47 pages • 1 hour read
George Samuel ClasonThe Richest Man in Babylon
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1926A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Chapter 10Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 10 Summary: “The Clay Tablets from Babylon”
This chapter begins with a 1934 letter addressed to a Professor Franklin Caldwell, who is on a “British Scientific Expedition” in “Mesopotamia” (75). The letter informs Professor Caldwell that the clay tablets he has sent to Britain are in good condition and are being carefully studied. The letter reports that the tablets’ writing is about “the problem of a person called Dabasir to pay off his debts” (75). The writer is amazed at this information and how relatable Dabasir’s problems are to modern people. He admits to the professor that he also has issues with debt and will try to follow Dabasir’s plan to reduce his debt and become more financially stable. The letter is signed by Alfred H. Shrewsbury, a fictitious archaeologist. At the end of the letter, Clason reveals the translations of the Babylonian tablets in the letter.
On the first tablet, Dabasir recounts how he recently returned to Babylon from his period of enslavement in Syria. He shares how motivated he now is to follow his friend Mathon’s advice to get out of debt and “into means and self-respect” (76). He describes the first details of his plan: saving 10% of his income and spending 70% of his income on his life necessities.
On the second tablet, Dabasir reveals the third part of his plan; he will use 20% of his income to pay off his debts. He shares that he will make monthly payments to his creditors until he is no longer in debt. On the third tablet, Dabasir explains that he has apologized to all his creditors and reassured them that they will receive payments monthly. Dabasir feels confident about his plan since he is now “convinced that it is easier to pay one’s debts than to avoid them” (78). On the fourth tablet, Dabasir reports on the several months that have passed. He feels increasingly relieved that he has managed to earn good money and begin to pay off his debts. He is also pleased that his plan allows him to continue to save money while providing for himself and managing his debts. Finally, on Dabasir’s fifth tablet, he celebrates that a whole year has passed, and he is no longer in debt to anyone. He is happy that his creditors respect him again and that others in the community do, too. Dabasir credits his payment plan with helping him and intends to continue following its financial principles to further enrich himself.
This parable ends with another letter from Shrewsbury to Professor Caldwell, dated 1936. Shrewsbury tells the professor that he and his wife followed Dabasir’s plan and made a list of all the people they were indebted to. They communicated their payment plan with them and began making small monthly payments. They then cut their living costs by asking for a “fair reduction” in their rent costs and purchasing cheaper tea (81). Shrewsbury then tells Professor Caldwell that he and his wife are now debt-free and are excited to begin investing their savings. Shrewsbury praises Dabasir’s advice as relevant and effective, calling it “as true and vital as the day it was buried” (82).
Chapter 10 Analysis
In this chapter, Clason deviates from his usual format and brings the reader into the 20th century. Shrewsbury’s letters connect the parables’ lessons more directly to the problems of the modern audience. The letters lend a certain mystique to Clason’s work; since he does not make it clear that the letters are fictional, allowing the audience to imagine British academics poring over Babylonian tablets that contain “ancient” financial advice is a clever device to imply their authenticity. Clason does not clarify that the tablets are fictional. By inventing primary historical sources, such as these tablets and letters, Clason both adds to and detracts from his work. On the one hand, this parable helps the reader imagine how they might react to reading Dabasir’s story first-hand and how they could benefit from his advice. On the other hand, this addition feels inauthentic as it is lacks historical support. It also risks giving the reader the wrong impression about the nature of Babylonian tablets and their uses (they were not used for personal journals).
While Clason attempts to create a more relatable modern character in Shrewsbury, who is stressed due to his series of debts, Clason fails to make a strong argument that Dabasir’s plans could work for anyone in the modern era. Shrewsbury is lucky that his creditors agree to be paid back on his timeline, and his luck at “securing a fair reduction” in his rent is not a realistic option for most renters today. Shrewsbury does not go into detail about how he cut his other costs of living; Clason only provides the example of buying cheaper tea. Though Dabasir’s 70%-20%-10% plan may be a good general strategy for dividing one’s income, Clason fails to acknowledge that this plan may not work for every reader. While the author may be able to generalize that the majority of consumers could cut their spending costs in one way or another, he fails to acknowledge that some people cannot realistically follow Dabasir’s plan. Just as Shrewsbury begins to explain his cost-cutting to the professor, he glosses over the details, writing, “It is too long a story for a letter but anyhow it did not prove difficult” (81). This omission weakens the book’s authority and limits the applicability of Clason’s advice.
