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

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Supply creates its own demand.
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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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The love of domination never attains more than a factitious elevation, that is sure to make enemies of all its neighbours.
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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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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 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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What would people think of a tradesman, that was to give a ball in his shop, hire performers, and hand refreshments about, with a view to benefit his business?
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An uniformity of weights and measures, arranged upon mathematical principles, would be a benefit to the whole commercial world, if it were wise enough to adopt such an expedient.
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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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The United States will have the honour of proving experimentally, that true policy goes hand in hand with moderation and humanity.
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To the labor of man alone Smith ascribes the power of producing values. This is an error. A more exact analysis demonstrates... that all the values are derived from the operation of labor, or rather from the industry of man, combined with the operation of those agents which nature and capital furnish him.
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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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The sea and wind can at the same time convey my neighbour's vessel and my own.
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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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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 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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A tax can never be favorable to the public welfare, except by the good use that is made of its proceeds.
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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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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.
Jean-Baptiste Say