Sounds like something billionaires do Al the time, too - can’t get those billions without riding upon the backs of “lesser” people

I think that’s the point - it’s ridiculing the wealthy.

It is from Tolstoy.

Tolstoy was part of the Russian upper class, and he owned a lot of land. He actually pleaded for reform of the social class system and started doing work on his own land and paying his subjects a living wage.

But others really thought he was an oddball. Even his servants really didn’t understand it.