“Consumption is the sole end and purpose of all production.”

Context & Editorial Note

This sentence appears in Adam Smith’s 1776 examination of political economy, where he discusses the relationship between production, exchange, and the welfare of society. In its literary setting, the statement identifies the purpose of productive activity as serving consumers rather than treating production as an end in itself. The passage belongs to Smith’s broader analysis of wealth, division of labor, and the circulation of goods within an economy.