> It sounds like Smith was fined more than he aimed to save. That might be true in absolute terms, but saving the money at the time likely enabled him to grow

> It sounds like Smith was fined more than he aimed to save. That might be true in absolute terms, but saving the money at the time likely enabled him to grow his wealth faster, putting him in a better position now, even accounting for repayment, than he otherwise would have been. Companies do this all the time when they take on debt. Having the money now, even if you need to repay it layer, lets you grow fast, and the longer you can put off repayment, the more you can compound your gains.