George S. Clason: The Man Behind The Richest Man in Babylon

By Edmund A. Vale · ~5 min read · Updated Aug 2, 2025

TL;DR: George S. Clason (1874–1957) turned timeless money habits into Babylonian parables—first as 1920s bank pamphlets, then as the 1926 classic The Richest Man in Babylon. Core rule: pay yourself first (10%), then invest carefully and keep learning.

Pull‑quote: “Wealth is the fruit of steady habits, not perfect timing.”

If you’ve ever heard the phrase “pay yourself first,” you’ve already met the spirit of George Samuel Clason. Long before personal‑finance TikToks and spreadsheet budgets, Clason distilled money wisdom into short, story‑driven lessons set in ancient Babylon. His slim book, The Richest Man in Babylon, has quietly shaped the financial habits of millions for nearly a century—not by preaching, but by telling tales.

From Mapmaker to Money Mentor

George S. Clason (1874–1957) was born in Louisiana, Missouri, studied at the University of Nebraska, and served in the Spanish–American War before building his career in Denver. He first made his name not in finance but in maps. His Clason Map Company produced some of the earliest road atlases in the United States and Canada—practical tools for a nation learning to drive. When the Great Depression crushed many small publishers, his map business faded. But another Clason creation, a set of simple financial parables, took on a life of its own.

The Birth of a Classic—One Pamphlet at a Time

Before it was a book, The Richest Man in Babylon was a series of pamphlets. Beginning in the mid‑1920s, Clason wrote brief, Babylon‑set stories that banks and insurance companies handed to customers. These weren’t ads. They were quick, memorable lessons: how to get out of debt, why to save consistently, how to make money work rather than slip through your fingers. The pamphlets spread by word of mouth, and readers kept asking for more. Soon, the parables were collected into the 1926 volume we know today.

Why Babylon?

Clason chose Babylon for a reason. In his time it conjured images of the first great city of wealth—irrigated fields, trade routes, walls you could drive a chariot atop. By placing ordinary characters in that setting, he stripped away modern excuses. There were no stock tickers, no credit cards, no complicated products—only timeless choices: earn, spend, save, invest, and learn. In that simplicity, his lessons feel fresh even now.

The People of the Parables

At the center stands Arkad, “the richest man in Babylon,” who didn’t inherit wealth; he learned it. A few friends—Bansir the chariot builder and Kobbi the musician—notice that despite working hard, they never keep what they earn. Arkad explains how he changed his fate by following a few clear rules. Elsewhere we meet Dabasir, a camel trader who climbs out of debt with discipline, and Sharru Nada, a merchant who shows how character and consistency build prosperity over time. These aren’t heroes with superpowers; they’re workers, craftsmen, and traders who decide to manage money on purpose.

The Big Ideas in Small Sentences

Clason’s genius is compression. He turns finance into a handful of habits:

• Pay yourself first (10%): Before you pay bills, save a tenth of what you earn. Treat it like rent to your future self.

• Control your expenses: Distinguish wants from needs. If you always spend “just a little more,” you’ll never invest.

• Make gold multiply: Put money to work—carefully. Let earnings earn.

• Guard your treasure from loss: Don’t chase schemes you don’t understand. Seek counsel from people who know.

• Increase your ability to earn: Learn constantly. Skills raise income and lower risk.

He also framed debt as a solvable math problem, not a moral failure: list what you owe, negotiate fair payments, live below your means, and keep your promises until the slate is clean.

Lessons for Today

Modern life adds complexity, but Clason’s rules still map cleanly to daily choices:

• Automate the 10%: route savings on payday so discipline becomes default.

• Cap lifestyle creep: when income rises, let your savings rate rise faster.

• Invest in what you understand: boring and repeatable beats exciting and mysterious.

• Never stop learning: new skills compound just like capital.

If you’re building a family budget, launching a small business, or starting over after setbacks, these principles help you regain traction. They scale up and down. They work in lean seasons and abundant ones.

Quick Facts — George S. Clason

• Born: 1874, Louisiana, Missouri

• Died: 1957

• Career: Publisher & mapmaker (Clason Map Company, Denver)

• Famous for: The Richest Man in Babylon (compiled 1926)

• Big idea: “Pay yourself first”—save 10%, invest prudently, keep learning.

FAQ

Did Clason really write it as a single book?
No—he first wrote short pamphlets in the 1920s for banks and insurers. They were later compiled into the 1926 book.

Why set the lessons in Babylon?
Babylon signaled the world’s first great trading hub. Stripping away modern finance tools makes the habits feel timeless and universal.

Does “pay yourself first” still work today?
Yes. Automating 10% on payday builds momentum; habits scale whether income is variable or salaried.

What’s the best way to start if I have debt?
Track what you owe, negotiate realistic payments, live below your means, and keep the 10%—even if tiny—so saving becomes identity, not leftovers.

The Story We’re Continuing

This project—The Richest Man series—stands on Clason’s shoulders. Like him, I believe stories teach faster than lectures and stick longer than tips. I’ll borrow Babylon’s clarity, speak in today’s voice, and add one more twist Clason would approve of: paying yourself first not just in money, but in time—10% of your day to learn, read, and improve your craft. Do that, and the “gold” you gather will be matched by the person you become.

Start your 10% Habit Today
• Set one automatic transfer on payday (even €10 counts).
• Choose one “boring” investment you understand.
• Book 15 minutes daily for learning (your time 10%).
Next step: Join my newsletter for weekly 2‑minute money lessons.

AI Prompt of the Week

“Given my monthly income and expenses, design a simple ‘pay yourself first’ plan that saves 10% and schedules 15 minutes daily for skill‑building. Show a 12‑month projection and the first three actions I should take this week.”

— Edmund A. Vale, Editor & Series Curator