--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Economy is the first and great article…" description: "\"Economy is the first and great article (economy such as I understand it) in my financial creed. The controversy between direct and indirect taxation ho..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f08/william-e-gladstone-9842_articles_economy-is-the-first-and-great-article-e_3202197.jpg" --- # Economy is the first and great article (economy such as I… ![“Economy is the first and great article (economy such as I understand it) in my financial creed. The controversy between direct and indirect taxation holds a minor, though important place.” quote by William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f08/william-e-gladstone-9842_articles_economy-is-the-first-and-great-article-e_3202197.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f08/william-e-gladstone-9842_articles_economy-is-the-first-and-great-article-e_3202197.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f08/william-e-gladstone-9842_articles_economy-is-the-first-and-great-article-e_3202197.jpg) > “Economy is the first and great article (economy such as I understand it) in my financial creed. The controversy between direct and indirect taxation holds a minor, though important place.” [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He emphasizes that economics is central to his beliefs, noting the importance of tax policy and its nuances. **In simple terms:** Economics is core to his creed; tax debate matters. Key Takeaway Study tax impacts carefully. Themes economics policy taxation Mood analytical thoughtful Type political educational When to use this quote - budget planning - tax reform - public debate Key Concepts classical economics public finance Questions to Reflect On - How do direct and indirect taxes affect different groups? - What principles guide fair taxation? A Different Perspective Tax policy can be politically contentious. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Article Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/article-economy-5949479/) [Articles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/articles/) [Controversy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controversy/) [Creeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creeds/) [Direct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/direct/) [Direct and indirect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/direct-and-indirect/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy/) [Economy Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy-great-1375889/) [Economy Understand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy-understand-256308/) [Financial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/financial/) [Financial Creed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/financial-creed-5949478/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Great art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-art/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Indirect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indirect/) [Indirect Taxation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indirect-taxation-5949480/) [Minors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minors/) [Taxation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taxation/) [Taxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taxes/) ## Related quotes > [“The mechanics of our economy, once you understand them, are both shocking and tempting. Unchecked power has the the same effect.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-b-watson/the-mechanics-of-our-economy-once-you-understand-them-are-both/) [M.B. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-b-watson/) > [I think more to the point, these pivotal times means something other than a politician. I understand the economy. I understand the world. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-fiorina/i-think-more-to-the-point-these-pivotal-times-means-something-other/) [Carly Fiorina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-fiorina/) > [But I think the global economy will understand that the United States has the ability to meet its obligations. But it's not going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bass/but-i-think-the-global-economy-will-understand-that-the-united-states/) [Charles Bass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bass/) > [One only has to look at the performance of the economy to understand how it shapes the perspective of America's youth about military service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-mchugh/one-only-has-to-look-at-the-performance-of-the-economy-to-understand/) [John M. McHugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-mchugh/) > [If economics wants to understand the new economy, it not only has to understand increasing returns and the dynamics of instability. It also has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-brian-arthur/if-economics-wants-to-understand-the-new-economy-it-not-only-has-to/) [W. Brian Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-brian-arthur/) > [I know many of you are hurting and angry about the economy, and I don't blame you. It's the worst economy since the Great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-know-many-of-you-are-hurting-and-angry-about-the-economy-and-i-don/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We have the worst revival of an economy since the Great Depression. And believe me: We're in a bubble right now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-have-the-worst-revival-of-an-economy-since-the-great-depression/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The FHA's success provides strong evidence that government can and should play a role in the nation's mortgage finance system. It also demonstrates that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zandi/the-fha-s-success-provides-strong-evidence-that-government-can-and/) [Mark Zandi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zandi/) > [ Economy is a great revenue. \[Lat., Magnum vectigal est parsimonia.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/economy-is-a-great-revenue-lat-magnum-vectigal-est-parsimonia/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [The demand for electricity to have a strong, growing economy is too great to be simply offset by more conservation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-abraham/the-demand-for-electricity-to-have-a-strong-growing-economy-is-too/) [Spencer Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-abraham/) > [If you really think about the fabric of the United States, or the finance of any economy, finance is a true underpinning of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adena-friedman/if-you-really-think-about-the-fabric-of-the-united-states-or-the/) [Adena Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adena-friedman/) > [You can't have a sustainable US economy without a great education system. Teach students to do the job right. You don't have an innovative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/you-can-t-have-a-sustainable-us-economy-without-a-great-education/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [Economy is in itself a great source of revenue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/economy-is-in-itself-a-great-source-of-revenue/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [When an editor first explained to me the difference between direct and indirect writing, I just thought it was a stylistic choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-mattison/when-an-editor-first-explained-to-me-the-difference-between-direct/) [Alice Mattison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-mattison/) > [“governance is the arrangements and practices that an organization puts in place to ensure its activities are adequately and appropriately managed. ‘Adequately and appropriately’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/governance-is-the-arrangements-and-practices-that-an-organization/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by William E. Gladstone > [I think that the principle of the Conservative Party is jealousy of liberty and of the people , only qualified by fear ; but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/i-think-that-the-principle-of-the-conservative-party-is-jealousy-of/) [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) > [National injustice is the surest road to national downfall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/national-injustice-is-the-surest-road-to-national-downfall/) [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) > [For works of the mind really great there is no old age, no decrepitude. It is inconceivable that a time should come when Homer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/for-works-of-the-mind-really-great-there-is-no-old-age-no-decrepitude/) [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) > [It is not a life at all. It is a reticence, in three volumes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/it-is-not-a-life-at-all-it-is-a-reticence-in-three-volumes/) [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) > [There is a limit to the work that can be got out of a human body or a human brain, and he is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/there-is-a-limit-to-the-work-that-can-be-got-out-of-a-human-body-or-a/) [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) > [No one ever became great except through many and great mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/no-one-ever-became-great-except-through-many-and-great-mistakes/) [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) > [The book must of necessity be put into a bookcase. And the bookcase must be housed. And the house must be kept. And the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/the-book-must-of-necessity-be-put-into-a-bookcase-and-the-bookcase/) [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) > [One example is worth a thousand arguments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/one-example-is-worth-a-thousand-arguments/) [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) > [The oppression of a majority is detestable and odious; the oppression of a minority is only by one degree less detestable and odious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/the-oppression-of-a-majority-is-detestable-and-odious-the-oppression/) [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) > [ \[The British constitution\] presumes more boldly than any other the good sense and the good faith of those who work it. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/the-british-constitution-presumes-more-boldly-than-any-other-the-good/) [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) > [All the wonders of the Greek civilization heaped together are less wonderful than the single book of Psalms. Greece had all that this world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/all-the-wonders-of-the-greek-civilization-heaped-together-are-less/) [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) > [It is the duty of government to make it difficult for people to do wrong, easy to do right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/it-is-the-duty-of-government-to-make-it-difficult-for-people-to-do/) [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) > [Ireland, Ireland. That cloud in the west, that coming storm. That minister of God's retribution upon cruel, inveterate, and but half-atoned injustice! Ireland forces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/ireland-ireland-that-cloud-in-the-west-that-coming-storm-that/) [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) > [Ireland, Ireland. That cloud in the west, that coming storm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/ireland-ireland-that-cloud-in-the-west-that-coming-storm/) [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) > [To be engaged in opposing wrong affords...but a slender guarantee for being right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/to-be-engaged-in-opposing-wrong-affords-but-a-slender-guarantee-for/) [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) [Explore all 70 William E. Gladstone quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) ## More Articles quotes > [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/) [Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/) > [The strange thing with Wikipedia is that the first article that ever gets written about you will define your Wikipedia page forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/the-strange-thing-with-wikipedia-is-that-the-first-article-that-ever/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [Some article called me the most feared man in Silicon Valley. Good Lord! Why? My teenage boys got a kick out of it: 'Dad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/some-article-called-me-the-most-feared-man-in-silicon-valley-good/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [ 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/) > [Authors of published papers and editors of scientific journals can, unfortunately, be slow to come to terms with criticism, and it's good that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-gelman/authors-of-published-papers-and-editors-of-scientific-journals-can/) [Andrew Gelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-gelman/) > [Everyone seems to assume that the unscrupulous parts of journalism will be the frivolous or jocular parts. This is against all ethical experience. Jokes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/everyone-seems-to-assume-that-the-unscrupulous-parts-of-journalism/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Over immense periods of time the intellect produced nothing but errors. A few of these proved to be useful and helped to preserve the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/over-immense-periods-of-time-the-intellect-produced-nothing-but/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [I used to be a columnist for 'Golf Monthly' and have contributed articles for national newspapers based on the humour that is in abundance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-carrott/i-used-to-be-a-columnist-for-golf-monthly-and-have-contributed/) [Jasper Carrott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-carrott/) > [There was an interesting article in Los Angeles Magazine about women directors. A woman director makes one bad independent film and her career is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/there-was-an-interesting-article-in-los-angeles-magazine-about-women/) [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) > [People went out there and they wrote articles and went on television shows saying that I am an operative that the CIA who used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassem-youssef/people-went-out-there-and-they-wrote-articles-and-went-on-television/) [Bassem Youssef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bassem-youssef/) > [But there are times when men have serious thoughts, and it is at such times, when they begin to think, that they begin to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/but-there-are-times-when-men-have-serious-thoughts-and-it-is-at-such/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [As civil rulers, not having their duty to the people duly before them, may attempt to tyrannize,... The people are confirmed by the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tench-coxe/as-civil-rulers-not-having-their-duty-to-the-people-duly-before-them/) [Tench Coxe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tench-coxe/) > [An article on playwrights in the Daily Mail , listed according to Hard Left, Soft Left, Hard Right, Soft Right and Centre. I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/an-article-on-playwrights-in-the-daily-mail-listed-according-to-hard/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [I have always loved to read, and now that I have penned 10 novels and a few magazine articles, I have fallen seriously in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothea-benton-frank/i-have-always-loved-to-read-and-now-that-i-have-penned-10-novels-and/) [Dorothea Benton Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothea-benton-frank/) > [The definition of the right of suffrage is very justly regarded as a fundamental article of republican government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-definition-of-the-right-of-suffrage-is-very-justly-regarded-as-a/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) [Browse all 893 Articles quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/articles/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Economy is the first and great article (economy such as I understand it) in my financial creed. The controversy between direct and indirect taxation holds a minor, though important place.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William E. Gladstone" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/economy-is-the-first-and-great-article-economy-such-as-i-understand/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Articles" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/economy-is-the-first-and-great-article-economy-such-as-i-understand/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f08/william-e-gladstone-9842_articles_economy-is-the-first-and-great-article-e_3202197.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f08/william-e-gladstone-9842_articles_economy-is-the-first-and-great-article-e_3202197.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f08/william-e-gladstone-9842_articles_economy-is-the-first-and-great-article-e_3202197.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Economy is the first and great article (economy such as I understand it) in my financial creed. The…” — William E. Gladstone", "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": "William E. Gladstone", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Economy is the first and great...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/economy-is-the-first-and-great-article-economy-such-as-i-understand/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/economy-is-the-first-and-great-article-economy-such-as-i-understand/#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 } } ] } ```