The Way to Wealth
Benjamin Franklin
Franklin critiques the personal vices of idleness and pride as stealthier tyrants than any government. In 1758, when "The Way to Wealth" was published, America was under British rule, and taxes were a tangible burden. Franklin contrasts external taxes with internal ones, arguing that self-imposed costs—like laziness and vanity—are far more ruinous. They erode not only wealth but also one's ability to thrive independently.