Benjamin Franklin a true polymath was an inventor, scientist, philosopher, statesman and much more. Undoubtedly, the man had many talents and was successful in many facets of his life.

History Unspun presents Pt. 1 of our Benjamin Franklin quote series. We will share one Benjamin Franklin quote at a time and then relate his thoughts to some of today’s modern issues.

Benjamin Franklin, the statesman, was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. Our first quote has to do with Benjamin Franklin’s philosophy on a nation’s acquisition of wealth.

“There seem to be but three ways for a nation to acquire wealth. The first is by war, as the Romans did, in plundering their conquered neighbors. This is robbery. The second by commerce, which is generally cheating. The third by agriculture, the only honest way, wherein man receives a real increase of the seed thrown into the ground, in a kind of continual miracle, wrought by the hand of God in his favor, as a reward for his innocent life and his virtuous industry.”

According to the United States’ Environmental Protection Agency’s website, today less than 1% of the American population claim farming as an occupation. In 1776, nearly 90% of the American population was farmers.

What would Benjamin Franklin think about the ‘dishonest’ work force today?