An Inquiry Into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, Volume 1G. Bell, 1892 - Economics |
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Common terms and phrases
Adam Smith advantage afford ancient annual produce balance of trade bank Britain bullion capital carried cattle cent century cheaper circulating capital circulation coin commerce commodities common labour commonly consequently consumption continually county of Scotland cultivation dearer division of labour employed employment endeavour England equal Europe exchange expence exportation farmer France frequently gold and silver greater quantity guilders hundred improvement increase industry interest land and labour landlord less London maintain manner manufactures master Mediterranean sea ment merchant metals money price nations natural price necessarily necessary occasion ordinary ounce paid paper money particular perhaps pound sterling pound weight present price of labour productive labour profits of stock proportion purchase quantity of labour real price regulated rent revenue rich rise rude produce Scotland seems seldom shillings society sometimes sort subsistence sufficient supply supposed surplus tion town Trans value of silver vols wages of labour wealth wheat whole workmen
Popular passages
Page 24 - People of the same trade seldom meet together even for merriment and diversion but the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the public or in some contrivance to raise prices.
Page 79 - It comes from an order of men, whose interest is never exactly the same with that of the public, who have generally an interest to deceive and even to oppress the public, and who accordingly have, upon many occasions, both deceived and oppressed it.
Page 189 - The statesman, who should attempt to direct private people in what manner they ought to employ their capitals, would not only load himself with a most unnecessary attention, but assume an authority which could safely be trusted, not only to no single person, but to no council or senate whatever, and which would nowhere be so dangerous as in the hands of a man who had folly and presumption enough to fancy himself fit to exercise it.
Page 189 - I have never known much good done by those who affected to trade for the public good. It is an affectation, indeed, not very common among merchants, and very few words need be employed in dissuading them from it.
Page 16 - The property which every man has in his own labour, as it is the original foundation of all other property, so it is the most sacred and inviolable.
Page xxix - It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest. We address ourselves, not to their humanity but to their selflove, and never talk to them of our own necessities but of their advantages.
Page xxv - The greatest improvement in the productive powers of labour, and the greater part of the skill, dexterity, and judgment with which it is any where directed, or applied, seem to have been the effects of the division of labour.
Page 121 - With regard to profusion, the principle which prompts to expense is the passion for present enjoyment; which, though sometimes violent and very difficult to be restrained, is in general only momentary and occasional. But the principle which prompts to save is the desire of bettering our condition, a desire which, though generally calm and dispassionate, comes with us from the womb, and never leaves us till we go into the grave.
Page xli - Equal quantities of labour, at all times and places, may be said to be of equal value to the labourer. In his ordinary state of health, strength and spirits; in the ordinary degree of his skill and dexterity, he must always lay down the same portion of his ease, his liberty, and his happiness.
Page xxvi - Every workman has a great quantity of his own work to dispose of beyond what he himself has occasion for; and every other workman being exactly in the same situation, he is enabled to exchange a great quantity of his own goods for a great quantity, or, what comes to the same thing, for the price of a great quantity of theirs. He supplies them abundantly with what they have occasion for, and they accommodate him as amply with what he has occasion for, and a general plenty diffuses itself through all...