Family Quotes
What is prudence in the conduct of every private family can scarce be folly in that of a great kingdom.
"What is prudence in the conduct of every private family can scarce be folly in that of a great kingdom."— Adam Smith
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Meaning of this quote
The passage uses household economy as an analogy for purchasing goods efficiently at national scale.
Key takeaway:
Examine an analogy's assumptions before extending it to public policy.
Origin of the quote
The Wealth of Nations (1776)
Who actually said this?
VerifiedWording located in the primary text; capitalization and punctuation may vary.
Source:
The Wealth of Nations (1776)
