holding him in harsh conditions for 13 years.
In a 2014 interview, he reflected on how that experience shaped his philosophy:
I slept for many years on a prison floor, and the nights I got a mattress, I was happy. I survived with barely nothing. So I started giving great importance to the small things in life and to the limits of things. If I dedicate myself to having a lot of things, I will have to spend a great part of my life taking care of them. And I won’t have time left to spend it on the things I like – in my case, politics.
So living light is no sacrifice for me – it’s an affirmation of freedom, of having the greatest amount of time available for what motivates me. It’s the price of my individual freedom. I’m richer this way.
When his presidency ended in 2015 (Uruguayan law limits presidents to one term), Mujica became a senator. He held the position until 2018 before resigning and even rejecting the state pension. At 83, he returned to his farm—right where he started.
Mujica’s story is reminiscent of the Roman statesman Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus. Though his tale is part legend, Cincinnatus is also celebrated for his humility and dedication to civic duty.
The Encyclopedia Britannica summarizes his story:
The core of the tradition holds that in 458 Cincinnatus was appointed dictator of Rome in order to rescue a consular army that was surrounded by the Aequi on Mount Algidus. At the time of his appointment he was working a small farm. He is said to have defeated the enemy in a single day and celebrated a triumph in Rome. Cincinnatus maintained his authority only long enough to bring Rome through the emergency. He then resigned and returned to his farm.
Cincinnatus didn’t seek power or wealth—he simply helped when needed and then went back to his simple life. Mujica did much the same.
To end with a quote from Mujica, one that could have easily come from Seneca himself:
My definition of poor are those who need too much. Because those who need too much are never satisfied.
