--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is, perhaps, impossible to proportion…" description: "\"“It is, perhaps, impossible to proportion exactly the price of labor to the profits it produces; and it will also be said, as an apology for the injust..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/656/thomas-paine-267_economics_it-is-perhaps-impossible-to-proportion-e_150640.png" --- # It is, perhaps, impossible to proportion exactly the price… ![“It is, perhaps, impossible to proportion exactly the price of labor to the profits it produces; and it will also be said, as an apology for the injustice, that were a workman to receive an increase of wages daily he would not save it against old age, nor be much better for it in the interim.” quote by Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/656/thomas-paine-267_economics_it-is-perhaps-impossible-to-proportion-e_150640.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/656/thomas-paine-267_economics_it-is-perhaps-impossible-to-proportion-e_150640.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/656/thomas-paine-267_economics_it-is-perhaps-impossible-to-proportion-e_150640.png) > ““It is, perhaps, impossible to proportion exactly the price of labor to the profits it produces; and it will also be said, as an apology for the injustice, that were a workman to receive an increase of wages daily he would not save it against old age, nor be much better for it in the interim.”” [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Labor’s value is hard to quantify against profit; daily wage increases may not secure future welfare. **In simple terms:** Hard to match labor price to profit; daily raises may not help old age. Key Takeaway Consider long‑term financial security. Themes economics labor profit wages future planning Mood analytical concerned Type critical philosophical When to use this quote - employment contracts - retirement planning - policy debates - business management Key Concepts Marxism capitalism social justice Questions to Reflect On - How can workers ensure future security? - What policies could balance wages and profit? A Different Perspective Short‑term wages don’t guarantee long‑term stability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Old age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-age/) [Social justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-justice/) [Wage-labor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wage-labor/) ## Related quotes > [Labor, being itself a commodity, is measured as such by the labor time needed to produce the labor-commodity. 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