Adam Smith
Scottish moral philosopher and economist (1723 to 1790); held the chair of moral philosophy at Glasgow University from 1752 to 1764; author of The Wealth of Nations.
Adam Smith did not write this page.
We collected these quotes from things they published elsewhere, and every quote links to where it was said. They have no account here and have not endorsed this site. Quotes are word for word; the short line under each one is our own restatement, not their wording. Their own site. Is this you? Claim it or ask us to remove it. Or tell us what is wrong here.
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We get our dinner from traders by appealing to their self-interest, not to their kindness
Their wordsIt is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest. We address ourselves, not to their humanity, but to their self-love, and never talk to them of our own necessities, but of their advantages.
↗An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nationsgutenberg.org 1st of 7 in this piece
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Their wordsEvery man is rich or poor according to the degree in which he can afford to enjoy the necessaries, conveniencies, and amusements of human life.
↗An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nationsgutenberg.org 2nd of 7 in this piece
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Their wordsThe liberal reward of labour, therefore, as it is the necessary effect, so it is the natural symptom of increasing national wealth.
↗An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nationsgutenberg.org 3rd of 7 in this piece
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Their wordsNo society can surely be flourishing and happy, of which the far greater part of the members are poor and miserable. It is but equity, besides, that they who feed, clothe, and lodge the whole body of the people, should have such a share of the produce of their own labour as to be themselves tolerably well fed, clothed, and lodged.
↗An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nationsgutenberg.org 4th of 7 in this piece
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Their wordsPeople of the same trade seldom meet together, even for merriment and diversion, but the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the public, or in some contrivance to raise prices.
↗An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nationsgutenberg.org 5th of 7 in this piece
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Their wordsBy pursuing his own interest, he frequently promotes that of the society more effectually than when he really intends to promote it. I have never known much good done by those who affected to trade for the public good.
↗An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nationsgutenberg.org 6th of 7 in this piece
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Their wordsThe man whose whole life is spent in performing a few simple operations, of which the effects, too, are perhaps always the same, or very nearly the same, has no occasion to exert his understanding, or to exercise his invention, in finding out expedients for removing difficulties which never occur. He naturally loses, therefore, the habit of such exertion, and generally becomes as stupid and ignorant as it is possible for a human creature to become.
↗An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nationsgutenberg.org 7th of 7 in this piece
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