The agents of [government] regard the wealth of their master as inexhaustible; are careless at what price they buy at what price they sell.
After all the proper subjects of taxation have been exhausted, if the exigencies of the state still continue to require new taxes, they must be imposed upon improper ones.
Man is an animal that makes bargains: no other animal does this – no dog exchanges bones with another.
No human wisdom or knowledge could ever be sufficient [for] the duty of superintending the industry of private people towards the employment most suitable to the interest of the society.
All systems either of preference or of restraint completely taken away, the obvious and simple system of natural liberty establishes itself of its own accord. Every man, as long as he does not violate the laws of justice, is left perfectly free to pursue his own interest in his own way, and to bring both his industry and capital into competition with those of any other man.
Little else is requisite to carry a state to the highest degree of opulence from the lowest barbarism but peace, easy taxes, and a tolerable administration of justice: all the rest being brought about by the natural course of things.
There is no art which one government sooner learns of another than that of draining money from the pockets of the people.
The statesman who should attempt to direct private people in what manner they ought to employ their capitals, would 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.
Let us not, however, upon this account rashly conclude that she is capable of supporting any burden, nor even be too confident that she could support, without great distress, a burden a little greater than what has already been laid upon her.
The propensity to truck, barter and exchange one thing for another is common to all men, and to be found in no other race of animals.
[Governments are] …without exception, the greatest spendthrifts in the society.
The uniform, constant and uninterrupted effort of every man to better his condition is frequently powerful enough to maintain the natural progress of things toward improvement, in spite both of the extravagance of government, and of the greatest errors of administration surmounting a hundred impertinent obstructions with which the folly of human laws too often encumbers its operations.
In the midst of all the exactions of government It is this effort, protected by law and allowed by liberty to exert itself in the manner that is most advantageous, which has maintained the progress.
All for ourselves, and nothing for other people, seems, in every age of the world, to have been the vile maxim of the masters of mankind.
Those unproductive hands may consume so great a share that all the frugality and good conduct of individuals may not be able to compensate this violent and forced encroachment.
The real tragedy of the poor is the poverty of their aspirations.
Wherever there is great property, there is great inequality… for one very rich man, there must be at least five hundred poor.
All money is a matter of belief.
No society can surely be flourishing and happy, of which the far greater part of the members are poor and miserable.
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.
What can be added to the happiness of a man who is in health, out of debt, and has a clear conscience?
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