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VIII. Superfluities, which are the highest degree (334) of wealth, are not less an object of the attentions of a prince who wants to make his people happy, that is, who wants to get rich, than necessities and conveniences. The will and the desires of all those who make up the state aim for it, and consequently, the prince must help them by wise institutions to achieve this. But he must first of all consider the motives that naturally lead all men to acquire superfluities, the use that each individual should make of them, and how the state in general should profit from what individuals have in excess.

I call superfluities everything that is of no use for the present—not for necessities nor conveniences nor (335) life’s pleasures—but that we keep for another time and occasion, sometimes even without being sure if this time or occasion will ever come and present itself. Money that a miser keeps and hoards carefully in his coffer is of this nature. He often makes no use of it his whole life and only his heirs use it. The grains that are kept in granaries in times of scarcity to protect against a feared famine are also very often something of no use to the owner because the misfortunes that he feared do not happen. Sometimes these grains spoil from storing them too long; sometimes you have to get rid of them (336)and trade[^1] with others. But most men seek a superfluous quantity of goods in order to marry and establish their children.