The disposition to admire, and almost to worship, the rich and the powerful, and to despise, or, at least, to neglect persons of poor and mean condition is the great and most universal cause of the corruption of our moral sentiments.
ADAM SMITH
ADAM SMITH
Adam Smith on corruption
Adam Smith101 quotes“The disposition to admire, and almost to worship, the rich and the powerful, and to despise, or, at least, to neglect persons of poor and mean condition is the great and most universal cause of the corruption of our moral sentiments.”
More from Adam Smith
In a militia, the character of the laborer, artificer, or tradesman, predominates over that of the soldier: in a standing army, that of the soldier predominates over every other character.
Adam SmithAdam Smith The game women play is men.
Adam SmithAdam Smith The man scarce lives who is not more credulous than he ought to be. The natural disposition is always to believe. It is acquired wisdom and experience only that teach incredulity, and they very seldom teach it enough.
Adam SmithAdam Smith The world neither ever saw, nor ever will see, a perfectly fair lottery.
Adam SmithAdam Smith Goods can serve many other purposes besides purchasing money, but money can serve no other purpose besides purchasing goods.
Adam SmithAdam Smith I have no faith in political arithmetic.
Adam SmithAdam Smith Never complain of that of which it is at all times in your power to rid yourself.
Adam SmithAdam Smith The real and effectual discipline which is exercised over a workman is that of his customers. It is the fear of losing their employment which restrains his frauds and corrects his negligence.
Adam SmithAdam Smith No complaint is more common than that of a scarcity of money.
Adam SmithAdam Smith Men, like animals, naturally multiply in proportion to the means of their subsistence.
Adam SmithAdam Smith Labour was the first price, the original purchase – money that was paid for all things. It was not by gold or by silver, but by labour, that all wealth of the world was originally purchased.
Adam SmithAdam Smith Justice, however, never was in reality administered gratis in any country. Lawyers and attornies, at least, must always be paid by the parties; and, if they were not, they would perform their duty still worse than they actually perform it.
Adam SmithAdam Smith Mercantile jealousy is excited, and both inflames, and is itself inflamed, by the violence of national animosity.
Adam SmithAdam Smith Consumption is the sole end and purpose of all production; and the interest of the producer ought to be attended to, only so far as it may be necessary for promoting that of the consumer.
Adam SmithAdam Smith It is the natural effect of improvement, however, to diminish gradually the real price of almost all manufactures.
Adam SmithAdam Smith Man naturally desires, not only to be loved, but to be lovely; or to be that thing which is the natural and proper object of love.
Adam SmithAdam Smith
Original quotes
From our community writers
Caught inside my mind trapped between its horrid lines losing precious time.
Carmen AmadosCarmen Amados Some women will have you look at life differently.
Eleni SophiaEleni Sophia The biggest reward often require the largest risks.
Nicole BrownNicole Brown Being with you is familiar, like playing guitar after some time; the theory is there but my fingers have forgotten the chords.
AstaAsta Late-night conservations, Breathtaking memories, and an endless sky full of unseen dazzling stars. That’s how I want to remember us.
AurthurAurthur Nothing is more terrifying than falling in love.
Helena DegnHelena Degn People who cannot see through souls will keep searching for beauty in faces and will never find it.
Shilpa GoelShilpa Goel There is someone out there waiting to love you in all the ways you deserve.
Ashley PrzywolskiAshley Przywolski
Meet the writers
More on corruption
Do you know that the tendrils of graft and corruption have become mighty interlacing roots so that even men who would like to be honest are tripped and trapped by them?
Agnes Sligh TurnbullAgnes Sligh Turnbull Do not be deceived: bad company corrupts good morals.
AnonymousAnonymous Communism is the corruption of a dream of justice.
Adlai Stevenson IIAdlai Stevenson II Humble people are not weak. They only have seen pride’s corruption.
C.R.WC.R.W Oh how unhappy is the prince served by such men who are so easily corrupted.
Francois RabelaisFrancois Rabelais Leaders in Africa are so corrupt that we are certain if we put dogs in uniforms and put guns on their shoulders, we’d be hard put to distinguish them.
Stokely CarmichaelStokely Carmichael Implementing God’s laws alone, which no-one has the power to change. So I say to you: if you really want to root out corruption now so widespread on God’s earth.
Abul A'la MaududiAbul A'la Maududi And that the Scriptures, though not everywhere Free from corruption, or entire, or clear, Are uncorrupt, sufficient, clear, entire In all things which our needful faith require.
John DrydenJohn Dryden