Tao Te Ching

“According to the system of natural liberty, the sovereign has only three duties... first, the duty of protecting the society from violence and invasion; second, the duty of protecting every member of society from every other member of it; third, erecting and maintaining certain public works and institutions... because the profit could never repay the expense to any individual or small number of individuals”

— Adam Smith 1723 – 1790 CE
''The Father of Economic Capitalism"
from Wealth of Nations