APAD: A nation of shopkeepers

7
7grizzly
楼主 (文学城)

Meaning:

   This proverbial saying has a straightforward literal meaning, although it is

   intended to imply criticism of the English as a nation with little ambition.

   

Background:

   There's a veiled criticism in this saying, that the English are fit for

   little else, and it comes as no surprise that the two contenders who might

   claim coinage of it come from two nations with some disdain for the English -

   the Scots and the French.

   

   The Scottish economist Adam Smith, in his Wealth of Nations, 1776, wrote:

     "To found a great empire for the sole purpose of raising up a people of

     customers, may at first sight, appear a project fit only for a nation of

     shopkeepers. It is, however, a project altogether unfit for a nation of

     shopkeepers, but extremely fit for a nation whose government is influenced

     by shopkeepers. "

     

   Napoleon I, who was familiar with Smith's work, is reported as later using a

   French version to dismiss England's preparedness for war against France:

     "L'Angleterre est une nation de boutiquiers."

     

   Josiah Tucker, the Dean of Gloucester, preceded them both in 1766, although

   not with the precise text of the currently-used version of the phrase:

     "And what is true of a shopkeeper is true of a shopkeeping nation."

     

- www.phrases.org.uk [edited]

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Repeating the slightly denigrating word, Adam Smith seemed sour, resigned, and

at the same time awed by the power of commerce, to which he himself had made a

seminal contribution. Its currency, money, was the strongest story ever invented

by the human mind so far, strong enough to build empires.

最西边的岛上
capitalism- “competition, self interest, and laissez-faire”
7
7grizzly
and a special ore, faithful customers.
最西边的岛上
those wearing designerStubble&weaving brandName watch? ;-))
7
7grizzly
Maybe not designer stubble, a virtue out of necessity.
7
7grizzly
But a designer-label watch, absolutely.
暖冬cool夏
A money-driven world indeed. Happy holidays!
最西边的岛上
a joke: "I focus more on money than on people because I
最西边的岛上
never met a dollar I didn’t like - The Notorious B.I.G.;-)
移花接木
Anyone ever said we Chinese restaurateurs?
7
7grizzly
Happy Holidays to you and yours!
7
7grizzly
He died young, no chance to feel good about refusing money,
7
7grizzly
or at least refusing kowtowing to it.
7
7grizzly
No idea. No way a Chinese would turn a true believer.
移花接木
glory of sun never set just century b4 yester century

one of the most ambitious nations