The principles applied in economic processes are general social principles.

The principles applied in economic processes are general social principles.

The rich adopt novelties and become accustomed to their use. This sets a fashion which others imitate. Once the richer read more

The rich adopt novelties and become accustomed to their use. This sets a fashion which others imitate. Once the richer classes have adopted a certain way of living, producers have an incentive to improve the methods of manufacture so that soon it is possible for the poorer classes to follow suit. Thus luxury furthers progress. Innovation "is the whim of an elite before it becomes a need of the public. The luxury today is the necessity of tomorrow." Luxury is the roadmaker of progress: it develops latent needs and makes people discontented. In so far as they think consistently, moralists who condemn luxury must recommend the comparatively desireless existence of the wild life roaming in the woods as the ultimate ideal of civilized life.

Our supplies of natural resources are not finite in any economic sense. Nor does past experience give reason to expect read more

Our supplies of natural resources are not finite in any economic sense. Nor does past experience give reason to expect natural resources to become more scarce. Rather, if history is any guide, natural resources will progressively become less costly, hence less scarce, and will constitute a smaller proportion of our expenses in future years.

Prosperity is living easily and happily in the real world, whether you have money or not.

Prosperity is living easily and happily in the real world, whether you have money or not.

Energetic action on debt would make a radical difference to the prospects of many of the poorest countries in the read more

Energetic action on debt would make a radical difference to the prospects of many of the poorest countries in the world, at no practical cost to creditor countries.

Throughout history, poverty is the normal condition of man. Advances which permit this norm to be exceeded- here and there, read more

Throughout history, poverty is the normal condition of man. Advances which permit this norm to be exceeded- here and there, now and then- are the work of an extremely small minority, frequently despised, often condemned, and almost always opposed by all right-thinking people. Whenever this tiny minority is kept from creating, or (as sometimes happens) is driven out of a society, the people then slip back into abject poverty.This is known as "bad luck.".

Utility is our national shibboleth: the savior of the American businessman is fact and his uterine half-brother, statistics.

Utility is our national shibboleth: the savior of the American businessman is fact and his uterine half-brother, statistics.

It's the economy, stupid.

It's the economy, stupid.

Women do not win formula one races, because they simply are not strong enough to resist the G-forces. In the read more

Women do not win formula one races, because they simply are not strong enough to resist the G-forces. In the boardroom, it is different. I believe women are better able to marshal their thoughts than men and because they are less egotistical they make fewer assumptions.