The theory of interest was wrapped in utter obscurity, until Hume and Smith dispelled the vapor. Jean-Baptiste Say More Quotes by Jean-Baptiste Say More Quotes From Jean-Baptiste Say Capital can seldom be made productive, without undergoing several changes both of form and of place, the risk of which is always more or less alarming to persons unaccustomed to the operations of industry; whereas, on the contrary, landed property produces without any change of either quality or position. Jean-Baptiste Say quality risk made Nothing can be more idle than the opposition of theory to practice! Jean-Baptiste Say idle theory practice 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. Jean-Baptiste Say analysis errors men If the community wish to have the benefit of more knowledge and intelligence in the labouring classes, it must dispense it at the public charge. Jean-Baptiste Say community wish class 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. Jean-Baptiste Say circles political mean When a tree, a natural product, is felled, is society put into possession of no greater produce than that of the mere labour of the woodman? Jean-Baptiste Say produce natural tree A shop-keeper in good business is quite as well off as a pedlar that travels the country with his wares on his back. Commercial jealousy is, after all, nothing but prejudice: it is a wild fruit, that will drop of itself when it has arrived at maturity. Jean-Baptiste Say maturity prejudice country It is doubtless very desirable, that private persons should have a correct knowledge of their personal interests; but it must be infinitely more so, that governments should possess that knowledge. Jean-Baptiste Say interest government should-have Freedoms and apprenticeships are likewise expedients of police,not of that wholesome branch of police, whose object is the maintenance of the public and private security, and which is neither costly nor vexatious; but of that sort of police which bad governments employ to preserve or extend their personal authority at any expense. Jean-Baptiste Say maintenance police government 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. Jean-Baptiste Say economy guides political A nation or an individual, will do wisely to direct consumption chiefly to those articles, that are longest time in wearing out, and the most frequently in use. Jean-Baptiste Say articles individual use The sea and wind can at the same time convey my neighbour's vessel and my own. Jean-Baptiste Say my-own sea wind If one individual, or one class, can call in the aid of authority to ward off the effects of competition, it acquires a privilege and at the cost of the whole community; it can make sure of profits not altogether due to the productive services rendered, but composed in part of an actual tax upon consumers for its private profit' which tax it commonly shares with the authority that thus unjustly lent its support. Jean-Baptiste Say support class philosophy
