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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

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Adam Smith
Age: 67 †
Born: 1723
Born: June 16
Died: 1790
Died: July 17
Economist
Non-Fiction Writer
Philosopher
University Teacher
Writer
Lang Toun
Littles
Courses
Degree
States
Course
Administration
Opulence
Little
Justice
Carry
Requisite
Things
State
Degrees
Tolerable
Peace
Brought
Barbarism
Natural
Taxes
Lowest
Easy
Highest
Libertarian
Else
Rest
Investing

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That the chance of gain is naturally over-valued, we may learn from the universal success of lotteries.
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Secrets in manufactures are capable of being longer kept than secrets in trade.
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It is unjust that the whole of society should contribute towards an expence of which the benefit is confined to a part of the society.
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I am always willing to run some hazard of being tedious, in order to be sure that I am perspicuous and, after taking the utmost pains that I can to be perspicuous, some obscurity may still appear to remain upon a subject, in its own nature extremely abstracted.
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The liberal reward of labor, therefore, as it is the necessary effect, so it is the natural symptom of increasing national wealth. The scanty maintenance of the laboring poor, on the other hand, is the natural symptom that things are at a stand, and their starving condition that they going backwards fast.
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The mob, when they are gazing at a dancer on the slack rope, naturally writhe and twist and balance their own bodies, as they see him do.
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The man scarce lives who is not more credulous than he ought to be... The natural disposition is always to believe. It is acquired wisdom and experience only that teach incredulity, and they very seldom teach it enough.
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In this consists the difference between the character of a miser and that of a person of exact economy and assiduity. The one is anxious about small matters for their own sake the other attends to them only in consequence of the scheme of life which he has laid down to himself.
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Whenever the legislature attempts to regulate differences between masters and their workmen, its counsellors are always the masters. When the regulation, therefore, is in favor of the workmen, it is always just and equitable but it is sometimes otherwise when in favor of the masters.
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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.
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Have lots of experiments, but make sure they're strategically focused.
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The property which every man has in his own labour, as it is the original foundation of all other property, so it is the most sacred and inviolable.
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Every man lives by exchanging.
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To found a great empire for the sole purpose of raising up a people of customers, may at first sight appear a project fit only for a nation of shopkeepers. It is, however, a project altogether unfit for a nation of shopkeepers but extremely fit for a nation whose government is influenced by shopkeepers.
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What is prudence in the conduct of every private family can scarce be folly in that of a great kingdom.
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I have never known much good done by those who affected to trade for the public good.
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Men, like animals, naturally multiply in proportion to the means of their subsistence.
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Man is an animal that makes bargains: no other animal does this - no dog exchanges bones with another.
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What can be added to the happiness of the man who is in health, who is out of debt, and has a clear conscience?
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An English university is a sanctuary in which exploded systems and obsolete prejudices find shelter and protection after they have been . hunted out of every corner of the world.
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