Wealthless Nations?

The above is from one of those boring but important/scary articles that give one some idea of quite how badly things are really going. England will prevail, of course. But before that happens we may well have to learn the hard way (once again!) that the only way to wealth, health and happiness is through earning and saving, whereas spending leads only to poverty and misery.

Benjamin Franklin of all people put it well:

The way to wealth is as plain as the way to market. It depends chiefly on two words, industry and frugality: that is, waste neither time nor money, but make the best use of both. Without industry and frugality nothing will do, and with them everything.

Kipling, of course, put it better:

Then the Gods of the Market tumbled, and their smooth-tongued wizards withdrew,

And the hearts of the meanest were humbled and began to believe it was true

That All is not Gold that Glitters, and Two and Two make Four– 

And the Gods of the Copybook Headings limped up to explain it once more.