Increase Quote by David Ricardo
“LABOUR, like all other things which are purchased and sold, and which may be increased or diminished in quantity, has its natural and its market price. The natural price of labour is that price which is necessary to enable the labourers, on with another, to subsist and to perpetuate their race, without either increase or diminution.”
About This Quote
Source Treatise on Political Economy, 1817
Labor’s true value is the cost needed for workers to survive and continue their lineage, separate from market fluctuations.
In simple terms: Labor should cover basic living needs.
Key Takeaway
Ensure wages meet workers’ essential costs.
Themes
economics
labor rights
fair wages
Mood
analytical
serious
Type
economic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- wage negotiations
- policy making
- union discussions
- budget planning
Key Concepts
value theory
human needs
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we balance market prices with ethical labor costs?
- What policies protect workers’ natural wages?
A Different Perspective
Market forces may ignore these ethical standards.
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