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Whatever work he does, beyond what is sufficient to purchase his own maintenance, can be squeezed out of him by violence only, and not by any interest of his own.
"Whatever work he does, beyond what is sufficient to purchase his own maintenance, can be squeezed out of him by violence only, and not by any interest of his own."— Adam Smith
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Meaning of this quote
Smith argues that enslaved workers denied property have little incentive to produce beyond subsistence, exposing the coercion of slavery.
Key takeaway:
Recognize the importance of freedom and a meaningful stake in one's work.
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)
