Progress would not have been the rarity it is if the early food had not been the late poison

Progress would not have been the rarity it is if the early food had not been the late poison

Walter Bagehot, a prominent British economist and journalist, was known for his insightful observations on society and economics. One of his famous quotes, "Progress would not have been the rarity it is if the early food had not been the late poison," speaks to the idea that what may seem beneficial or necessary in the short term can have negative consequences in the long run.