Adam Smith Quotes


Happiness never lays its finger on its pulse. Adam Smith Happy 306
Humanity is the virtue of a woman, generosity of a man. The fair sex, who have commonly much more tenderness than ours, have seldom so much generosity. Adam Smith Generosity 220
The real price of everything is the toil and trouble of acquiring it. Adam Smith Wealth 195
Man is an animal that makes bargains; no other animal does this--one dog does not change a bone with another. Adam Smith Humanity 189
As soon as government management begins it upsets the natural equilibrium of industrial relations, and each interference only requires further bureaucratic control until the end is the tyranny of the totalitarian state. Adam Smith Government 156
Consumption is the sole end and purpose of all production, and the interest of the producer ought to be attended to, only so far as it may be necessary for promoting that of the consumer. Adam Smith Business 153
The propensity to truck, barter and exchange one thing for another is common to all men, and to be found in no other race of animals. Adam Smith Finance 119
Great ambition, the desire of real superiority, of leading and directing, seems to be altogether peculiar to man, and speech is the great instrument of ambition. Adam Smith Altogether 115
To feel much for others and little for ourselves; to restrain our selfishness and exercise our benevolent affections, constitute the perfection of human nature. Adam Smith Human Nature 111
Little else is requisite to carry a state to the highest degree of opulence from the lowest barbarism but peace, easy taxes, and a tolerable administration of justice: all the rest being brought about by the natural course of things. Adam Smith Peace 110
This is one of those cases in which the imagination is baffled by the facts. Adam Smith Imagination 107
Science is the great antidote to the poison of enthusiasm and superstition. Adam Smith Science 98
As soon as the land of any country has all become private property, the landlords, like all other men, love to reap where they never sowed, and demand a rent even for its natural produce. Adam Smith Men 96
The real and effectual discipline which is exercised over a workman is that of his customers. It is the fear of losing their employment which restrains his frauds and corrects his negligence. Adam Smith Corrects 95
Virtue is more to be feared than vice, because its excesses are not subject to the regulation of conscience. Adam Smith Virtue 92
Consumption is the sole end and purpose of all production; and the interest of the producer ought to be attended to, only so far as it may be necessary for promoting that of the consumer. Adam Smith Attended 89
All money is a matter of belief. Adam Smith Finance 86
On the road from the City of Skepticism, I had to pass through the Valley of Ambiguity. Adam Smith Ambiguity 84
What can be added to the happiness of a man who is in health, out of debt, and has a clear conscience? Adam Smith Happiness 82
No complaint... is more common than that of a scarcity of money. Adam Smith Money 81
The theory that can absorb the greatest number of facts, and persist in doing so, generation after generation, through all changes of opinion and detail, is the one that must rule all observation. Adam Smith Absorb 81
With the great part of rich people, the chief employment of riches consists in the parade of riches. Adam Smith Wealth 79
Defense is superior to opulence. Adam Smith Defense 78
The real price of everything, what everything really costs to the man who wants to acquire it, is the toil and trouble of acquiring it. Adam Smith Worth 77
People 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. Adam Smith Unions 72
With the greater part of rich people, the chief enjoyment of riches consists in the parade of riches. Adam Smith Uncategorized 71
Humanity is the virtue of a woman, generosity that of a man. Adam Smith Humanity 68
The robot is going to lose. Not by much. But when the final score is tallied, flesh and blood is going to beat the damn monster. Adam Smith Computers 66
Labour was the first price, the original purchase - money that was paid for all things. It was not by gold or by silver, but by labour, that all wealth of the world was originally purchased. Adam Smith Money 63
Labor was the first price, the original purchase – money that was paid for all things. Adam Smith Money 62
No society can surely be flourishing and happy, of which the far greater part of the members are poor and miserable. Adam Smith Society 61
I have never known much good done by those who affected to trade for the public good. Adam Smith Affected 58
Poor David Hume is dying fast, but with more real cheerfulness and good humor and with more real resignation to the necessary course of things, than any whining Christian ever dyed with pretended resignation to the will of God. Adam Smith Humor 58
What can be added to the happiness of a man who is in health, out of debt, and has a clear conscience? Adam Smith Health 55
It 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. Adam Smith Business 55
The real tragedy of the poor is the poverty of their aspirations. Adam Smith Uncategorized 51
Resentment seems to have been given us by nature for a defense, and for a defense only! It is the safeguard of justice and the security of innocence. Adam Smith Nature 50
The mind is so rarely disturbed, but that the company of friend will restore it to some degree of tranquility and sedateness. Adam Smith Mind 47
Civil government so far as it is instituted for the security of property is in reality instituted for the defense of the rich against the poor or of those who have some property against those who have none at all. Adam Smith Revolution 47
Whatever a person saves from his revenue he adds to his capital, and either employs it himself in maintaining an additional number of productive hands, or enables some person to do so ... for a share of profits. As the capital of an individual can be increased only by what he saves ... so the capital of a society can be increased only in the same manner. Adam Smith Wealth 45
It is not by augmenting the capital of the country, but by rendering a greater part of that capital active and productive than would otherwise be so, that the most judicious operations of banking can increase the industry of the country. Adam Smith Active 41
Adventure upon all the tickets in the lottery, and you lose for certain; and the greater the number of your tickets the nearer your approach to this certainty. Adam Smith Science 41
There is a great deal of ruin in a nation. Adam Smith Civilization 38
of their passions in the same object at that particular time. Adam Smith Kindlehighlight 35
What is prudence in the conduct of every private family can scarce be folly in that of a great kingdom. Adam Smith Economics 34
Man, an animal that makes bargains. Adam Smith Agreement 30
The subjects of every state ought to contribute towards the support of the government as nearly as possible in proportion to their respective abilities. Adam Smith Wealth 29
Mankind are animals that makes bargains, no other animal does this. Adam Smith Humanity 27
How selfish soever man may be supposed there are evidently some principles in his nature which interest him in the fortune of others and render their happiness necessary to him though he derives nothing from it except the pleasure of seeing it. Adam Smith Goodness 24

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