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Charmin One

(308 posts) Sat Jul 19, 2025, 08:12 PM Jul 19

Adam Smith anyone?

We Dems should quote Adam Smith, the father of modern capitalism. Some examples include government should get involved if wealth inquity is too great. He also said that any law that favors the worker is good. He also believed in a progressive tax system (I think). He was also a moralist.

I think today’s economic system is a perversion of his ideas. We dems should research and quote him more. It’s not Karl Marx. It’s freaking Adam Smith!

Does anyone have more Adam Smith quotes and beliefs to share?

6 replies

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Highlight:

Adam Smith anyone? (Original Post) Charmin One Jul 19 OP

Here are a few more markodochartaigh Jul 19 #1

Search Adam Smith quotes, there are several sites MagickMuffin Jul 19 #2

Most readers don't finish. Often they get his cachukis Jul 19 #3

But mostly for moral grounds, not economic. Igel Jul 20 #4

Adam Smith considered this his greatest work. Blue Full Moon Jul 20 #5

A friend of mine once made an anti socialist comment on facebook. Xolodno Jul 20 #6

markodochartaigh

(3,767 posts)

1. Here are a few more

Reply to Charmin One (Original post)

Sat Jul 19, 2025, 08:35 PM

Jul 19

"What improves the circumstances of the greater part can never be regarded as an inconveniency to the whole. No society can surely be flourishing and happy, of which the far greater part of the members are poor and miserable."

"The rich do wrong and boast of it,
while the poor are wronged and beg forgiveness"

"Wild donkeys of the desert are lion’s prey;
likewise the poor are feeding grounds for the rich."

Whoops, the last two are from the Bible.

MagickMuffin

(17,878 posts)

2. Search Adam Smith quotes, there are several sites

Reply to Charmin One (Original post)

Sat Jul 19, 2025, 08:37 PM

Jul 19

Here’s one that I found.

https://www.adamsmith.org/adam-smith-quotes/

cachukis

(3,412 posts)

3. Most readers don't finish. Often they get his

Reply to Charmin One (Original post)

Sat Jul 19, 2025, 08:38 PM

Jul 19

transactional stuff, but never get the wisdom of his constraints, farther in.

Igel

(37,075 posts)

4. But mostly for moral grounds, not economic.

Reply to Charmin One (Original post)

Sun Jul 20, 2025, 03:56 PM

Jul 20

https://archive.md/Cx90v

It's been pointed out that the basis for the poverty measurements in the US are skewed. There are two, and each side picks the one that buttresses its point to be made in that particular argument. I prefer the CBO's consistently--reading how to reconcile the official and CBO's numbers is enlightening. For various reasons, I'm 99.9% sure that this was a Biden-era work, untainted by Trumpian smudging.

Blue Full Moon

(2,712 posts)

5. Adam Smith considered this his greatest work.

Reply to Charmin One (Original post)

Sun Jul 20, 2025, 06:13 PM

Jul 20

The Theory of Moral Sentiments.
Just to warn if you try to quote Smith or talk about him to MAGA you will be accused of being a communist. The morons think that Adam Smith was a communist.

Xolodno

(7,132 posts)

6. A friend of mine once made an anti socialist comment on facebook.

Reply to Charmin One (Original post)

Sun Jul 20, 2025, 10:39 PM

Jul 20

So I proceeded to quote Adam Smith (he forgot I was an econ guy).

He commented and said it sounded "socialist". I responded by saying "the father of capitalism in your words a socialist?!" Yeah, that shut him fairly fast.

Another one I like to use, when someone states its Marxist. My response "Well, what is Marxism? And mind you, I studied economics". They commonly, state various lines in which I say "nope, he didn't say that". Until the point they ask "well, what is it then?". Which I reply, he never left a blue print of what socialism was, only a philosophy as he was also a philosopher. So nobody knows.

Only thing we have is Leninism and Maoism. Plus variations of it. And they are communist systems, not socialist and there is a difference.

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