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The Wealth of Nations: An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations

Book by Adam Smith · 5 quotes · Men, Merchants, Authority

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The Wealth of Nations: An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations Quotes

“It is the interest of every man to live as much at his ease as he can; and if his emoluments are to be precisely the same, whether he does or does not perform some very laborious duty, it is certainly his interest, at least as interest is vulgarly understood, either to neglect it altogether, or, if he is subject to some authority which will not suffer him to do this, to perform it in as careless and slovenly a manner as that authority will permit.”

“When profit diminishes, merchants are very apt to complain that trade decays; though the diminution of profit is the natural effect of its prosperity, or of a greater stock being employed in it than before.”