---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But the system of prices ruling the…"
description: "\"But the system of prices ruling the market not only transmits information in the light of which economic agents can mutually adjust their actions, it a..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be8/michael-polanyi-17316_action_but-the-system-of-prices-ruling-the-mark_2827275.jpg"
---

#  But the system of prices ruling the market not only…

![“But the system of prices ruling the market not only transmits information in the light of which economic agents can mutually adjust their actions, it also provides them with an incentive to exercise economy in terms of money.” quote by Michael Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be8/michael-polanyi-17316_action_but-the-system-of-prices-ruling-the-mark_2827275.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be8/michael-polanyi-17316_action_but-the-system-of-prices-ruling-the-mark_2827275.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be8/michael-polanyi-17316_action_but-the-system-of-prices-ruling-the-mark_2827275.jpg)

> “But the system of prices ruling the market not only transmits information in the light of which economic agents can mutually adjust their actions, it also provides them with an incentive to exercise economy in terms of money.”

[Michael Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-polanyi/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Prices convey information and create incentives for economic efficiency, shaping market behavior.

**In simple terms:** Prices inform and motivate efficient spending.

Key Takeaway

Use price signals wisely.

Themes

economics incentives information

Mood

analytical critical

Type

economical educational

When to use this quote

- business strategy
- public policy
- personal budgeting
- investment decisions

Key Concepts

market theory behavioral economics

Questions to Reflect On

- How do price signals affect your choices?
- What are limits of price incentives?

A Different Perspective

Assumes rational actors; may ignore inequality.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy/) [Exercise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exercise/) [Incentives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incentives/) [Investing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investing/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/)

## Related quotes

> [I want to do more and more; it provides me with an incentive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-want-to-do-more-and-more-it-provides-me-with-an-incentive/)

[Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/)

> [“Everything economic science posits as given, that is, the range of dispositions of the economic agent which ground the illusion of the ahistorical universality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-bourdieu/everything-economic-science-posits-as-given-that-is-the-range-of/)

[Pierre Bourdieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-bourdieu/)

> [In the mid-'60s in Berkeley, the theory of measure spaces of economic agents became one of my main interests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-debreu/in-the-mid-60s-in-berkeley-the-theory-of-measure-spaces-of-economic/)

Gerard Debreu

> [When you rely on incentives, you undermine virtues. Then when you discover that you actually need people who want to do the right thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-schwartz/when-you-rely-on-incentives-you-undermine-virtues-then-when-you/)

[Barry Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-schwartz/)

> [I think we have to take a look at corporate law. We have to take a look at the incentives that we can perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-think-we-have-to-take-a-look-at-corporate-law-we-have-to-take-a/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [The incentive for business is not, and cannot, be anything other than the root incentive for all business: they must profit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-norton/the-incentive-for-business-is-not-and-cannot-be-anything-other-than/)

[Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-norton/)

> [We also have no incentive compensation of any kind. And the reason we don’t is because it is detrimental to teamwork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/we-also-have-no-incentive-compensation-of-any-kind-and-the-reason-we/)

[Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/)

> [Not getting enough retribution or decent incentives to keep me at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakira/not-getting-enough-retribution-or-decent-incentives-to-keep-me-at-it/)

[Shakira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakira/)

> [The trans fat label has been an enormous incentive for food companies to take trans fat out of their products.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-nestle/the-trans-fat-label-has-been-an-enormous-incentive-for-food-companies/)

[Marion Nestle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-nestle/)

> [Simply having rules does not change the things that people want to do. You have to change incentives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-wales/simply-having-rules-does-not-change-the-things-that-people-want-to-do/)

[Jimmy Wales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-wales/)

> [Obama's perverse view of fairness threatens to create reverse incentives, militating against growth, jobs, expansion and upward mobility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-morris/obama-s-perverse-view-of-fairness-threatens-to-create-reverse/)

[Dick Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-morris/)

> [Socialism destroys the incentive to produce, dampens the human spsirit and results, ultimately , in less for everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-limbaugh/socialism-destroys-the-incentive-to-produce-dampens-the-human-spsirit/)

[David Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-limbaugh/)

> [Biographies of great, but especially of good men are most instructive and useful as helps, guides, and incentives to others. Some of the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/biographies-of-great-but-especially-of-good-men-are-most-instructive/)

[Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/)

> [The world's industry must gain incentives to stop polluting and to invest in clean technologies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-tanti/the-world-s-industry-must-gain-incentives-to-stop-polluting-and-to/)

[Tulsi Tanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-tanti/)

> [Student loans have been helpful to many. But they offer neither incentive nor assistance to those students who, by reason of family or other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/student-loans-have-been-helpful-to-many-but-they-offer-neither/)

[John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/)

## More by Michael Polanyi

> [These maxims and the art of interpreting them may be said to constitute the premisses of science but I prefer to call them our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-polanyi/these-maxims-and-the-art-of-interpreting-them-may-be-said-to/)

[Michael Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-polanyi/)

> [We could not, for example, arrive at a principle like that of entropy without introducing some additional principle, such as randomness, to this topography.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-polanyi/we-could-not-for-example-arrive-at-a-principle-like-that-of-entropy/)

[Michael Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-polanyi/)

> [“A steady recognition that the evils which prevent the fullness of moral development are precisely the elements which are also the source of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-polanyi/a-steady-recognition-that-the-evils-which-prevent-the-fullness-of/)

[Michael Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-polanyi/)

> [“Christianity sedulously fosters, and in a sense permanently satisfies, man's craving for mental dissatisfaction by offering him the comfort of a crucified God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-polanyi/christianity-sedulously-fosters-and-in-a-sense-permanently-satisfies/)

[Michael Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-polanyi/)

> [Of course language manifests a belief only if we use its words with the implied acceptance of their appositeness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-polanyi/of-course-language-manifests-a-belief-only-if-we-use-its-words-with/)

[Michael Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-polanyi/)

> [The first thing to make clear is that scientists, freely making their own choice of problems and pursuing them in the light of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-polanyi/the-first-thing-to-make-clear-is-that-scientists-freely-making-their/)

[Michael Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-polanyi/)

> [The information in DNA could no more be reduced to the chemical than could the ideas in a book be reduced to the ink…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-polanyi/the-information-in-dna-could-no-more-be-reduced-to-the-chemical-than/)

[Michael Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-polanyi/)

> [“Sartre puts it, value arises simply from our choices. What we choose, we value simply because we have chosen it (and apparently we remain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-polanyi/sartre-puts-it-value-arises-simply-from-our-choices-what-we-choose-we/)

[Michael Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-polanyi/)

> [I shall reconsider human knowledge by starting from the fact that we can know more than we can tell,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-polanyi/i-shall-reconsider-human-knowledge-by-starting-from-the-fact-that-we/)

[Michael Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-polanyi/)

> [The amount of knowledge which we can justify from evidence directly available to us can never be large. The overwhelming proportion of our factual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-polanyi/the-amount-of-knowledge-which-we-can-justify-from-evidence-directly/)

[Michael Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-polanyi/)

> [Admittedly, the body of scientists, as a whole, does uphold the authority of science over the lay public. It controls thereby also the process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-polanyi/admittedly-the-body-of-scientists-as-a-whole-does-uphold-the/)

[Michael Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-polanyi/)

> [“It was the merit of Gestalt psychology to make us aware of the remarkable performance involved in perceiving shapes. Take, for example, a ball…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-polanyi/it-was-the-merit-of-gestalt-psychology-to-make-us-aware-of-the/)

[Michael Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-polanyi/)

> [We know more than we can tell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-polanyi/we-know-more-than-we-can-tell/)

[Michael Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-polanyi/)

> [We cannot ultimately specify the grounds (either metaphysical or logical or empirical) upon which we hold that our knowledge is true. Being committed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-polanyi/we-cannot-ultimately-specify-the-grounds-either-metaphysical-or/)

[Michael Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-polanyi/)

> [The process of philosophic and scientific enlightenment has shaken the stability of beliefs held explicitly as articles of faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-polanyi/the-process-of-philosophic-and-scientific-enlightenment-has-shaken/)

[Michael Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-polanyi/)

[Explore all 37 Michael Polanyi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-polanyi/)

## More Action quotes

> [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/)

[Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/)

> [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/)

[Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/)

> [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/)

[Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/)

> [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/)

[William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/)

> [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/)

[Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/)

> [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/)

[Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/)

> [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/)

[Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/)

> [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/)

[Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/)

> [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/)

[Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/)

> [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/)

[Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/)

> [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/)

[Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/)

> [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/)

[Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/)

[Browse all 14,940 Action quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "But the system of prices ruling the market not only transmits information in the light of which economic agents can mutually adjust their actions, it also provides them with an incentive to exercise economy in terms of money.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Michael Polanyi"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-polanyi/but-the-system-of-prices-ruling-the-market-not-only-transmits/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Action"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-polanyi/but-the-system-of-prices-ruling-the-market-not-only-transmits/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be8/michael-polanyi-17316_action_but-the-system-of-prices-ruling-the-mark_2827275.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be8/michael-polanyi-17316_action_but-the-system-of-prices-ruling-the-mark_2827275.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be8/michael-polanyi-17316_action_but-the-system-of-prices-ruling-the-mark_2827275.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“But the system of prices ruling the market not only transmits information in the light of which economic…” — Michael Polanyi",
                "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": "Michael Polanyi",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-polanyi/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "But the system of prices ruling...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-polanyi/but-the-system-of-prices-ruling-the-market-not-only-transmits/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-polanyi/but-the-system-of-prices-ruling-the-market-not-only-transmits/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
