Merchants have no country. The mere spot they stand on does not constitute so strong an attachment as that from which they draw their gains.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Jefferson suggests that merchants prioritize profit over national loyalty, implying their attachment to place is weak compared to their attachment to gain.
- In plain terms
- Merchants care more about making money than about their country.
- What can you take from it?
- Profit often outweighs national loyalty for business people.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Can commerce and patriotism coexist?
- What drives merchants?
Another view
It generalizes all merchants as lacking patriotism.
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