...we see that there are two different kinds of...societies: (a) parasitic societies and (b) producing societies. The former are those read more

...we see that there are two different kinds of...societies: (a) parasitic societies and (b) producing societies. The former are those which live from hunting, fishing, or merely gleaning. By their economic activities they do not increase, but rather decrease, the amount of wealth in the world. The second kind of societies, producing societies, live by agricultural and pastoral activities. By these activities they seek to increase the amount of wealth in the world.

We don't want to push our ideas on to customers, we simply want to make what they want.

We don't want to push our ideas on to customers, we simply want to make what they want.

You can't run a business without taking risks.

You can't run a business without taking risks.

All people, however fanatical they may be in their zeal to disparage and to fight capitalism, implicitly pay homage to read more

All people, however fanatical they may be in their zeal to disparage and to fight capitalism, implicitly pay homage to it by passionately clamoring for the products it turns out.

A computer will not make a good manager out of a bad manager. It makes a good manager better faster read more

A computer will not make a good manager out of a bad manager. It makes a good manager better faster and a bad manager worse faster.

Capital can do nothing without brains to direct it.

Capital can do nothing without brains to direct it.

Show me the business man or institution not guided by sentiment and service; by the idea that "he profits most read more

Show me the business man or institution not guided by sentiment and service; by the idea that "he profits most who serves best" and I will show you a man or an outfit that is dead or dying.

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.

It is almost as difficult to keep a first class person in a fourth class job, as it is to read more

It is almost as difficult to keep a first class person in a fourth class job, as it is to keep a fourth class person in a first class job.