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Some writers maintain arithmetic to be only the only sure guide in political economy for my part, I see so many detestable systems built upon arithmetical statements, that I am rather inclined to regard that science as the instrument of national calamity.

Jean-Baptiste Say

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Jean-Baptiste Say
Age: 65 †
Born: 1767
Born: January 5
Died: 1832
Died: November 14
Economist
Industrialist
Journalist
Translator
Lyons
Jean Baptiste Say
Sure
Statements
Detestable
Rather
Guides
Arithmetic
Upon
Instruments
Inclined
Science
Writers
Calamity
Political
National
Guide
Part
Regard
Instrument
Many
Built
Maintain
Economy
Systems
Arithmetical

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The wants of mankind are supplied and satisfied out of the gross values produced and created, and not out of the net values only.
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Wherefore it is impossible to succeed in comparing wealth of different eras or different nations. This, in political economy, like squaring the circle in mathematics, is impracticable, for want of a common mean or measure to go by.
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The property a man has in his own industry, is violated, whenever he is forbidden the free exercise of his faculties or talents, except insomuch as they would interfere with the rights of third parties.
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Law has been unjustly charged with the whole blame of the calamities resulting from the scheme that bears his name.
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The ancients, by their system of colonization, made themselves friends all over the known world the moderns have sought to make subjects, and therefore have made enemies.
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With respect to the present time, there are few persons who unite the qualifications of good observers with a situation favourable for accurate observation.
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Whence it is evident that the remedy must be adapted to the particular cause of the mischief consequently, the cause must be ascertained, before the remedy is devised.
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When war becomes a trade, it benefits, like all other trades, from the division of labour.
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regulation is useful and proper, when aimed at the prevention of fraud or contrivance, manifestly injurious to other kinds of production, or to the public safety, and not at prescribing the nature of the products and the methods of fabrication.
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Demand and supply are the opposite extremes of the beam, whence depend the scales of dearness and cheapness the price is the point of equilibrium, where the momentum of the one ceases, and that of the other begins.
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The command of a large sum is a dangerous temptation to a national administration. Though accumulated at their expense, the people rarely, if ever profit by it: yet in point of fact, all value, and consequently, all wealth, originates with the people.
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Taxation being a burthen, must needs weigh lightest on each individual, when it bears upon all alike.
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A shop-keeper in good business is quite as well off as a pedlar that travels the country with his wares on his back. Commercial jealousy is, after all, nothing but prejudice: it is a wild fruit, that will drop of itself when it has arrived at maturity.
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Supply creates its own demand.
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Dominion by land or sea will appear equally destitute of attraction, when it comes to be generally understood, that all its advantages rest with the rulers, and that the subjects at large derive no benefit whatever.
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The best scheme of finance is, to spend as little as possible and the best tax is always the lightest.
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Political economy has only become a science since it has been confined to the results of inductive investigation.
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No human being has the faculty of originally creating matter, which is more than nature itself can do. But any one may avail himself of the agents offered him by nature, to invest matter with utility.
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The sea and wind can at the same time convey my neighbour's vessel and my own.
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A much larger value is consumed in lettuces than in pineapples,throughout Europe at large and the superb shawls of Cachemere are, in France, a very poor object in trade, in comparison with the plain cotton goods of Rouen.
Jean-Baptiste Say