"Peu de choses sont requises pour porter un État du plus bas niveau de barbarie au plus haut degré d'opulence si ce n'est la paix des impôts modérés et une administration de la justice tolérable."
— Adam Smith
Simplified Meaning:
A country can go from being very poor and uncivilized to being wealthy and advanced if it focuses on three things: keeping peace, having low taxes, and ensuring fair laws and justice. Think about it like this: imagine a village that starts with very little. If the people in the village are not fighting and live in harmony, they can focus on working and improving their lives. Next, if the leaders of the village make sure not to take too much money from the people through taxes, everyone will have more money to spend and invest in businesses or improvements. Finally, if there is a fair system of laws where people are treated justly, trust will grow, and people will feel safe to work and trade. Over time, these simple steps can help the village grow and become wealthy and well-developed. Countries like Singapore have followed similar principles—focusing on stability, low taxes, and rule of law—and have become very prosperous quickly. By applying these ideas, any country can potentially achieve great progress.