--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The statesman who should attempt to…" description: "\"The statesman who should attempt to direct private people in what manner they ought to employ their capitals would not only load himself with most unne..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a93/adam-smith-1040_assuming_the-statesman-who-should-attempt-to-dire_2088821.jpg" --- # The statesman who should attempt to direct private people… ![“The statesman who should attempt to direct private people in what manner they ought to employ their capitals would not only load himself with most unnecessary attention but assume an authority which could safely be trusted to no council and senate whatever, and which would nowhere be so dangerous…” quote by Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a93/adam-smith-1040_assuming_the-statesman-who-should-attempt-to-dire_2088821.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a93/adam-smith-1040_assuming_the-statesman-who-should-attempt-to-dire_2088821.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a93/adam-smith-1040_assuming_the-statesman-who-should-attempt-to-dire_2088821.jpg) > “The statesman who should attempt to direct private people in what manner they ought to employ their capitals would not only load himself with most unnecessary attention but assume an authority which could safely be trusted to no council and senate whatever, and which would nowhere be so dangerous as in the hands of man who have folly and presumption enough to fancy himself fit to exercise it.” [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Attempting to control private capital use creates unnecessary scrutiny and untrustworthy authority. **In simple terms:** Control over private money invites risk and attention. Key Takeaway Limit interference in private financial choices. Themes economics politics authority Mood critical analytical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - policy drafting - investment advice - public debate - financial regulation Key Concepts government overreach trust market freedom Questions to Reflect On - Is some regulation ever justified to protect vulnerable groups? - How does power concentration affect market fairness? 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Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) Browse all 2,452 Assuming quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The statesman who should attempt to direct private people in what manner they ought to employ their capitals would not only load himself with most unnecessary attention but assume an authority which could safely be trusted to no council and senate whatever, and which would nowhere be so dangerous as in the hands of man who have folly and presumption enough to fancy himself fit to exercise it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Adam Smith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/the-statesman-who-should-attempt-to-direct-private-people-in-what/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Assuming" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/the-statesman-who-should-attempt-to-direct-private-people-in-what/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a93/adam-smith-1040_assuming_the-statesman-who-should-attempt-to-dire_2088821.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a93/adam-smith-1040_assuming_the-statesman-who-should-attempt-to-dire_2088821.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a93/adam-smith-1040_assuming_the-statesman-who-should-attempt-to-dire_2088821.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The statesman who should attempt to direct private people in what manner they ought to employ their capitals…” — Adam Smith", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Adam Smith", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The statesman who should attempt to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/the-statesman-who-should-attempt-to-direct-private-people-in-what/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/the-statesman-who-should-attempt-to-direct-private-people-in-what/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```