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What is prudence in the conduct of every private family can scarce be folly in that of a great kingdom.

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
Economic
Family
Scarce
Great
Prudence
Every
Conduct
Kingdom
Kingdoms
Folly
Private

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The retinue of a grandee in China or Indostan accordingly is, by all accounts, much more numerous and splendid than that of the richest subjects of Europe.
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A merchant, it has been said very properly, is not necessarily the citizen of any particular country.
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The proprietor of stock is necessarily a citizen of the world, and is not necessarily attached to any particular country.
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Every tax, however, is to the person who pays it a badge, not of slavery but of liberty. It denotes that he is a subject to government, indeed, but that, as he has some property, he cannot himself be the property of a master.
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