Over 40,000 Famous Quotes Sorted By Topic and Author

The standard of living has risen along with the size of the world's population since the beginning of recorded time. There is no convincing economic reason why these trends toward a better life should not continue indefinitely.

Greater consumption due to increase in population and growth of income heightens scarcity and induces price run-ups. A higher price represents an opportunity that leads inventors and businesspeople to seek new ways to satisfy the shortages. Some fail, at cost to themselves. A few succeed, and the final result is that we end up better off than if the original shortage problems had never arisen. That is, we need our problems, though this does not imply that we should purposely create additional problems for ourselves.

The most important benefit of population size and growth is the increase it brings to the stock of useful knowledge. Minds matter economically as much as, or more than, hands or mouths.

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.

Based on first-hand evidence of your own senses - the improved health and later ages at which acquaintances die nowadays as compared with the past; the material goods that we now possess; the speed at which information, entertainment, and we ourselves move freely throughout the world - it seems to me that a person must be literally deaf and blind not to perceive that humanity is in a much better state than ever before.

Taxation WITH representation ain't so hot either.

We live in a time of transition, an uneasy era which is likely to endure for the rest of this century. During the period we may be tempted to abandon some of the time-honored principles and commitments which have been proven during the difficult times of past generations. We must never yield to this temptation. Our American values are not luxuries, but necessities - not the salt in our bread, but the bread itself. in his farewell address.

Most bosses know instinctively that their power depends more on employee's compliance than on threats or sanctions.

I don't want to do business with those who don't make a profit, because they can't give the best service.

The very best financial presentation is one that's well thought out and anticipates any questions... answering them in advance.

Entrepreneurship is the last refuge of the trouble making individual.

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

The City's reluctance to take a stand on an issue like the British Gas pay row makes a mockery of corporate governance and shareholders' ability to influence annual general meetings. Institutions should be obliged to make public how they vote at such events. They should be obliged to provide customers with a record of how they vote on every kind of issue.

Do not fear mistakes. You will know failure. Continue to reach out.

Stressing output is the key to improving productivity, while looking to increase activity can result in just the opposite.

As a small businessperson, you have no greater leverage than the truth.

Managing directors are not paid to be busy, they are paid to think.

You cannot have the success without the failures.

If you don't care, your customer never will.

The 1990s customer expects service to be characterized by fast and efficient computer-based systems.