--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To ensure that no one gained an advantage…" description: "\"To ensure that no one gained an advantage over anyone else, commercial law prohibited innovation in tools or techniques, underselling below a fixed pri..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b7/barbara-tuchman-3945_advantage_to-ensure-that-no-one-gained-an-advantag_2046459.jpg" --- # To ensure that no one gained an advantage over anyone… ![“To ensure that no one gained an advantage over anyone else, commercial law prohibited innovation in tools or techniques, underselling below a fixed price, working late by artificial light, employing extra apprentices or wife and under-age children, and advertising of wares or praising them to the…” quote by Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b7/barbara-tuchman-3945_advantage_to-ensure-that-no-one-gained-an-advantag_2046459.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b7/barbara-tuchman-3945_advantage_to-ensure-that-no-one-gained-an-advantag_2046459.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b7/barbara-tuchman-3945_advantage_to-ensure-that-no-one-gained-an-advantag_2046459.jpg) > “To ensure that no one gained an advantage over anyone else, commercial law prohibited innovation in tools or techniques, underselling below a fixed price, working late by artificial light, employing extra apprentices or wife and under-age children, and advertising of wares or praising them to the detriment of others.” [Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Commercial law historically restricted innovation to maintain fairness, limiting pricing, labor, and advertising practices. **In simple terms:** Old laws limited new tools and pricing to keep competition equal. Key Takeaway Recognize how regulations shape market behavior. Themes fairness competition regulation history economics Mood reflective analytical Type historical policy When to use this quote - historical analysis - policy design - business ethics Key Concepts industrial revolution price fixing labor standards advertising bans Questions to Reflect On - How do modern regulations balance fairness and innovation? - What unintended consequences arise from strict market controls? A Different Perspective Regulations can stifle progress and adaptability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advantage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advantage/) [Advertising](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advertising/) [Apprentice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apprentice/) [Artificial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artificial/) [Artificial light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artificial-light/) [Century](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/century/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Commercial Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commercial-law-700904/) [Employing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/employing/) [Extras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extras/) [Fixed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fixed/) [Innovation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation/) [Late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/late/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Law Prohibited](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law-prohibited-1478282/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praise/) [Prohibited](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prohibited/) [Prohibited Innovation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prohibited-innovation-3835273/) [Technique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technique/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [Tools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tools/) [Underselling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/underselling-3835274/) [Wife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wife/) [Working late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-late/) ## Related quotes > [ To ensure that no one gained an advantage over anyone else, commercial law \[in the 14th century\] prohibited innovation in tools or techniques, underselling… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/to-ensure-that-no-one-gained-an-advantage-over-anyone-else-commercial-2/) [Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/) > [We women are great at underselling ourselves and not so great at owning our awesome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-foudy/we-women-are-great-at-underselling-ourselves-and-not-so-great-at/) [Julie Foudy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-foudy/) > [The first legislation that I produced relating to the Internet was a bill to overturn a restriction inside of the law that prohibited the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-boucher/the-first-legislation-that-i-produced-relating-to-the-internet-was-a/) [Rick Boucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-boucher/) > [In Germany, under the law everything is prohibited except that which is permitted. In France, under the law everything is permitted except that which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newton-n-minow/in-germany-under-the-law-everything-is-prohibited-except-that-which/) [Newton N. Minow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newton-n-minow/) > [The English practice of accommodating the rules of commercial law to commercial practice. The line of causation ran from economic need to legal response](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-rosenberg/the-english-practice-of-accommodating-the-rules-of-commercial-law-to/) [Nathan Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-rosenberg/) > [“When we so fear the dark that we demand light around the clock, there can be only one result: artificial light that is glaring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-palmer/when-we-so-fear-the-dark-that-we-demand-light-around-the-clock-there/) [Parker Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-palmer/) > [Louis B. Mayer is one of those with a claim to posessing the equation... he began to buy up nickelodeon arcades in the years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-jay-epstein/louis-b-mayer-is-one-of-those-with-a-claim-to-posessing-the-equation/) [Edward Jay Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-jay-epstein/) > [Then your fingers moved down to my chin. You pushed it up with your thumb to look at me, almost like you were studying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-christopher/then-your-fingers-moved-down-to-my-chin-you-pushed-it-up-with-your/) [Lucy Christopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-christopher/) > [There is no chance of night baseball ever being popular in the bigger cities. People there are educated to see the best there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clark-griffith/there-is-no-chance-of-night-baseball-ever-being-popular-in-the-bigger/) [Clark Griffith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clark-griffith/) > [“Ish #153 "Artificial plants grow best in artificial light.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/regina-griffin/ish-153-artificial-plants-grow-best-in-artificial-light/) [Regina Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/regina-griffin/) > [It is difficult batting in artificial light with a red ball but it's a horrible task for umpires to make a judgement, particularly if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-gilchrist/it-is-difficult-batting-in-artificial-light-with-a-red-ball-but-it-s/) [Adam Gilchrist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-gilchrist/) > [Light and color are closely linked. The colors can make a crucial change in nature, if you switch from daylight to artificial light or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/verner-panton/light-and-color-are-closely-linked-the-colors-can-make-a-crucial/) [Verner Panton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/verner-panton/) > [For some time I watch the coming of the night? Above is the glistening galaxy of childhood, now hidden in the Western world by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-matthiessen/for-some-time-i-watch-the-coming-of-the-night-above-is-the-glistening/) [Peter Matthiessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-matthiessen/) > [“Without artificial light, humans were scared animals that scurried into their nests at sunset. Darkness brought out the monsters that existed in our primal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mather/without-artificial-light-humans-were-scared-animals-that-scurried/) [Matthew Mather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mather/) > [You see these thick curtains shut out the daylight: artificial light suits me a great deal better; it's absolutely steady, and much more exciting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/you-see-these-thick-curtains-shut-out-the-daylight-artificial-light/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) ## More by Barbara Tuchman > [While husbands and lovers in the stories are of all kinds, ranging from sympathetic to disgusting, women are invariably deceivers: inconstant, unscrupulous, quarrelsome, querulous,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/while-husbands-and-lovers-in-the-stories-are-of-all-kinds-ranging/) [Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/) > [Doctrine tied itself into infinite knots over the realities of sex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/doctrine-tied-itself-into-infinite-knots-over-the-realities-of-sex/) [Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/) > [The fleet sailed to its war base in the North Sea, headed not so much for some rendezvous with glory as for rendezvous with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/the-fleet-sailed-to-its-war-base-in-the-north-sea-headed-not-so-much/) [Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/) > [Learning from experience is a faculty almost never practiced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/learning-from-experience-is-a-faculty-almost-never-practiced/) [Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/) > [War is the unfolding of miscalculations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/war-is-the-unfolding-of-miscalculations/) [Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/) > [The poets have familiarized more people with history than have the historians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/the-poets-have-familiarized-more-people-with-history-than-have-the/) [Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/) > [Money was the crux. Raising money to pay the cost of war was to cause more damage to 14th century society than the physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/money-was-the-crux-raising-money-to-pay-the-cost-of-war-was-to-cause/) [Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/) > [Misgovernment is of four kinds, often in combination. They are: 1) tyranny or oppression, of which history provides so many well-known examples that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/misgovernment-is-of-four-kinds-often-in-combination-they-are-1/) [Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/) > [The power to command frequently causes failure to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/the-power-to-command-frequently-causes-failure-to-think/) [Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/) > [We seem to be afflicted by a widespread and eroding reluctance to take any stand on any values, moral, behavioral or esthetic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/we-seem-to-be-afflicted-by-a-widespread-and-eroding-reluctance-to/) [Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/) > [ The clergy \[in the 14th century\] on the whole were probably no more lecherous or greedy or untrustworthy than other men, but because they… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/the-clergy-in-the-14th-century-on-the-whole-were-probably-no-more/) [Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/) > [Without books, history is silent, literature dumb, science crippled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/without-books-history-is-silent-literature-dumb-science-crippled/) [Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/) > [Words are seductive and dangerous material, to be used with caution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/words-are-seductive-and-dangerous-material-to-be-used-with-caution/) [Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/) > [“German soldiers, posted as informers, were found dressed as peasants, even as peasant women. The latter were discovered, presumably in the course of non-military…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/german-soldiers-posted-as-informers-were-found-dressed-as-peasants/) [Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/) > [I ask myself, have nations ever declined from a loss of moral sense rather than from physical reasons or the pressure of barbarians? I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/i-ask-myself-have-nations-ever-declined-from-a-loss-of-moral-sense/) [Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/) [Explore all 119 Barbara Tuchman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/) ## More Advantage quotes > [Dogmatists have one advantage: they are poor listeners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-de-waal/dogmatists-have-one-advantage-they-are-poor-listeners/) [Frans de Waal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-de-waal/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Talented people can predict with great accuracy what's about to happen just a tiny bit ahead of their competitors. It might be two seconds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-maney/talented-people-can-predict-with-great-accuracy-what-s-about-to/) [Kevin Maney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-maney/) > [All I ever wanted was an unfair advantage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-wynn/all-i-ever-wanted-was-an-unfair-advantage/) [Garrison Wynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-wynn/) > [Part of the advantage, and part of the result of trying to be a producer and director, are the practical things, you find. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-scott/part-of-the-advantage-and-part-of-the-result-of-trying-to-be-a/) [Campbell Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-scott/) > [I was born with a silver microphone in my mouth, and that was an advantage. My father wrote books and was also a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dimbleby/i-was-born-with-a-silver-microphone-in-my-mouth-and-that-was-an/) [Jonathan Dimbleby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dimbleby/) > [Like funny men, skilled diners are apparently perceived to have an evolutionary advantage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/like-funny-men-skilled-diners-are-apparently-perceived-to-have-an/) [Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/) > [For some reason when I decide to pursue something, I never have any fear that it won't happen. I think it's just ingrained in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-blatz/for-some-reason-when-i-decide-to-pursue-something-i-never-have-any/) [Kelly Blatz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-blatz/) > [I think I have good hands, so I try to use them to my advantage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bianca-andreescu/i-think-i-have-good-hands-so-i-try-to-use-them-to-my-advantage/) [Bianca Andreescu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bianca-andreescu/) > [My influences are jazz, blues, European classical music; they are rock music and pop music. So many kinds of music. World music from different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rokia-traore/my-influences-are-jazz-blues-european-classical-music-they-are-rock/) [Rokia Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rokia-traore/) > [Baseball needs to put the steroids era behind it by having and enforcing tough rules against all kinds of artificial advantages, so that spring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-olasky/baseball-needs-to-put-the-steroids-era-behind-it-by-having-and/) [Marvin Olasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-olasky/) > [Daily contact with some teachers is itself all-sided ethical education for the child without a spoken precept. Here, too, the real advantage of male…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-stanley-hall/daily-contact-with-some-teachers-is-itself-all-sided-ethical/) [G. Stanley Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-stanley-hall/) > [ If \[Donald\] Trump throws 20 million off of health care, that's going to be - if he handles this badly - and it's very… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/if-donald-trump-throws-20-million-off-of-health-care-that-s-going-to/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [Live in the world you inhabit. Look upon things as they are. Take them as you find them. Make the best of them. Turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/live-in-the-world-you-inhabit-look-upon-things-as-they-are-take-them/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [I always tell women that the fact that you're different and that you're noticed, because there are few of us in the tech industry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padmasree-warrior/i-always-tell-women-that-the-fact-that-you-re-different-and-that-you/) [Padmasree Warrior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padmasree-warrior/) [Browse all 3,503 Advantage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advantage/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To ensure that no one gained an advantage over anyone else, commercial law prohibited innovation in tools or techniques, underselling below a fixed price, working late by artificial light, employing extra apprentices or wife and under-age children, and advertising of wares or praising them to the detriment of others.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barbara Tuchman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/to-ensure-that-no-one-gained-an-advantage-over-anyone-else-commercial/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Advantage" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/to-ensure-that-no-one-gained-an-advantage-over-anyone-else-commercial/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b7/barbara-tuchman-3945_advantage_to-ensure-that-no-one-gained-an-advantag_2046459.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b7/barbara-tuchman-3945_advantage_to-ensure-that-no-one-gained-an-advantag_2046459.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b7/barbara-tuchman-3945_advantage_to-ensure-that-no-one-gained-an-advantag_2046459.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To ensure that no one gained an advantage over anyone else, commercial law prohibited innovation in tools or…” — Barbara Tuchman", "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": "Barbara Tuchman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To ensure that no one gained...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/to-ensure-that-no-one-gained-an-advantage-over-anyone-else-commercial/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/to-ensure-that-no-one-gained-an-advantage-over-anyone-else-commercial/#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 } } ] } ```