"Every man is rich or poor according to the degree in which he can afford to enjoy the necessaries, conveniences, and amusements of human life."
— Adam Smith
Every Man Is Rich Or Poor
Every man is rich or poor according to the degree in which he can afford to enjoy the necessaries, conveniences, and amusements of human life.
About this quote
From The Wealth of Nations (1776), Book I, Chapter 5, in Smith's discussion of the "real price" of commodities. Smith was attempting to define wealth in terms of command over labor rather than in terms of gold or silver, anticipating later debates about the labor theory of value. The passage connects material wealth directly to the quality of life it enables.
Source
The Wealth of Nations, Book I, Chapter 5 (1776)
