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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
Good
Times
Capital
Never
Evil
Latter
Felt
Confusion
Inactive
Running
Prefer
Unproductive
Keep
Profit
Concealed
Political
Risk
Gratification
Government
Either
Arbitrary
Many
Rather
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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 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 government has, in all countries, a vast influence, in determining the character of the national consumption not only because it absolutely directs the consumption of the state itself, but because a great proportion of the consumption of individuals is gained by its will and example.
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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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Law has been unjustly charged with the whole blame of the calamities resulting from the scheme that bears his name.
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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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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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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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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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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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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 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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It is a melancholy but an undoubted fact, that, even in the most thriving countries, part of the population annually dies of mere want. Not that all who perish from want absolutely die of hunger though this calamity is of more frequent occurrence than is generally supposed.
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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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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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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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Supply creates its own demand.
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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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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.
Jean-Baptiste Say
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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.
Jean-Baptiste Say