Title page from The Fable of the Bees or Private Vices, Publick Benefits, Vol. 1

Part of: The Fable of the Bees or Private Vices, Publick Benefits, 2 vols. The Fable of the Bees or Private Vices, Publick Benefits, Vol. 1

Mandeville is a witty satirist who used a poem to make the profound economic point that “private vices” (or self-interest) lead to “publick benefits” (such as orderly social structures like law, language, and markets).

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Key Quotes

Economics

A Spacious Hive well stockt with Bees, That liv’d in Luxury and Ease; And yet as fam’d for Laws and Arms, As yielding large and early Swarms; Was counted the great Nursery Of Sciences and Industry. No Bees had better Government, More Fickleness, or less Content: They were not Slaves to Tyranny, Nor…

Economics

THEN leave Complaints: Fools only strive To make a Great an Honest Hive T’ enjoy the World’s Conveniencies, Be fam’d in War, yet live in Ease, Without great Vices, is a vain Eutopia seated in the Brain. Fraud, Luxury and Pride must live, While we the Benefits receive: Hunger’s a dreadful Plague, no…

War & Peace

The Hardships and Fatigues of War that are personally suffer’d, fall upon them that bear the Brunt of every Thing, the meanest Indigent Part of the Nation, the working slaving People.

Economics

What a Bustle is there to be made in several Parts of the World, before a fine Scarlet or crimson Cloth can be produced, what Multiplicity of Trades and Artificers must be employ’d! Not only such as are obvious, as Wool-combers, Spinners, the Weaver, the Cloth-worker, the Scourer, the Dyer, the…

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