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In times of political confusion, and under an arbitrary government, many will prefer to keep their capital inactive, concealed, and unproductive, either of profit or gratification, rather than run the risk of its display. This latter evil is never felt under a good government.

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
Running
Prefer
Unproductive
Keep
Profit
Concealed
Political
Risk
Gratification
Government
Either
Arbitrary
Many
Rather
Display
Good
Times
Capital
Never
Evil
Latter
Felt
Confusion
Inactive

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A nation or an individual, will do wisely to direct consumption chiefly to those articles, that are longest time in wearing out, and the most frequently in use.
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A treasure does not always contribute to the political security of its possessors. It rather invites attack, and very seldom is faithfully applied to the purpose for which it was destined.
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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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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 occupation of the stock-jobber yields no new or useful product consequently having no product of his own to give in exchange, he has no revenue to subsist upon, but what he contrives to make out of the unskilfulness or ill-fortune of gamesters like himself.
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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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A science only advances with certainty, when the plan of inquiry and the object of our researches have been clearly defined otherwise a small number of truths are loosely laid hold of, without their connexion being perceived, and numerous errors, without being enabled to detect their fallacy.
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Supply creates its own demand.
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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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The wealthy are generally impressed with an idea, that they shall never stand in need of public charitable relief but a little less confidence would become them better.
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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.
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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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The luxury of ostentation affords a much less substantial and solid gratification, than the luxury of comfort, if I may be allowed the expression.
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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.
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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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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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The day will come, sooner or later, when people will wonder at the necessity of taking all this trouble to expose the folly of a system, so childish and absurd, and yet so often enforced at the point of a bayonet.
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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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A tax can never be favorable to the public welfare, except by the good use that is made of its proceeds.
Jean-Baptiste Say
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The sea and wind can at the same time convey my neighbour's vessel and my own.
Jean-Baptiste Say