--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As against the \"invisible hand\" of Adam…" description: "\"As against the \"invisible hand\" of Adam Smith, there has to be a visible hand of politicians whose objective is to have the kind of society that is car..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab6/pierre-trudeau-3495_adam_as-against-the-invisible-hand-of-adam-sm_1262144.png" --- # As against the "invisible hand" of Adam Smith, there has… ![“As against the "invisible hand" of Adam Smith, there has to be a visible hand of politicians whose objective is to have the kind of society that is caring and humane.” quote by Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab6/pierre-trudeau-3495_adam_as-against-the-invisible-hand-of-adam-sm_1262144.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab6/pierre-trudeau-3495_adam_as-against-the-invisible-hand-of-adam-sm_1262144.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab6/pierre-trudeau-3495_adam_as-against-the-invisible-hand-of-adam-sm_1262144.png) > “As against the "invisible hand" of Adam Smith, there has to be a visible hand of politicians whose objective is to have the kind of society that is caring and humane.” [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A visible political will is needed to shape a compassionate society, counterbalancing market forces. **In simple terms:** Politics must guide society toward kindness. Key Takeaway Promote humane policies. Themes politics economics compassion society Mood thoughtful concerned Type political ethical When to use this quote - policy making - community building - social welfare programs Key Concepts social contract government responsibility ethical economics Questions to Reflect On - How can governments balance market efficiency with social care? - What policies best embody a “visible hand”? A Different Perspective Market forces alone may not ensure equity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adam/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adam-smith/) [Caring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caring/) [Caring Humane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caring-humane-4017125/) [Hand Politicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hand-politicians-4017123/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Humane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humane/) [Invisible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invisible/) [Invisible hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invisible-hand/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Objectives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/objectives/) [Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician/) [Politicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politicians/) [Politicians Objective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politicians-objective-4017124/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) [Society Caring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society-caring-4017126/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Visible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/visible/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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/) > [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,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/adam-smith-is-an-egalitarian-he-believed-in-equality-of-outcome-not/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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/) > [“There exists no ”invisible hand“—that was always an unfortunate turn of phrase—but billions of highly visible fingers, doing, purely for personal gain, what others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/there-exists-no-invisible-hand-that-was-always-an-unfortunate-turn-of/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [People who intend only to serve public interest are led by invisible hand to private interest which was no part of their intention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/people-who-intend-only-to-serve-public-interest-are-led-by-invisible/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [The invisible hand never picks up the check.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-stanley/the-invisible-hand-never-picks-up-the-check/) [Kim Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-stanley/) > [Since its beginnings, baseball has been guided by an invisible hand. A set of unwritten rules that all players are expected to adhere to.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-correa/since-its-beginnings-baseball-has-been-guided-by-an-invisible-hand-a/) [Carlos Correa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-correa/) > [The key reason executives are paid so much now is that they appoint the members of the corporate board that determines their compensation and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/the-key-reason-executives-are-paid-so-much-now-is-that-they-appoint/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) ## More by Pierre Trudeau > [Liberalism is the philosophy for our time, because it does not try to conserve every tradition of the past, because it does not apply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/liberalism-is-the-philosophy-for-our-time-because-it-does-not-try-to/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [Obviously, the state's responsibility should be to legislate rules for a well-ordered society. It has no right or duty to creep into the bedrooms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/obviously-the-state-s-responsibility-should-be-to-legislate-rules-for/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [Canada is a country whose main exports are hockey players and cold fronts. Our main imports are baseball players and acid rain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/canada-is-a-country-whose-main-exports-are-hockey-players-and-cold/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [In specific terms I don't think I could make any suggestions, but in general terms I believe that it is because Canadians have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/in-specific-terms-i-don-t-think-i-could-make-any-suggestions-but-in/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [I think that religions must seek peace and love and therefore be pacifist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/i-think-that-religions-must-seek-peace-and-love-and-therefore-be/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [Freedom can flow from order. That is not to say that freedom always flows from order because you can have a totalitarian order and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/freedom-can-flow-from-order-that-is-not-to-say-that-freedom-always/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [Every time I have a political rally I meet some people who say, "I need a job."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/every-time-i-have-a-political-rally-i-meet-some-people-who-say-i-need/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [I'm far from believing that we've solved the problem of violence in the 20th century and that's why I'm not discouraged that we still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/i-m-far-from-believing-that-we-ve-solved-the-problem-of-violence-in/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [The Jesuits were good educators, exceptional teachers. In an era and in a society where freedom of speech was not held in high regard,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/the-jesuits-were-good-educators-exceptional-teachers-in-an-era-and-in/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [Americans should never underestimate the constant pressure on Canada which the mere presence of the United States has produced. We're different people from you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/americans-should-never-underestimate-the-constant-pressure-on-canada/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [I must say that "Give Peace a Chance" has always seemed to me to be sensible advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/i-must-say-that-give-peace-a-chance-has-always-seemed-to-me-to-be/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [There's no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation. What's done in private between adults doesn't concern the Criminal Code.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/there-s-no-place-for-the-state-in-the-bedrooms-of-the-nation-what-s/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [I think all of us, politicians and churchmen, should do our utmost to change the society so that there would be no need for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/i-think-all-of-us-politicians-and-churchmen-should-do-our-utmost-to/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [The Canadian community must invest, for the defence and better appreciation of the French language, as much time, energy, and money as are required…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/the-canadian-community-must-invest-for-the-defence-and-better/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [Perhaps the rediscovery of our humanity, and the potential of the human spirit which we have read about in legends of older civilizations, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/perhaps-the-rediscovery-of-our-humanity-and-the-potential-of-the/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) [Explore all 129 Pierre Trudeau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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 ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adam/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As against the \"invisible hand\" of Adam Smith, there has to be a visible hand of politicians whose objective is to have the kind of society that is caring and humane.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Pierre Trudeau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/as-against-the-invisible-hand-of-adam-smith-there-has-to-be-a-visible/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Adam" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/as-against-the-invisible-hand-of-adam-smith-there-has-to-be-a-visible/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab6/pierre-trudeau-3495_adam_as-against-the-invisible-hand-of-adam-sm_1262144.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab6/pierre-trudeau-3495_adam_as-against-the-invisible-hand-of-adam-sm_1262144.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab6/pierre-trudeau-3495_adam_as-against-the-invisible-hand-of-adam-sm_1262144.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As against the \"invisible hand\" of Adam Smith, there has to be a visible hand of politicians whose objective…” — Pierre Trudeau", "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": "Pierre Trudeau", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As against the \"invisible hand\" of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/as-against-the-invisible-hand-of-adam-smith-there-has-to-be-a-visible/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/as-against-the-invisible-hand-of-adam-smith-there-has-to-be-a-visible/#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 } } ] } ```