--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The experience of the past lives little…" description: "\"The experience of the past lives little doubt that every economic system must sooner or later rely upon some form of the profit motive to stir individu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/117/will-durant-948_doubt_the-experience-of-the-past-lives-little_1606068.png" --- # The experience of the past lives little doubt that every… ![“The experience of the past lives little doubt that every economic system must sooner or later rely upon some form of the profit motive to stir individuals and groups to productivity. Substitutes like slavery, police supervision, or ideological enthusiasm prove too unproductive, too expensive, or…” quote by Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/117/will-durant-948_doubt_the-experience-of-the-past-lives-little_1606068.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/117/will-durant-948_doubt_the-experience-of-the-past-lives-little_1606068.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/117/will-durant-948_doubt_the-experience-of-the-past-lives-little_1606068.png) > “The experience of the past lives little doubt that every economic system must sooner or later rely upon some form of the profit motive to stir individuals and groups to productivity. Substitutes like slavery, police supervision, or ideological enthusiasm prove too unproductive, too expensive, or too transient.” [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Economic systems inevitably need profit incentives to motivate productivity; alternatives like slavery or ideology are less effective or sustainable. **In simple terms:** Profit drives productivity; other systems fail. Key Takeaway Recognize profit as a key motivator in economies. Themes economics motivation productivity systems Mood analytical critical Type economic historical When to use this quote - business strategy - public policy - social planning - ethical debates Key Concepts incentive theory historical analysis political economy Questions to Reflect On - Can societies balance profit with equity? - What non‑profit incentives could replace profit motives? A Different Perspective Profit motives can encourage inequality or exploitation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Economic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic/) [Economic system](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic-system/) [Economic systems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic-systems/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Enthusiasm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enthusiasm/) [Expensive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expensive/) [Form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form/) [Groups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/groups/) [Ideological](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideological/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Like Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-slavery-990654/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Motive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motive/) [Motive Stir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motive-stir-6116772/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Past life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past-life/) [Past Lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past-lives/) [Police](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/police/) [Productivity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/productivity/) [Productivity Substitutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/productivity-substitutes-6116770/) [Profit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profit/) [Profit motive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profit-motive/) [Prove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prove/) [Rely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rely/) [Rely upon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rely-upon/) [Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) [Sooner or later](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sooner-or-later/) [Stir Individuals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stir-individuals-6116771/) [Substitutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/substitutes/) [Supervision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supervision/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Transient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transient/) [Unproductive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unproductive/) ## Related quotes > [I sit here before you trying to figure out how to pay a tax debt? 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I think it's a cursed planet. 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