The Richest Man In Babylon Essay

The Richest Man in Babylon was written by George S. Clason in 1926. It is a series of didactic, interwoven stories concerning personal financial habits set against the backdrop of ancient Babylon. Clason begins his novel by introducing Bansir, a chariot builder who wishes he had more disposable income. Distraught with the reality that he has accumulated no real surplus of wealth by his later years, he seeks out the advice from an old friend, Arkad- the richest man in Babylon. Through the remaining course of the novel, we are introduced to Clason’s words of wisdom for successful management of wealth, told vicariously through the various characters and scenarios set forth as the novel progresses. The nexus of Clason’s advice boils down to a few fundamental beliefs and approaches to managing personal finances. The process starts with savings, to which Clason puts a strict bottom line on; that we ought to save at least one-tenth of what we earn. With this

Perseverance recurs in most of the stories, in that we must start somewhere, no matter how small; he places an emphasis on humble beginnings in many of his tales. The power of hard work in the face of seemingly impossible adversity trumps life circumstances and eventually leads to success. Along with unrelenting determination, we are able to overcome the worst of times and triumph (financially) in the end. Clason also includes a few words of cautionary advice regarding helping others out of some predicament, lest we fall into taking on their burdens ourselves. These kinds of scenarios will often end badly for all involved parties, with the underlying issue left unresolved. Moreover, we should be cautious about letting our emotions get the best of us when concerning lending out money -to acquaintances or otherwise- without ensuring that there is a realistic plan for success and return of