If human nature felt no temptation to take a chance, no…
““If human nature felt no temptation to take a chance, no satisfaction (profit apart) in constructing a factory, a railway, a mine or a farm, there might not be much investment merely as a result of cold calculation.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Human drive for profit and risk fuels economic development despite rational calculations.
In simple terms: Risk and profit drive progress.
Encourage calculated risk‑taking.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- startup funding
- infrastructure projects
- market expansion
- policy design
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How to balance risk with stability?
- What incentives promote responsible investment?
Excessive risk can lead to crises.