...removing difficulties which never occur. He naturally loses, therefore, the habit of such exertion, and generally becomes as stupid and ignorant as it is possible for a human creature to become. . . . His dexterity in his own particular trade seems, in this manner, to be acquired at the expense...

...through public education: The man whose whole life is spent in performing a few simple operations ... generally becomes as stupid and ignorant as it is possible for a human creature to become Though the state was to derive no advantage from the instruction of the inferior ranks of people, it...

...understanding, or to exercise his invention.... He naturally looses, therefore, the habit of such exertion, and generally becomes as stupid and ignorant as it is possible for a human creature to become— [He is] incapable of... bearing a part of any rational conversation ... of conceiving any generous,...

...removing difficulties which never occur. He naturally loses, therefore, the habit of such exertion, and generally becomes as stupid and ignorant as it is possible for a human creature to become" (Bk. V, chap. 1; p. 782). Smith's broad civic vision, which includes concern for extraeconomic factors,...

...requirements for expensive skills."66 "The man whose life is spent performing a few simple operations . . . generally becomes as stupid and ignorant as it is possible for a human creature to become,"67 said Dessie, quoting Adam's namesake. "But more careful and more recent studies show that,...

...formed by their ordinary employments." Repetitive, boring yet demanding jobs, cause a worker to "become as stupid and ignorant as it is possible for a human creature to become" (Smith 1937: 734-735). Marx suggested, in his discussion of alienated labor, that fulfilling labor...

...via its contribution to the growth of labor productivity — had the capacity to make human beings "as stupid and ignorant as it is possible for a human creature to become" (1937: 734), a consequence of the repetitive, mindless activity to which it reduced ordinary workers....

...prosperity. So too is a system of public education, without which the division of labour would make people 'as stupid and ignorant as it is possible for a human creature to become' (Smith 1976/ 1776: 782). It follows that government has a major role to play in putting all this in...

...Lombe Brothers factory employing children, but admitted that labor division in the main makes workers "as stupid and ignorant as it is possible for a human creature to become." ! Taylorism was further refined after World War II in Japan by "Toyotism," named after the labor organization...

...operations. As a consequence, they lost the habit of exerting their understanding "and generally [became] as stupid and ignorant as it is possible for a human creature to become" ([1776] 1976 2:782). This image starkly contrasted with the emphasis Smith placed in the first book...