Skip to content

Causes Quote by Adam Smith

“The cheapness of wine seems to be a cause, not of drunkenness, but of sobriety. ...People are seldom guilty of excess in what is their daily fare... On the contrary, in the countries which, either from excessive heat or cold, produce no grapes, and where wine consequently is dear and a rarity…” quote by Adam Smith
Download Open image
“The cheapness of wine seems to be a cause, not of drunkenness, but of sobriety. ...People are seldom guilty of excess in what is their daily fare... On the contrary, in the countries which, either from excessive heat or cold, produce no grapes, and where wine consequently is dear and a rarity, drunkenness is a common vice.”

Adam Smith

About This Quote

Source Essay: The Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith, 1776

Wine’s scarcity can increase its desirability, yet paradoxically, societies with abundant wine often exhibit less drunkenness, suggesting cultural factors outweigh price.

In simple terms: Scarcity of wine doesn’t always cause drunkenness.

Key Takeaway

Consider cultural habits over price.

Themes

economics culture behavior

Mood

analytical thoughtful

Type

philosophical analytical

When to use this quote

  • public health policy
  • marketing strategies
  • social drinking norms

Key Concepts

Scarcity effect cultural norms

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do cultural attitudes shape drinking?
  • Can policy change behavior without altering price?
A Different Perspective

Price alone doesn’t dictate consumption patterns.

4.5 out of 5 (7 ratings)

More by Adam Smith

Explore all 267 Adam Smith quotes

More Causes quotes

Browse all 9,070 Causes quotes