The Wealth of Nations Wealth Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Book.Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #1

And yet it may be true, perhaps, that the accommodation of an European prince does not always so much exceed that of an industrious and frugal peasant, as the accommodation of the latter exceeds that of many an African king, the master of the lives and liberties of ten thousand naked savages. (1.1.11)

For Adam Smith, free markets create more wealth for everybody, not just the richest people in society. He backs up this argument by saying that even the worst workers in England are often better off than the richest people in undeveloped countries.

Quote #2

He supplies the far greater part of them [his wants] by exchanging that surplus part of the produce of his own labour, which is over and above his own consumption, for such part of the produce of other men's labour as he has occasion for. (1.4.1)

So how do people create individual wealth? By producing more stuff than they need for themselves. So if a coat maker only needs one or two coats for himself, he'll sell hundreds of others in order to make money to buy other stuff (like groceries and a TV).

Quote #3

Salt is said to be the common instrument of commerce and exchanges in Abyssinia; a species of shells in some parts of the coast of India; dried cod at Newfoundland; tobacco in Virginia. (1.4.3)

Smith points out how different things have counted as money in different cultures. Metal coins are common, but in some places they even use salt cod as a form of money.