Ralph Waldo Emerson Quotes on Business & Commerce (19 Quotes)

A man known to us only as a celebrity in politics or in trade, gains largely in our esteem if we discover that he has some intellectual taste or skill

There are geniuses in trade as well as in war, or state, or letters and the reason why this or that man is fortunate is not to be told. It lies in the man that is all anybody can tell you about it.

There is no prosperity, trade, art, city, or great material wealth of any kind, but if you trace it home, you will find it rooted in a thought of some individual man.

Government has come to be a trade, and is managed solely on commercial principles. A man plunges into politics to make his fortune, and only cares that the world shall last his days.

We rail at trade, but the historian of the world will see that it was the principle of liberty that it settled America, and destroyed feudalism, and made peace and keeps peace that it will abolish slavery.

Commerce is of trivial import love, faith, truth of character, the aspiration of man, these are sacred.

For every benefit you receive a tax is levied.

The greatest meliorator of the world is selfish, huckstering Trade.

Every advantage has its tax.

The art of getting rich consists not in industry, much less in saving, but in a better order, in timeliness, in being at the right spot.

So ... I feel in regard to this aged England ... pressed upon by transitions of trade and ... competing populations, I see her not dispirited, not weak, but well remembering that she has seen dark days beforeindeed, with a kind of instinct that she sees a little better in a cloudy day, and that, in storm of battle and calamity, she has a secret vigor and a pulse like a cannon.

Envy is the tax which all distinction must pay.

Concentration is the secret of strength in politics, in war, in trade, in short in all management of human affairs.

For me, commerce is of trivial import love, faith, truth of character, the aspiration of man, these are sacred nor can I detach one duty, like you, from all other duties, and concentrate my forces mechanically on the payment of moneys

In politics and in trade, bruisers and pirates are of better promise than talkers and clerks.

We do not yet trust the unknown powers of thought. Whence came all these tools, inventions, book laws, parties, kingdoms Out of the invisible world, through a few brains. The arts and institutions of men are created out of thought. The powers that make the capitalist are metaphysical, the force of method and force of will makes trade, and builds towns.

We must hold a man amenable to reason for the choice of his daily craft or profession. It is not an excuse any longer for his deeds that they are the custom of his trade. What business has he with an evil trade.

The philosopher and lover of man have much harm to say of trade but the historian will see that trade was the principle of Liberty that trade planted America and destroyed Feudalism that it makes peace and keeps peace, and it will abolish slavery

Commerce is a game of skill which everyone cannot play and few can play well.