--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Adam Smith is an egalitarian, he believed…" description: "\"Adam Smith is an egalitarian, he believed in equality of outcome, not opportunity. He is an enlightenment figure, pre-capitalist. He says, suppose in E..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f74/noam-chomsky-42_adam_adam-smith-is-an-egalitarian-he-believed_1051815.jpg" --- # Adam Smith is an egalitarian, he believed in equality of… ![“Adam Smith is an egalitarian, he believed in equality of outcome, not opportunity. He is an enlightenment figure, pre-capitalist. He says, suppose in England, one landowner got most of the land and other people would have nothing to live on. He says it wouldn't matter much, because the rich land…” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f74/noam-chomsky-42_adam_adam-smith-is-an-egalitarian-he-believed_1051815.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f74/noam-chomsky-42_adam_adam-smith-is-an-egalitarian-he-believed_1051815.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f74/noam-chomsky-42_adam_adam-smith-is-an-egalitarian-he-believed_1051815.jpg) > “Adam Smith is an egalitarian, he believed in equality of outcome, not opportunity. He is an enlightenment figure, pre-capitalist. He says, suppose in England, one landowner got most of the land and other people would have nothing to live on. He says it wouldn't matter much, because the rich land owner, by virtue of his sympathy for other people would distribute resources among them, so that by an invisible hand, we would end up with a pretty egalitarian society. That is his conception of human nature.” [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Smith argued that self‑interest guided by sympathy could lead to a fair distribution without deliberate planning. **In simple terms:** Self‑interest plus sympathy can create fairness. Key Takeaway Consider how personal motives affect social outcomes. Themes economics philosophy equality Mood critical analytical Type theoretical philosophical When to use this quote - policy design - social welfare - market regulation Key Concepts invisible hand sympathy distribution human nature Questions to Reflect On - Can markets truly self‑regulate fairness? - What role does government play? A Different Perspective His view ignores power imbalances and exploitation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conception/) [Egalitarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/egalitarian/) [England](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/england/) [Enlightenment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enlightenment/) [Equality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equality/) [Human nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-nature/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Invisible hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invisible-hand/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) ## Related quotes > [For capitalism flourishes best in a mobile and egalitarian society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-fukuyama/for-capitalism-flourishes-best-in-a-mobile-and-egalitarian-society/) [Francis Fukuyama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-fukuyama/) > [“The graduated tax is a confiscatory tax. Its effect, and to a large extent its aim, is to bring down all men to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-m-goldwater/the-graduated-tax-is-a-confiscatory-tax-its-effect-and-to-a-large/) [Barry M. Goldwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-m-goldwater/) > [The environmentalist's dream is an egalitarian society based on: rejection of economic growth, a smaller population, eating lower on the food chain, consuming a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-wildavsky/the-environmentalist-s-dream-is-an-egalitarian-society-based-on/) Aaron Wildavsky > [“For progressive universalizers, the vision is an egalitarian society leveling the playing field and delivering good jobs and fair rewards across class, race, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-derber/for-progressive-universalizers-the-vision-is-an-egalitarian-society/) [Charles Derber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-derber/) > [Pornography is not egalitarian and gender-free. It is predicated upon the inequality of women and is the propaganda that makes that inequality sexy. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-jeffreys/pornography-is-not-egalitarian-and-gender-free-it-is-predicated-upon/) [Sheila Jeffreys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-jeffreys/) > [Let's take Adam Smith, the patron-saint of capitalism, what did he think? He thought the main human instinct was sympathy. In fact, take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/let-s-take-adam-smith-the-patron-saint-of-capitalism-what-did-he/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [We don't legislate emergent technologies into existence. We almost never do. They just emerge, dragged forth by Adam Smith's invisible hand. Then we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gibson/we-don-t-legislate-emergent-technologies-into-existence-we-almost/) [William Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gibson/) > [A few months ago people were talking about seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Now the only hope is keeping the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-garten/a-few-months-ago-people-were-talking-about-seeing-the-light-at-the/) Jeffrey Garten > [“it is thought to be somehow related to Adam Smith’s invisible hand, the workings of which are both overstated and mysterious.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-h-thaler/it-is-thought-to-be-somehow-related-to-adam-smith-s-invisible-hand/) [Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) > [“These people live in many lands, speak different languages, practice different religions, may even hate one another- yet none of these differences prevented them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/these-people-live-in-many-lands-speak-different-languages-practice/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [That invisible hand of Adam Smith seems to offer an extended middle finger to an awful lot of people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/that-invisible-hand-of-adam-smith-seems-to-offer-an-extended-middle/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [As against the "invisible hand" of Adam Smith, there has to be a visible hand of politicians whose objective is to have the kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/as-against-the-invisible-hand-of-adam-smith-there-has-to-be-a-visible/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [“Adam Smith expanded on this notion by saying that a person pursing his own selfish interests may be “led by an invisible hand to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-masaki-flynn/adam-smith-expanded-on-this-notion-by-saying-that-a-person-pursing/) Sean Masaki Flynn > [Adam Smith's uncritically enthusiastic modern disciples portray his invisible hand theory as saying that market forces reliably harness selfish individuals to serve the common…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/adam-smith-s-uncritically-enthusiastic-modern-disciples-portray-his/) [Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/) > [Adam Smith's 'invisible hand' is not above sudden, disturbing, movements. Since its inception, capitalism has known slumps and recessions, bubble and froth; no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/adam-smith-s-invisible-hand-is-not-above-sudden-disturbing-movements/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) ## More by Noam Chomsky > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [It’s a shameful moment for U.S. media when it insists on being subservient to the grotesque propaganda agencies of a violent, aggressive state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-s-a-shameful-moment-for-u-s-media-when-it-insists-on-being/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There are questions as to whether it should even exist. Who should corporations be responsive to, the management of a corporation? Theoretically they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-questions-as-to-whether-it-should-even-exist-who-should/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Governments regard their own citizens as their main enemy, and they have to be - protect themselves. That's why you have state secret laws.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/governments-regard-their-own-citizens-as-their-main-enemy-and-they/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I don't join the New Atheists. So, for example, I wouldn't have the arrogance to lecture some mother who hopes to see her dying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-don-t-join-the-new-atheists-so-for-example-i-wouldn-t-have-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The first thing you ought to do is verify what I present. Just because I say it doesn't make it true. So check it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-first-thing-you-ought-to-do-is-verify-what-i-present-just-because/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [ I wrote an article about the marine landing \[in Haiti\] right away, but barely mentioned the oil, because my article would come out two… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-wrote-an-article-about-the-marine-landing-in-haiti-right-away-but/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [American society is now remarkably atomized. Political organizations have collapsed. In fact, it seems like even bowling leagues are collapsing. The left has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/american-society-is-now-remarkably-atomized-political-organizations/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Discovery is the ability to be puzzled by simple things. Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/discovery-is-the-ability-to-be-puzzled-by-simple-things-noam-chomsky/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There's an interesting book about that called The Third Reich and the Ivory Tower, written by Stephen H. Norwood. It has a long discussion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-an-interesting-book-about-that-called-the-third-reich-and-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [This is class war on an international scale, and power is in the hands of those who control the international economic system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/this-is-class-war-on-an-international-scale-and-power-is-in-the-hands/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There are big, extremely irrational parts of the society, and they have now been mobilized politically by the Republican establishment, hoping that these people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-big-extremely-irrational-parts-of-the-society-and-they-have/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There's plenty to criticize about the mass media, but they are the source of regular information about a wide range of topics. You can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-plenty-to-criticize-about-the-mass-media-but-they-are-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The 50,000 Korean mercenaries we had in Vietnam were professional killers and just massacred people outright. And the American army did plenty of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-50-000-korean-mercenaries-we-had-in-vietnam-were-professional/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Explore all 2,129 Noam Chomsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## More Adam quotes > [Women rule the world. It's not really worth fighting because they know what they're doing. Ask Napoleon. Ask Adam. Ask Richard Burton or Richie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-bon-jovi/women-rule-the-world-it-s-not-really-worth-fighting-because-they-know/) [Jon Bon Jovi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-bon-jovi/) > [The writings of latter-day prophets clearly teach that the sorrows and sufferings endured by Adam and Eve upon their leaving the Garden of Eden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-k-judd/the-writings-of-latter-day-prophets-clearly-teach-that-the-sorrows/) Daniel K Judd > [“Mary: Some call this "Eve's curse," but I think that is stupid because the real curse of Eve was having to put up with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/mary-some-call-this-eve-s-curse-but-i-think-that-is-stupid-because/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Adam Clayton Powell's entire political career has to be looked at in the entire context of the American history and the history of, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/adam-clayton-powell-s-entire-political-career-has-to-be-looked-at-in/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [“Adam could imagine what he looked like: a debauched nerd.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-cullinan/adam-could-imagine-what-he-looked-like-a-debauched-nerd/) [Heidi Cullinan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-cullinan/) > [Adam Berenson knows how to compose, organize an ensemble, do musical research, play solo and trio piano, write for musical journals, and enlist others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bley/adam-berenson-knows-how-to-compose-organize-an-ensemble-do-musical/) [Paul Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bley/) > [“Finally, someone had seen him. And what had he done? Let her get away. Undermined by his disgusting human anatomy. It had just been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/finally-someone-had-seen-him-and-what-had-he-done-let-her-get-away/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“I’d think there are degrees of greatness,” Adam said. “I don’t think so,” said Samuel. “That would be like saying there is a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-d-think-there-are-degrees-of-greatness-adam-said-i-don-t-think-so/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [An ineffably holy God, who has the utmost abhorrence of sin, was never invented by any of Adam's descendents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/an-ineffably-holy-god-who-has-the-utmost-abhorrence-of-sin-was-never/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [“think Adam is looking to break Kenji’s neck at this point.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/think-adam-is-looking-to-break-kenji-s-neck-at-this-point/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“Adam's lips are set in a grime line. I can't tell if he's about to cry or about to punch the guard. For his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/adam-s-lips-are-set-in-a-grime-line-i-can-t-tell-if-he-s-about-to-cry/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [And as regards Adam and Eve we must maintain that before the fall they were virgins in Paradise: but after they sinned, and were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-jerome/and-as-regards-adam-and-eve-we-must-maintain-that-before-the-fall/) [St. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-jerome/) > [Adam became so proud that he wished to become God and died for his pride; the Son of God humbled Himself unto death, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-of-kronstadt/adam-became-so-proud-that-he-wished-to-become-god-and-died-for-his/) [John of Kronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-of-kronstadt/) > [Oh, Adam was a gardener, and God who made him sees That half a proper gardener's work is done upon his knees, So when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/oh-adam-was-a-gardener-and-god-who-made-him-sees-that-half-a-proper/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Barışı elde etmek için çabalayan her adam olağanüstü bir adamdır!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/bar-elde-etmek-i-in-abalayan-her-adam-ola-an-st-bir-adamd-r/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) Browse all 1,360 Adam quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Adam Smith is an egalitarian, he believed in equality of outcome, not opportunity. 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