The Wealth of Nations

The Wealth of Nations

by

Adam Smith

For Adam Smith, “corn” is any kind of unrefined grain.

Corn Quotes in The Wealth of Nations

The The Wealth of Nations quotes below are all either spoken by Corn or refer to Corn. For each quote, you can also see the other terms and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Labor, Markets, and Growth Theme Icon
).
Book 1, Chapter 11 Quotes

Upon all these accounts, therefore, we may rest assured, that equal quantities of corn will, in every state of society, in every stage of improvement, more nearly represent, or be equivalent to, equal quantities of labour, than equal quantities of any other part of the rude produce of land. Corn, accordingly, it has already been observed, is, in all the different stages of wealth and improvement, a more accurate measure of value than any other commodity or set of commodities. In all those different stages, therefore, we can judge better of the real value of silver, by comparing it with corn, than by comparing it with any other commodity or set of commodities.

Page Number: 255
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 4, Chapter 5 Quotes

The nature of things has stamped upon corn a real value, which cannot be altered by merely altering its money price. No bounty upon exportation, no monopoly of the home market, can raise that value. The freest competition cannot lower it, Through the world in general, that value is equal to the quantity of labour which it can maintain, and in every particular place it is equal to the quantity of labour which it can maintain in the way, whether liberal, moderate, or scanty, in which labour is commonly maintained in that place. Woollen or linen cloth are not the regulating commodities by which the real value of all other commodities must be finally measured and determined; corn is. The real value of every other commodity is finally measured and determined by the proportion which its average money price bears to the average money price of corn.

Page Number: 649–650
Explanation and Analysis:
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Corn Term Timeline in The Wealth of Nations

The timeline below shows where the term Corn appears in The Wealth of Nations. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Book 1, Chapter 1
Labor, Markets, and Growth Theme Icon
...can’t benefit from the division of labor as much as manufacturing can. Thus, products like corn (grain) tend to have a similar price no matter which country produces them, while ones... (full context)
Book 4, Chapter 5
Labor, Markets, and Growth Theme Icon
Mercantilism and Free Trade Theme Icon
“Digression concerning the Corn Trade and Corn Laws.” This long digression will explain why the grain exportation bounty and... (full context)
Book 5, Chapter 2
Labor, Markets, and Growth Theme Icon
Institutions and Good Governance Theme Icon
...substantial government revenue. (Instead of repealing them, Britain should focus on repealing the bounty on corn export first.) Other countries heavily tax bread and meat, but meat isn’t truly a necessity. (full context)