--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whether this propensity be one of those…" description: "\"“Whether this propensity be one of those original principles in human nature of which no further account can be given; or whether, as seems more probab..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/867/adam-smith-1040_civilised-society_whether-this-propensity-be-one-of-those_2834774.jpg" --- # Whether this propensity be one of those original… ![“Whether this propensity be one of those original principles in human nature of which no further account can be given; or whether, as seems more probable, it be the necessary consequence of the faculties of reason and speech, it belongs not to our present subject to inquire. It is common to all…” quote by Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/867/adam-smith-1040_civilised-society_whether-this-propensity-be-one-of-those_2834774.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/867/adam-smith-1040_civilised-society_whether-this-propensity-be-one-of-those_2834774.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/867/adam-smith-1040_civilised-society_whether-this-propensity-be-one-of-those_2834774.jpg) > ““Whether this propensity be one of those original principles in human nature of which no further account can be given; or whether, as seems more probable, it be the necessary consequence of the faculties of reason and speech, it belongs not to our present subject to inquire. It is common to all men, and to be found in no other race of animals, which seem to know neither this nor any other species of contracts. Two greyhounds, in running down the same hare, have sometimes the appearance of acting in some sort of concert. Each turns her towards his companion, or endeavours to intercept her when his companion turns her towards himself. This, however, is not the effect of any contract, but of the accidental concurrence of their passions in the same object at that particular time. Nobody ever saw a dog make a fair and deliberate exchange of one bone for another with another dog. Nobody ever saw one animal by its gestures and natural cries signify to another, this is mine, that yours; I am willing to give this for that. When an animal wants to obtain something either of a man or of another animal, it has no other means of persuasion but to gain the favour of those whose service it requires. A puppy fawns upon its dam, and a spaniel endeavours by a thousand attractions to engage the attention of its master who is at dinner, when it wants to be fed by him. Man sometimes uses the same arts with his brethren, and when he has no other means of engaging them to act according to his inclinations, endeavours by every servile and fawning attention to obtain their good will. He has not time, however, to do this upon every occasion. In civilised society he stands at all times in need of the cooperation and assistance of great multitudes, while his whole life is scarce sufficient to gain the friendship of a few persons. In almost every other race of animals each individual, when it is grown up to maturity, is entirely independent, and in its natural state has occasion for the assistance of no other living creature. But man has almost constant occasion for the help of his brethren, and it is in vain for him to expect it from their benevolence only. He will be more likely to prevail if he can interest their self-love in his favour, and show them that it is for their own advantage to do for him what he requires of them. Whoever offers to another a bargain of any kind, proposes to do this. Give me that which I want, and you shall have this which you want, is the meaning of every such offer; and it is in this manner that we obtain from one another the far greater part of those good offices which we stand in need of. It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest. We address ourselves, not to their humanity but to their self-love, and never talk to them of our own necessities but of their advantages. Nobody but a beggar chooses to depend chiefly upon the benevolence of his fellow-citizens. Even a beggar does not depend upon it entirely. The charity of well-disposed people, indeed, supplies him with the whole fund of his subsistence. But though this principle ultimately provides him with all the necessaries of life which he has occasion for, it neither does nor can provide him with them as he has occasion for them. The greater part of his occasional wants are supplied in the same manner as those of other people, by treaty, by barter, and by purchase. With the money which one man gives him he purchases food. The old clothes which another bestows upon him he exchanges for other old clothes which suit him better, or for lodging, or for food, or for money, with which he can buy either food, clothes, or lodging, as he has occasion.”” [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. Human beings naturally form informal, non‑contractual alliances driven by mutual interests and emotional cues, unlike formal contracts among animals. **In simple terms:** People cooperate instinctively, not through formal agreements. Key Takeaway Leverage natural empathy to build cooperation. Themes cooperation human nature social contracts Mood reflective analytical Type philosophical historical When to use this quote - team projects - negotiations - community building - leadership training Key Concepts evolutionary psychology behavioral economics Questions to Reflect On - In what ways do modern institutions replace these instinctive alliances? - Can we design systems that respect innate human tendencies? 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The culprits in fact are suppression and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prachi-bhaumik/why-should-a-woman-feel-the-constant-need-to-be-guarded-from-men-in-a/) [Prachi Bhaumik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prachi-bhaumik/) > [“There are some occasions when you must not refuse a cup of tea, otherwise you are judged an exotic and barbarous bird without any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/there-are-some-occasions-when-you-must-not-refuse-a-cup-of-tea/) [George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/) > [Vigorous societies harbor a certain extravagance of objectives, so that men wander beyond the safe provision of personal gratifications.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/vigorous-societies-harbor-a-certain-extravagance-of-objectives-so/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Vigorous societies harbour a certain extravagance of objectives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/vigorous-societies-harbour-a-certain-extravagance-of-objectives/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [India is known for much development that has happened since our independence, but at the same time, we have also failed on many levels.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-r-narayana-murthy/india-is-known-for-much-development-that-has-happened-since-our/) [N. R. Narayana Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-r-narayana-murthy/) > [Sex is probably one of the last forms of human expression to enjoy such a direct connection with nature. It might be the primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-koerfer/sex-is-probably-one-of-the-last-forms-of-human-expression-to-enjoy/) [Thomas Koerfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-koerfer/) > [This extraordinary metal, the soul of every manufacture, and the mainspring perhaps of civilised society. 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To complain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/the-liberal-reward-of-labour-therefore-as-it-is-the-affect-of/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [A sketch of a man facing to the right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/a-sketch-of-a-man-facing-to-the-right/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [What can be added to the happiness of a man who is in health, out of debt, and has a clear conscience?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/what-can-be-added-to-the-happiness-of-a-man-who-is-in-health-out-of/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/it-is-not-from-the-benevolence-of-the-butcher-the-brewer-or-the-baker/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [When we have read a book or poem so often that we can no longer find any amusement in reading it by ourselves, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/when-we-have-read-a-book-or-poem-so-often-that-we-can-no-longer-find/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [We are but one of the multitude, in no respect better than any other in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/we-are-but-one-of-the-multitude-in-no-respect-better-than-any-other/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) [Explore all 267 Adam Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) ## More Civilised society quotes > [“Why should a woman feel the constant need to be guarded from men in a civilised society? 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Narayana Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-r-narayana-murthy/) > [Vigorous societies harbour a certain extravagance of objectives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/vigorous-societies-harbour-a-certain-extravagance-of-objectives/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Vigorous societies harbor a certain extravagance of objectives, so that men wander beyond the safe provision of personal gratifications.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/vigorous-societies-harbor-a-certain-extravagance-of-objectives-so/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [“There are some occasions when you must not refuse a cup of tea, otherwise you are judged an exotic and barbarous bird without any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/there-are-some-occasions-when-you-must-not-refuse-a-cup-of-tea/) [George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/) > [The permissive society has been allowed to become a dirty phrase. A better phrase is the civilised society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-jenkins/the-permissive-society-has-been-allowed-to-become-a-dirty-phrase-a/) [Roy Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-jenkins/) > [We believe that a civilised society can be measured by the way in which it treats its most vulnerable members and that being impatient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-shapps/we-believe-that-a-civilised-society-can-be-measured-by-the-way-in/) [Grant Shapps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-shapps/) > [It is so far from being natural for a man and woman to live in a state of marriage, that we find all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/it-is-so-far-from-being-natural-for-a-man-and-woman-to-live-in-a/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [A civilised society ought to make ample provision for everyone, no matter their background, to enjoy the arts and culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munira-mirza/a-civilised-society-ought-to-make-ample-provision-for-everyone-no/) [Munira Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munira-mirza/) > [“At every moment of life the civilised man is hedged about by restrictions of impulse: if he happens to feel cheerful he must not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/at-every-moment-of-life-the-civilised-man-is-hedged-about-by/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [There is a proud and patriotic tradition on the centre left of supporting our armed forces; being tough on crime as well as its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-streeting/there-is-a-proud-and-patriotic-tradition-on-the-centre-left-of/) [Wes Streeting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-streeting/) > [I think you will agree the sign of a civilised society is a regular dining schedule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-ballantine/i-think-you-will-agree-the-sign-of-a-civilised-society-is-a-regular/) [Philippa Ballantine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-ballantine/) > [I am a very, very strong advocate of the notion that we shouldn't equate the arts with other aspects of infrastructure. They have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-brandis/i-am-a-very-very-strong-advocate-of-the-notion-that-we-shouldn-t/) [George Brandis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-brandis/) [Browse all 31 Civilised society quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilised-society/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Whether this propensity be one of those original principles in human nature of which no further account can be given; or whether, as seems more probable, it be the necessary consequence of the faculties of reason and speech, it belongs not to our present subject to inquire. It is common to all men, and to be found in no other race of animals, which seem to know neither this nor any other species of contracts. Two greyhounds, in running down the same hare, have sometimes the appearance of acting in some sort of concert. Each turns her towards his companion, or endeavours to intercept her when his companion turns her towards himself. This, however, is not the effect of any contract, but of the accidental concurrence of their passions in the same object at that particular time. Nobody ever saw a dog make a fair and deliberate exchange of one bone for another with another dog. Nobody ever saw one animal by its gestures and natural cries signify to another, this is mine, that yours; I am willing to give this for that. When an animal wants to obtain something either of a man or of another animal, it has no other means of persuasion but to gain the favour of those whose service it requires. A puppy fawns upon its dam, and a spaniel endeavours by a thousand attractions to engage the attention of its master who is at dinner, when it wants to be fed by him. Man sometimes uses the same arts with his brethren, and when he has no other means of engaging them to act according to his inclinations, endeavours by every servile and fawning attention to obtain their good will. He has not time, however, to do this upon every occasion. In civilised society he stands at all times in need of the cooperation and assistance of great multitudes, while his whole life is scarce sufficient to gain the friendship of a few persons. In almost every other race of animals each individual, when it is grown up to maturity, is entirely independent, and in its natural state has occasion for the assistance of no other living creature. But man has almost constant occasion for the help of his brethren, and it is in vain for him to expect it from their benevolence only. He will be more likely to prevail if he can interest their self-love in his favour, and show them that it is for their own advantage to do for him what he requires of them. Whoever offers to another a bargain of any kind, proposes to do this. Give me that which I want, and you shall have this which you want, is the meaning of every such offer; and it is in this manner that we obtain from one another the far greater part of those good offices which we stand in need of. It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest. We address ourselves, not to their humanity but to their self-love, and never talk to them of our own necessities but of their advantages. Nobody but a beggar chooses to depend chiefly upon the benevolence of his fellow-citizens. Even a beggar does not depend upon it entirely. The charity of well-disposed people, indeed, supplies him with the whole fund of his subsistence. But though this principle ultimately provides him with all the necessaries of life which he has occasion for, it neither does nor can provide him with them as he has occasion for them. The greater part of his occasional wants are supplied in the same manner as those of other people, by treaty, by barter, and by purchase. With the money which one man gives him he purchases food. The old clothes which another bestows upon him he exchanges for other old clothes which suit him better, or for lodging, or for food, or for money, with which he can buy either food, clothes, or lodging, as he has occasion.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Adam Smith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/whether-this-propensity-be-one-of-those-original-principles-in-human/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Civilised society" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/whether-this-propensity-be-one-of-those-original-principles-in-human/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/867/adam-smith-1040_civilised-society_whether-this-propensity-be-one-of-those_2834774.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/867/adam-smith-1040_civilised-society_whether-this-propensity-be-one-of-those_2834774.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/867/adam-smith-1040_civilised-society_whether-this-propensity-be-one-of-those_2834774.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Whether this propensity be one of those original principles in human nature of which no further account can…” — 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": "“Whether this propensity be one of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/whether-this-propensity-be-one-of-those-original-principles-in-human/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/whether-this-propensity-be-one-of-those-original-principles-in-human/#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 } } ] } ```